how it is with his neighbours. There is a much shorter cut from virtue to vice, than from vice to virtue. He is the happy man, not whom other men think, but who thinks himself to be fo. Of finful pleafures repentance only remains. He who hath much wants still more, and then more. The lefs a man fleeps the more he lives. He can never speak well who knows not when to hold his peace. The trueft content is that which no man can deprive you of. The remembrance of wife and good men inftructs as well as their prefence. 'Tis wisdom, in a doubtful cafe, rather to take another man's judgment than our own. Wealth betrays the best refolved mind into one vice or other. We are ufually the best men when we are worst in health. Learning is wealth to the poor, an honour to the rich, and a fupport and comfort to old age. Learning procures respect to good fortune, and helps out the bad. The mafter makes the houfe to be refpected, not the house the mafter. The short and fure way to reputation, is to take care to be in truth what we would have others think us to be. A good reputation is a fecond, or half an eftate. He is the better man who comes nearest to the best. A wrong judgment of things is the most mifchievous thing in the world. The neglect or contempt of riches makes a man more truly great than the poffeffion of them. That only is true honour which he gives who deferves it himfelf. Beauty and chastity have always a mortal quarrel between them. Look always upon life, and use it as a thing that is lent you. Civil offers are for all men, and good offices for our friends. Nothing in the world is ftronger than a man but his own paffions. When a man comes into troubles, money is one of his best friends. He only is the great learned man who knows enough to make him live well. An empty purfe and a new houfe finished make a man wife, but 'tis fomewhat too late.

§ 154. The Way to Wealth, as clearly fhewn in the Preface of an old Pennsylvanian Almanack, entitled, "Poor Richard im"proved." Written by Dr. Benjamin Franklin.

Courteous Reader,

I have heard, that nothing gives an author fo great pleasure, as to find his works Judge, relpectfully quoted by others. then, how much I must have been gra

tified by an incident I am going to relate to you. Í ftopped my horse lately, where a great number of people were collected at an auction of merchants' goods. The hour of the fale not being come, they were converfing on the badness of the times; and one of the company called to a plain, clean old man, with white locks, Pray, father Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not thofe heavy taxes quite ruin the country? how fhall we be ever able to pay them? What would you advise us to?Father Abraham stood up, and replied, If you would have my advice, [ will give it you in fhort; "for a word to the wife is enough," as poor Richard fays.' They joined in defiring him to fpeak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows

:

Friends,' fays he, the taxes are, indeed, very heavy; and, if thofe laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them: but we have many others, and much more grievous to fome of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from these taxes the commiffioners cannot ease or deliver us by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and fomething may be done for us; "God helps them that help themselves," as Poor Richard fays.

I. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their time to be employed in its fervice: but idlenefs taxes many of us much more; fleth, by bringing on diseases, abfolutely fhortens life. Sloth, like ruft, confumes fafter than labour wears, while the ufed key is always bright," as Poor Richard fays." But doft thou love life, then do not fquander time, for that is the ftuff life is made of," as Poor Richards says. -How much more than is neceffary do we

* Dr. Franklin, wishing to collect into one piece all the fayings upon the following subjects, which he had dropped in the courfe of publishing father Abraham for this purpofe.

the Almanacks called Poor Richard, introduces Hence it is,

that Poor Richard is fo often quoted, and that, in the prefent title, he is faid to be improved.-Notwithstanding the ftroke of humour in the concluding paragraph of this addrefs, Poor Richard (Saunders) and father Abraham have proved, in America, that they are no common preachers.-And fhall we, brother Englishmen, refufe good fenfe and faving knowledge, because it comes from the other fide of the water?

spend

fpend in fleep! forgetting that "The fleeping fox catches no poultry, and that there will be fleeping enough in the grave," as Poor Richard fays.

"If time be of all things the most precious, wafting time muft be," as Poor Richard fays, "the greatest prodigality;" fince, as he elsewhere tells us, "Loft time is never found again; and what we call time enough always proves little enough." Let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpose: fo by diligence fhall we do more with lefs perplexity." Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all eafy; and he that rifeth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his bufinefs at night; while laziness travels fo flowly, that po. verty foon overtakes him. Drive thy bufinefs, let not that drive thee; and early to bed, and early to rife, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wife," as Poor Richard fays.

So what fignifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make thefe times better, if we beftir ourselves. "Induftry need not wifh, and he that lives upon hope will die fafting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands," or, if I have, they are Smartly taxed. "He that hath a trade, hath an eftate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honour," as Poor Richard fays; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling well followed, or neither the eftate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes.-If we are induftrious we fhall never ftarve; for, "at the working man's houfe hunger looks in, but dares not enter." Nor will the bailiff or the conftable enter, for "industry pays debts, while defpair encreafeth them." What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy, "Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to induftry. Then plow deep, while fluggards fleep, and you fhall have corn to fell and to keep." Work while it is called to day, for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow. "One to-day is worth two to-morrows," as Poor Richard fays; and farther, "Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day." If you were a fervant, would you not be ashamed that a good mafter should catch you idle? Are you then your own mafter? be ashamed to catch yourself idle, when there is fo much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your king. Handle your tools without mit

tens: remember, that "The cat in gloves catches no mice," as Poor Richard fays. It is true, there is much to be done, and, perhaps, you are weak-handed; but ftick to it fteadily, and you will fee great effects; for "Conftant dropping wears away ftones: and by diligence and patience the moufe ate in two the cable; and little strokes fell great oaks."

Methinks I hear fome of you fay, "Muft a man afford himself no leifure ?" I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard fays; "Employ thy time well, if thou meaneft to gain leifure; and, fince thou art not fure of a minute, throw not away an hour." Leifure is time for doing fomething ufeful: this leifure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; for, "A life of leifure and a life of lazinefs are two things. Many, without labour, would live by their wits only, but they break for want of flock;" whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and refpect. "Fly pleafures, and they will follow you. The diligent fpinner has a large fhift; and now I have a fheep and a cow, every body bids me good-morrow."

II. But with our industry we must likewife be fleady, fettled, and careful, and oversee our own affairs with our own eyes, and not truft too much to others; for, as Poor Richard fays,

"I never faw an oft-removed tree,

Nor yet an oft removed family,
That throve fo well as thofe that fettled be."

"In

And again, "The eye of the mafter will do more work than both his hands:" and again, "Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge:" and again, "Not to overfee workmen, is to leave them your purfe open." Trufting too much to others care is the ruin of many; for, the affairs of this world, men are faved, not by faith, but by the want of it:" but a man's own care is profitable; for, "If you would have a faithful fervant, and one that you like,ferve yourself. A little neglect may breed great mifchief; for want of a nail the fhoe was loft; for want of a shoe the horse was loft; and for want of a horfe 3 X

the

the rider was loft," being overtaken and flain by the enemy; all for want of a little care about a horse-shoe nail.

III. So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to thefe we must add frugality, if we would make our industry more certainly fucceffful. A man may, if he knows not how to fave as he gets, "keep his nofe all his life to the grindstone, and die not worth a groat at laft" A fat kitchen makes a lean will," and,

"Many eftates are fpent in the getting,

Since women for tea forfook spinning and knitting,

And men for punch forfook hewing and splitting."

"If you would be wealthy, think of faving, as well as of getting. The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her out-goes are greater than her in-comes."

Away, then, with your expenfive follies, and you will not then have fo much caule to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for

Women and wine, game and deceit,

Make the wealth imall, and the want great." And farther, "What maintains one vice, would bring up two children." You may think, perhaps, that a little tea, or a little punch now and then, diet a little more coftly, cloaths a little finer, and a little entertainment now and then, can be no great matter; but remember, " Many a little makes a mickle." Beware of little expences; "A fmall leak will fink a great hip," as Poor Richard fays; and again, "Who dainties love, fhall beggars prove;" and moreover, "Fools make feasts, and wife men eat them." Here you are all got together to this fale of fineries and nick-nacks. You call them goods; but, f you do not take care they will prove evils to fome of you. You expect they will be fold cheap, and perhaps they may for less than they coft; but if you have no occafion for them, they must be dear to you. Remember what Poor Richard fays,

Buy what thou haft no need of, and ere long thou shalt fell thy neceflaries." And again, “At a great pennyworth pause a while:" he means, that perhaps the cheapnefs is apparent only, and not real; or the bargain, by faitening thee in thy bufinefs, may do thee more harm than good. For in another place he fays, "Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths." And, "It is foolish to lay out money in

a purchase of repentance;" and yet this folly is practifed every day at auctions, for want of minding the Almanack. Many a one, for the fake of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly, and half starved their families; "Silks and fattins, fcarlet and velvets, put out the kitchen-fire," as Poor Richard fays. These are not the neceffaries of life; they can scarcely be called the conveniencies: and yet only because they look pretty, how many want to have them?-By thefe, and other extravagancies, the genteel are reduced to poverty, and forced to borrow of those whom they formerly defpifed, but who, through induftry and frugality, have maintained their ftanding; in which cafe it appears plainly, that, "A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees," as Poor Richard fays. Perhaps they have had a fmall eftate left them, which they knew not the getting of; they think "It is day, and will never be night:" that a little to be fpent out of fo much is not worth minding; but " Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, foon comes to the bottom," as Poor Richard fays; and then, "When the well is dry, they know the worth of water." But this they might have known before, if they had taken his advice. "If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow fome; for he that goes a borrowing, goes a forrowing," as Poor Richard fays; and, indeed, fo does he that lends to fuch people, when he goes to get it in again. Poor Dick farther advifes, and fays,

"Fond pride of drefs is fure a very curfe,

Ere fancy you confult, confult your purse." And again, "Pride is as loud a beggar as Want, and a great deal more faucy." When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more, that your appearance may be all of a-piece; but poor Dick fays, "It is eafier to fupprefs the first defire, than to fatisfy all that follow it." And it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to fwell, in order to equal the

Χ

fuffered? It cannot promote health, nor eafe pain; it makes no increase of merit in the perfon, it creates envy, it haftens misfortune.

But what madness it must be to run in debt for thefe fuperfluities? We are offered, by the terms of this fale, fix months credit; and that, perhaps, has induced fome of us to attend it, because we cannot fpare the ready money, and hope now to be fine without it. Bnt, ah! think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty. If y you cannot pay at the time, you will be athamed to fee your creditor; you will be in fear when you speak to him; you will make poor pitiful fneaking excufes, and, by degrees, come to lofe your veracity, and fink into bafe, downright lying; for, "The fecond vice is lying, the first is running in debt," as Poor Richard fays; and again, to the fame purpose, (6 Lying rides upon Debt's back:" whereas a free-born Englithman ought not to be ashamed nor afraid to fee or speak to any man living. But .poverty often deprives a man of all fpirit and virtue. "It is hard for an empty bag to ftand upright."-What would you think of that prince, or of that government, who fhould iffue an edict forbidding you to drefs like a gentleman or gentlewoman, on pain of imprisonment or fervitude? Woukl you not fay that you were free, have a right to drefs as you please, and that fuch an edict would be a breach of your privileges, and fuch a government tyrannical? and yet you are about to put yourself under that tyranny, when you run in debt for fuch drefs? Your creditor has authority, at his pleafure, to deprive you of your liberty, by confining you in gaol for life, or by felling you for a fervant, if you should not be able to pay him. When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps, think little of payment; but, as Poor Richard fays," Creditors have better memories than debtors; creditors are a fuperftitious fect, great ob fervers of fet days and times." The day comes round before you are aware, and the demand is made before you are prepared to fatisfy it; or, if you bear your debt in mind, the term, which at firit feemed fo long, will, as it leffens, appear extremely fhort: Time will feem to have added wings to his heels as well as his thoulders. "Thofe have a short Lent, who owe money to be paid at Eafter." At prefent, perhaps, you may think yourselves in thriving circumstances, and that you can

bear a little extravagance without injury; but

"For age and want fave while you may,
No morning-fun lafts a whole day."

Gain may be temporary and uncertain; but ever, while you live, expence is conftant and certain; and "It is eafier to build two chimneys, than to keep one in fuel," as Poor Richard fays: So, 66 Rather go to bed fupperlefs, than rise in debt.

"Get what you can, and what you get hold, 'Tis the tone that will turn all your lead into gold."

And when you have got the philofopher's tone, fure you will no longer complain of bad times, or the difficulty of paying taxes.

IV. This doctrine, my friends, is reafon and wifdom: but, after all, do not depend too much upon your own indultry, and frugality, and prudence, though excellent things; for they may all be blafted without the bleffing of Heaven; and therefore, afk that blefling humbly, and be not uncharitable to thofe that at prefent feem to want it, but comfort and help them. Remember, Job fuffered, and was afterwards profperous.

And now to conclude, " Experience keeps a dear fchool, but fools will learn in no other." as Poor Richard fays, and scarce in that; for it is true, "We may give advice, but we cannot give conduct." However, remember this, "They that will not be counfelled cannot be helped;" and farther, that " If you will not hear Reason, he will furely rap your knuckles," as Poor Richard fays.'

Thus the old gentleman ended his harangue. The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practifed the contrary, juft as if it had been a common fermon; for the auction ' opened, and they began to buy extravagantly.I found the good man had thoroughly ftudied my Almanacks, and digeiled all I had dropt on those topics during the course of twenty-five years. The frequent mention he made of me must have tired any one elfe; but my vanity was wonderfully delighted with it, though i was confcious that not a tenth part of the wisdom was my own, which he alaribed to me; but rather the gleanings that I had made of the fente of all ages and nations. However, I refolved to be the better for the echo of it, and though X 2

I had