A Brief History of the School of Candlemaking

At ten years old I was taken home to assist my father in his business, which was that of a tallow-chanler and soap-boiler. Under him I acquired fair writing pretty soon, but I failed in the arithmetic and made no progress in it. However, living near the water I was much in and about it, learned early to swim well and to manage boats. On other occasions I was generally a leader among the boys, and sometimes led them into scrapes; one instance shows an early projecting public spirit, though not unjustly conducted.