COURTEOUS reader:
I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure as to find
his works respectfully quoted by others. Judge, then, how much I must
have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I
stopt my horse lately, where a great number of people were collected
at an auction of merchants' goods. The hour of the sale not being
come, they were conversing 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 these heavy
taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we ever be able to pay them?
What would you advise us to do?" Father Abraham stood up and replied,
"If you would have my advice, I will give it you in short; for 'A word
to the wise is enough,' as Poor Richard says." They joined in desiring
him to speak his mind, and gathering round him he proceeded as
follows.
[Footnote 23: From "Poor Richard's Almanac" for 1757, where it was
printed as a preface signed "Richard Saunders." Franklin began this
Almanac in 1732. John Bigelow, Franklin's biographer and editor, says
it "attained an astonishing popularity." For twenty-five years it had
an average circulation of 10,000 copies. Sometimes it was sent to
press as early as October in order to supply remote colonists in time
for the new year. Translations of it have been printed in nearly all
written languages.]
"Friends," said he, "the taxes are indeed very heavy, and, if those
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 some 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 commissioners can not ease or deliver us by
allowing an abatement. However, let us harken to good advice, and
something may be done for us; 'God helps them that help themselves,'
as Poor Richard says.
"I. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people
one-tenth part of their time, to be employed in its service; but
idleness taxes many of us much more; sloth, by bringing on diseases,
absolutely shortens life. 'Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than
labor wears; while the used key is always bright,' as Poor Richard
says. 'But dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that is
the stuff life is made of,' as Poor Richard says. How much more than
is necessary do we spend in sleep, forgetting that 'The sleeping fox
catches no poultry,' and that 'There will be sleeping enough in the
grave,' as Poor Richard says.
"'If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be,'
as Poor Richard says, 'the greatest prodigality'; since, as he
elsewhere tells us, 'Lost 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; so by diligence shall we do more with
less perplexity. 'Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all
easy'; and 'He that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce
overtake his business at night'; while 'Laziness travels so slowly
that Poverty soon overtakes him. Drive thy business, let not that
drive thee'; and 'Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man
healthy, wealthy, and wise,' as Poor Richard says....
"Methinks I hear some of you say, 'Must a man afford himself no
leisure?' I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, 'Employ
thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art
not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.' Leisure is time for
doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but
the lazy man never; for 'A life of leisure and a life of laziness are
two things. Many, without labor, would live by their wits only, but
they break for want of stock'; whereas industry gives comfort, and
plenty, and respect. 'Fly pleasures, and they will follow you. The
diligent spinner has a large shift; and now I have a sheep and a cow,
everybody bids me good morrow.'
"II. But with our industry we must likewise be steady, settled, and
careful, and oversee our own affairs with our own eye, and not trust
too much to others; for, as Poor Richard says,
'I never saw an oft-removed tree,
Nor yet an oft-removed family,
That throve so well as those that settled be.'
And again, 'Three removes are as bad as a fire'; and again, 'Keep thy
shop, and thy shop will keep thee'; and again, 'If you would have your
business done, go; if not, send.' And again,
'He that by the plough would thrive,
Himself must either hold or drive.'
And again, 'The eye of a master 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 oversee workmen, is to leave them your
purse open.' Trusting too much to others' care is the ruin of many;
for 'In the affairs of this world men are saved not by faith, but by
the want of it'; but a man's own care is profitable; for 'If you would
have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself. A
little neglect may breed great mischief; for want of a nail the shoe
was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a
horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all
for want of a little care about a horseshoe nail.'
"III. So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own
business; but to these we must add frugality, if we would make our
industry more certainly successful. A man may, if he knows not how to
save as he gets, keep his nose all his life to the grindstone, and die
not worth a groat at last. 'A fat kitchen makes a lean will'; and
'Many estates are spent in the getting,
Since women for tea forsook spinning and knitting,
And men for punch forsook hewing and splitting.'
'If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as of getting. The
Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than
her incomes.'
"Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will not then have
so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable
families; for
'Women and wine, game and deceit,
Make the wealth small and the want great.'
"And further, '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 costly, clothes 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 expenses; 'A small leak
will sink a great ship,' as Poor Richard says; and again, 'Who
dainties love, shall beggars prove'; and moreover, 'Fools makes
feasts, and wise men eat them.... If you would know the value of
money, go and try to borrow some; for he that goes a-borrowing goes
a-sorrowing,' as Poor Richard says; and, indeed, so does he that lends
to such people, when he goes to get it in again. Poor Dick further
advises, and says,
'Fond pride of dress is sure a very curse;
Ere fancy you consult, consult your purse.'
And again, 'Pride is as loud a beggar as Want, and a great deal more
saucy.' When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more,
that your appearance may be all of a piece; but Poor Dick says, 'It is
easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow
it.' And it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich as for the
frog to swell in order to equal the ox.
'Vessels large may venture more,
But little boats should keep near shore.
It is, however, a folly soon punished; for, as Poor Richard says,
'Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt. Pride breakfasted with
Plenty, dined with Poverty, and supped with Infamy.' And, after all,
of what use is this pride of appearance, for which so much is risked,
so much is suffered? It can not promote health, nor ease pain; it
makes no increase of merit in the person; it creates envy; it hastens
misfortune.
"But what madness must it be to run in debt for these
superfluities.... When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps,
think little of payment; but, as Poor Richard says, 'Creditors have
better memories than debtors; creditors are a superstitious sect,
great observers of set days and times.' The day comes round before you
are aware, and the demand is made before you are prepared to satisfy
it; or, if you bear your debt in mind, the term, which at first seemed
so long, will, as it lessens, appear extremely short. Time will seem
to have added wings to his heels as well as his shoulders. 'Those have
a short Lent who owe money to be paid at Easter.' At present, perhaps,
you may think yourselves in thriving circumstances, and that you can
bear a little extravagance without injury; but
'For age and want save while you may;
No morning sun lasts a whole day.'
Gain may be temporary and uncertain, but ever, while you live, expense
is constant and certain; and 'It is easier to build two chimneys than
to keep one in fuel,' as Poor Richard says; so, 'Rather go to bed
supperless than rise in debt.'
'Get what you can, and what you get hold;
'Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into gold.'
And when you have got the philosopher's stone, sure you will no longer
complain of bad times, or the difficulty of paying taxes.
"IV. This doctrine, my friends, is reason and wisdom; but, after all,
do not depend too much upon your own industry, and frugality, and
prudence, tho excellent things; for they may all be blasted without
the blessing of Heaven; and, therefore, ask that blessing humbly, and
be not uncharitable to those that at present seem to want it, but
comfort and help them. Remember, Job suffered, and was afterward
prosperous.
"And now, to conclude, 'Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will
learn in no other,' as Poor Richard says, and scarce in that; for, it
is true, 'We may give advice, but we can not give conduct.' However,
remember this, 'They that will not be counseled, can not be helped;'
and further, that 'If you will not hear Reason, she will surely rap
your knuckles' as Poor Richard says."
Thus the old gentleman ended his harangue. The people heard it and
approved the doctrine; and immediately practised the contrary, just as
if it had been a common sermon; for the auction opened, and they began
to buy extravagantly. I found the good man had thoroughly studied my
Almanacs, and digested all I had dropt on these topics during the
course of twenty-five years. The frequent mention he made of me must
have tired any one else; but my vanity was wonderfully delighted with
it, tho I was conscious that not a tenth part of the wisdom was my
own, which he ascribed to me, but rather the gleanings that I had made
of the sense of all ages and nations. However, I resolved to be the
better for the echo of it; and tho I had at first determined to buy
stuff for a new coat, I went away resolved to wear my old one a little
longer. Reader, if thou wilt do the same, thy profit will be as great
as mine.
V