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THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Keimer and I liv'd on a pretty good familiar footing（means relationship), and agreed tolerably well, for he suspected nothing of my setting up. He retained a great deal of his old enthusiasms and lov'd argumentation. We therefore had many disputations. I used to work him so with my Socratic(苏格拉底的） method, and had trepann'd him so often by questions apparently so distant from any point we had in hand, and yet by degrees lead to the point, and brought him into difficulties and contradictions, that at last he grew ridiculously cautious, and would hardly answer me the most common question, without asking first, "What do you intend to infer from that?" However, it gave him so high an opinion of my abilities in the confuting（驳倒） way, that he seriously proposed my being his colleague in a project he had of setting up a new sect（流派）. He was to preach the doctrines, and I was to confound（means defeat) all opponents.
When he came to explain with me upon the doctrines, I found several conundrums(谜语，难题） which I objected to, unless I might have my way a little too, and introduce some of mine.

Keimer wore his beard at full length, because somewhere in the Mosaic law it is said, "Thou shalt（shall） not mar（means destroy) the corners of thy beard." He likewise kept the Seventh day, Sabbath（安息日）; and these two points were essentials with him. I dislik'd both; but agreed to admit them upon condition of his adopting(采用，收养） the doctrine of using no animal food. "I doubt," said he, "my constitution will not bear that." I assur'd him it would, and that he would be the better for it. He was usually a great glutton（暴食者）, and I promised myself some diversion（解闷，娱乐） in half starving him. He agreed to try the practice, if I would keep him company. I did so, and we held it for three months.
We had our victuals（means food） dress'd, and brought to us regularly by a woman in the neighborhood, who had from me a list of forty dishes to be prepar'd for us at different times, in all which there was neither fish, flesh, nor fowl（家禽）, and the whim（一时的兴致，奇想，怪念头） suited me the better at this time from the cheapness of it, not costing us above eighteenpence sterling each per week. I have since kept several Lents most strictly, leaving the common diet for that, and that for the common, abruptly, without the least inconvenience, so that I think there is little in the advice of making those changes by easy gradations（顺序，阶级）. I went on pleasantly, but poor Keimer suffered grievously, tired of the project, long'd for（means desire ） the flesh-pots（暖衣饱食or奢侈的生活） of Egypt, and order'd a roast pig. He invited me and two women friends to dine with him; but, it being brought too soon upon table, he could not resist the temptation（诱惑）, and ate the whole before we came.

I had made some courtship（求爱） during this time to Miss Read. I had a great respect and affection for her, and had some reason to believe she had the same for me; but, as I was about to take a long voyage（航行）, and we were both very young, only a little above eighteen, it was thought most prudent by her mother to prevent our going too far at present, as a marriage, if it was to take place, would be more convenient after my return, when I should be, as I expected, set up in my business. Perhaps, too, she thought my expectations not so well founded as I imagined them to be.

My chief acquaintances at this time were Charles Osborne, Joseph Watson, and James Ralph, all lovers of reading. The two first were clerks to an eminent（means famous） scrivener（公证人，代笔人） or conveyancer（运输者，传达者） in the town, Charles Brogden; the other was clerk to a merchant. Watson was a pious（虔诚的，尽责的）, sensible young man, of great integrity（诚实）; the others rather more lax（松懈的，不严格的） in their principles of religion, particularly Ralph, who, as well as Collins, had been unsettled by me, for which they both made me suffer. Osborne was sensible, candid（公正的）, frank; sincere and affectionate（挚爱的） to his friends; but, in literary matters, too fond of criticising. Ralph was ingenious, genteel（上流社会的） in his manners, and extremely eloquent; I think I never knew a prettier talker. Both of them great admirers of poetry, and began to try their hands in little pieces. Many pleasant walks we four had together on Sundays into the woods, near Schuylkill, where we read to one another, and conferr'd（means exchange the opinon ) on what we read.

Ralph was inclin'd to pursue the study of poetry, not doubting but he might become eminent in it, and make his fortune by it, alleging that the best poets must, when they first began to write, make as many faults as he did. Osborne dissuaded(劝阻） him, assur'd him he had no genius for poetry, and advis'd him to think of nothing beyond the business he was bred to; that, in the mercantile way, tho' he had no stock, he might, by his diligence and punctuality（准时）, recommend himself to employment as a factor（代理人）, and in time acquire wherewith to trade on his own account. I approv'd the amusing one's self with poetry now and then, so far as to improve one's language, but no farther.