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 ſtopped my horſe lately, where a great number of people were collected at an auction of merchants goods. The hour of 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 be ever able to pay them? What would you adviſe us to? 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:

FRIEND, ſays 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 cannot eaſe or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken 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 labour wears, while the uſed key is always bright, as Poor Richard ſays.— But doſt thou love life, then do not 〈◊〉 time, for that is the ſtuff life is made of, 〈…〉 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; for by diligence we ſhall 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.

So what ſignifies wiſhing and hoping for better times? We may make theſe times better, if we beſtir ourſelves. Induſtry need not wiſh, and he that lives upon hope will die faſting. 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 eſtate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honour, as Poor Richard ſays; but then the trade muſt be worked at, and the calling well followed, or neither the eſtate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are induſtrious we ſhall never ſtarve; for, at the working man's houſe hunger looks in, but dares not enter. Nor will the bailiff or the conſtable enter, for, Induſtry pays debts, while deſpair encreaſeth 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 induſtry. Then plow deep, while ſluggards ſleep, and you ſhall have corn to ſell 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 ſays; and farther, Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day.—If you were a ſervant, would you not be aſhamed that a good maſter ſhould catch you idle? Are you then your own maſter? Be aſhamed to catch yourſelf idle, when there is ſo much to be done for yourſelf, your family, and your country.—Handle your tools without mittens; remember, that The cat in gloves catches no mice, as Poor Richard ſays. It is true, there is much to be done, and, perhaps, you are weak handed; but ſtick to it ſteadily, and you will ſee great effects; for Conſtant dropping wears away ſtones; and by diligence and patience the mouſe ate in two the cable; and little ſtrokes fell great oaks.

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 labour, 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, every body 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 eyes, 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 is 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, 〈1 line〉 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 horſe-ſhoe 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 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 coſtly, 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 ſmall leak will ſink a great ſhip, as Poor Richard ſays; and again, Who dainties love, ſhall beggars prove; and moreover, Fools make feaſts, and wiſe men eat them. Here you are all got together to this ſale of fineries and nick-nacks. You call them goods; but, if you do not take care, they will prove evils to ſome of you. You expect they will be ſold cheap, and, perhaps, they may for leſs than they coſt; but, if you have no occaſion for them, they muſt be dear to you. Remember what Poor Richard ſays, Buy what thou haſt no need of, and ere long thou ſhalt ſell thy neceſſaries. And again, At a great pennyworth pauſe awhile. He means, that perhaps the cheapneſs is apparent only, and not real; or the bargain, by ſtraitening thee in thy buſineſs, may do thee more harm than good. For in another place he ſays, Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths. Again, It is fooliſh to lay out money in a purchaſe of repentance; and yet this folly is practiſed every day at auctions, for want of minding the Almanack. Many a one, for the ſake of finery on the back, has gone with a hungry belly, and half ſtarved their families; Silks and ſattins, ſcarlets and velvets, put out the kitchen fire, as Poor Richard ſays. Theſe are not the neceſſaries of life; they can ſcarcely be called the conveniencies; and yet only becauſe they look pretty, how many want to have them? By theſe, and other extravagances, the genteel are reduced to poverty, and forced to borrow of thoſe whom they formerly deſpiſed, but who, through induſtry and frugality, have maintained their ſtanding; in which caſe it appears plainly that A ploughman on his legs, is higher than a gentleman on his knees, as Poor Richard ſays.— Perhaps they have had a ſmall eſtate left them, which they knew not the getting of; they think. "It is day, and will never be night;" that a little to be ſpent out of ſo much is not worth minding; but Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, ſoon comes to the bottom, as Poor Richard ſays; 〈…〉 have known before, if they had often his advice: 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 farther 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 cannot 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 ſuperſluities? We are offered, by the terms of this ſale, ſix months credit; and that, perhaps, has induced ſome of us to attend it, becauſe we cannot ſpare the ready money, and hope now to be fine without it. But ah! think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty. If you cannot pay at the time, you will be aſhamed to ſee your creditor; you will be in fear when you ſpeak to him; you will make poor, pitiful, ſneaking excuſes, and, by degrees, come to loſe your veracity, and ſink into baſe downright lying; for The ſecond vice is lying, the firſt is running in debt, as Poor Richard ſays; and again to the ſame purpoſe, "Lying rides upon Debt's back:" whereas a free born American ought not to be aſhamed nor afraid to ſee or ſpeak to any man living. But poverty often deprives a man of all ſpirit and virtue. It is hard for an empty bag to ſtand upright. What would you think of that prince, or of that government, who ſhould iſſue an edict forbidding you to dreſs like a gentleman or gentlewoman, on pain of impriſonment or ſervitude? Would you not ſay that you were free, have a right to dreſs as you pleaſe, and that ſuch an edict would be a breach of your privileges, and ſuch a government tyrannical? And yet you are about to put yourſelf under that tyranny when you run in debt for ſuch dreſs! Your creditor has authority, at his pleaſure, to deprive you of your liberty, by confining you in gaol for life, or by ſelling you for a ſervant, 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 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, at 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, expence 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.

〈…〉 .

〈…〉 you have got the philoſopher's 〈…〉 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, though 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 afterwards proſperous.

And now, to conculde, 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 cannot give conduct: However, remember this, They that will not 〈…〉 , cannot 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 Almanacks, 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, though 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, though 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. I am, as ever,