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"Ben Franklin"
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography: Page 41
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to England, where, there being no nunnery, she had vow'd to lead the life of a
nun, as near as might be done in those circumstances. Accordingly, she had given
all her estate to charitable uses, reserving only twelve pounds a year to live
on, and out of this sum she still gave a great deal in charity, living herself
on water-gruel only, and using no fire but to boil it. She had lived many years
in that garret, being permitted to remain there gratis by successive Catholic
tenants of the house below, as they deemed it a blessing to have her there. A
priest visited her to confess her every day. "I have ask'd her," says my
landlady, "how she, as she liv'd, could possibly find so much employment for a
confessor?" "Oh," said she, "it is impossible to avoid vain thoughts." I was
permitted once to visit her, She was chearful and polite, and convers'd
pleasantly. The room was clean, but had no other furniture than a matras, a
table with a crucifix and book, a stool which she gave me to sit on, and a
picture over the chimney of Saint Veronica displaying her handkerchief, with the
miraculous figure of Christ's bleeding face on it, which she explained to me
with great seriousness. She look'd pale, but was never sick; and I give it as
another instance on how small an income life and health may be supported.
At Watts's printing-house I contracted an acquaintance with an ingenious young
man, one Wygate, who, having wealthy relations, had been better educated than
most printers; was a tolerable Latinist, spoke French, and lov'd reading. I
taught him and a friend of his to swim at twice going into the river, and they
soon became good swimmers. They introduc'd me to some gentlemen from the
country, who went to Chelsea by water to see the College and Don Saltero's
curiosities. In our return, at the request of the company, whose curiosity
Wygate had excited, I stripped and leaped into the river, and swam from near
Chelsea to Blackfryar's, performing on the way many feats of activity, both upon
and under water, that surpris'd and pleas'd those to whom they were novelties.
I had from a child been ever delighted with this exercise, had studied and
practis'd all Thevenot's motions and positions, added some of my own, aiming at
the graceful and easy as well as the useful. All these I took this occasion of
exhibiting to the company, and was much flatter'd by their admiration; and
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