The poor Peaceable Man has nothing to Fear, but does his Bus’ness, and
takes his Rest, without the Trouble either of Thieves or of Alarums. ’Tis
the Booty, not the Man, (save only for the Booty’s Sake,) that is in
Danger. There’s either _Mony_ or _Mony’s-worth_, in all the Controversies
of Life; for we live in a Mercenary World, and ’tis the Price, in some
sort or other, of all things that are in it; but as it certainly draws
Envy and Hazzard after it, so there are great Advantages go along with
it, and great Blessings that attend the right use of it. And so for
Poverty too; a narrow Fortune is undoubtedly a Cramp to a great Mind, and
lays a Man under a Thousand Incapacities of serving either his Countrey
or his Friend; but it has the Comforts yet of being free from the Cares
and Perils that accompany great Masses of Treasure and Plentiful Estates.
Beside, that the Virtue of a Generous and a Charitable Tenderness of
Nature, is never the less Acceptable to him that takes the Will for the
Deed, for want of Ability to put those good Inclinations in Execution.
This Fable in short, makes good the Old Saying,
_No Man Sings a Merrier Note_
_Then he that cannot change a Groat._