racter of him in London from his wife and her friends, and was not
fond of having any more to do with him. I tri'd for farther employment
as a merchant's clerk; but, not readily meeting with any, I clos'd
again with Keimer. I found in his house these hands: Hugh Meredith, a
Welsh Pensilvanian, thirty years of age, bred to country work; honest,
sensible, had a great deal of solid observation, was something of a
reader, but given to drink. Stephen Potts, a young countryman of full
age, bred to the same, of uncommon natural parts, and great wit and
humor, but a little idle. These he had agreed with at extream low
wages per week, to be rais'd a shilling every three months, as they
would deserve by improving in their business; and the expectation of
these high wages, to come on hereafter, was what he had drawn them in
with. Meredith was to work at press, Potts at book-binding, which he,
by agreement, was to teach them, though he knew neither one nor
t'other. John ----, a wild Irishman, brought up to no business, whose
service, for four years, Keimer had purchased from the captain of a
ship; he, too, was to be made a pressman. George Webb, an Oxford
scholar, whose time for four years he had likewise bought, intending
him for a compositor, of whom more presently; and David Harry, a
country boy, whom he had taken apprentice.

I soon perceiv'd that the intention of engaging me at wages so much
higher than he had been us'd to give, was, to have these raw, cheap
hands form'd thro' me; and, as soon as I had instructed them, then they
being all articled to him, he should be able to do without me. I went
on, however, very cheerfully, put his printing-house in order, which
had been in great confusion, and brought his hands by degrees to mind
their business and to do it better.

It was an odd thing to find an Oxford scholar in the situation of a
bought servant. He was not more than eighteen years of age, and gave
me this account of himself; that he was born in Gloucester, educated at
a grammar-school there, had been distinguish'd among the scholars for
some apparent superiority in performing his part, when they exhibited
plays; belong'd to the Witty Club there, and had written some pieces in
prose and verse, which were printed in the Gloucester newspapers;
thence he was sent to Oxford; where he continued about a year, but not
well satisfi'd, wishing of all things to see London, and become a
player. At length, receiving his qu