nd fishing; so with work and play he was more than busy
until he was twenty-three years old. Then his uncle sent him to London
to give him the advantages of travel and of mingling with "foreign
lords of trade and finance," and also to gain a knowledge of business
conditions in England. And so, in 1760, young Hancock arrived in
London, where he found "old Europe passing into the modern. Victory
had followed the English flag in every quarter of the globe, and a new
nation was beginning to evolve out of chaos in the American
wilderness, which was at that time England's most valuable
dependency."

While he was in London George the Second died, and his grandson
succeeded to the throne. The unwonted sight of the pomp and splendor
of a royal funeral was no slight event in the life of the young
colonist, and the keen eyes of John Hancock lost no detail of the
imposing ceremonial. He wrote home:

I am very busy in getting myself mourning upon the Occasion
of the Death of his late Majesty King George the 2d, to
which every person of any Note here Conforms, even to the
deepest Mourning.... Everything here is now very dull. All
Plays are stopt and no diversions are going forward, so that
I am at a loss how to dispose of myself....

A later letter is of interest as it shows something of the habits of a
wealthy young man of the period. "Johnny," as his uncle affectionately
calls him, writes:

I observe in your Letter you mention a Circumstance in
Regard to my dress. I hope it did not Arise from your
hearing I was too Extravagant that way, which I think they
cant Tax me with. At same time I am not Remarkable for the
Plainness of my Dress, upon proper Occasions I dress as
Genteel as anyone, and cant say I am without Lace.... I find
money some way or other goes very fast, but I think I can
Reflect it has been spent with Satisfaction, and to my own
honor.... I endeavor to be in Character in all I do, and in
all my Expences which are pretty large I have great
Satisfaction in the Reflection of their being incurred in
Honorable Company and to my Advantage.

Throughout his life good fortune followed John Hancock in matters
small and great, and it was a piece of characteristic good luck that
he should have been able to remain to see the new King's coronation.
He was also presented at Court, as a representative young colonist of
high social standi