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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.

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"If time be of all things the moft precious, wasting 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 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, muft trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels fo flowly, that poverty 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. "Industry 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 fmartly 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 estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes.-If we are induftrious we shall never ftarve; for," at the working man's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter." Nor will the bailiff or the conftable enter, for "industry pays debts, while defpair 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 induftry. Then plow deep, while fluggards fleep, and you Thall 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 hould catch you idle? Are you then your own master? 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

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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 stick to it fteadily, and you will fee great effects; for "Conftant dropping wears away ftones: and by diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable; and little ftrokes fell great oaks."

Methinks I hear fome of you say, "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 respect. Fly pleasures, and they will follow you. The diligent fpinner 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 muft likewife be fteady, 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."

And again, "Three removes is as bad as a fire:" and again, "Keep thy fhop, and thy shop will keep thee:" and again, "If you would have your bufiness done, go; if not, fend." And again,

"He that by the plough would thrive,

Himfelf muft either hold or drive."

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, " In 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 yourfelf. A little neglect may breed great mifchief; for want of a nail the fhoe was loft; for want of a fhoe the horfe was loft; and for want of a horfe

the

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

III. So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own bufinefs; 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 estates are spent in the getting,

Since women for tea forfook spinning and knitting,

And men for punch forfook hewing and fplitting."

"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."

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

"Women and wine, game and deceit,

Make the wealth fmall, 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 feafts, and wife men eat them." Here you are all got together to this fale of fineries and nick-nacks. You call them goods; but, if 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 neceffaries." And again, "At a great pennyworth pause a While :" he means, that perhaps the cheapness is apparent only, and not real; or the bargain, by ftraitening 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." Again, "It is foolish to lay out money in

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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 fake of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly, and half ftarved 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 fcarcely be called the conveniences: 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, than a gentleman on his knees," as Poor that "A ploughman on his legs is higher Richard fays. Perhaps they have had a fmall eftate left them, which they knew not will never be night:" that a little to be the getting of; they think " It is day, and 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 dress is sure a very curse,

Ere fancy you confult, confult your purfe." 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 easier 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 ox.

"Veffels large may venture more,

But little boats fhould keep near fhore.” It is, however, a folly foon punished; for, as Poor Richard fays, " Pride that dines on vanity, fups on contempt;-Pride breakfafted with Plenty, dined with Poverty, and fupped with Infamy." And, after all, of what ufe is this pride of appearance, for which fo much is rifked, fo much is

futtered?

but

fuffered? It cannot promote health, nor bear a little extravagance without injury; 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. 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 afhamed 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 firft is running in debt," as Poor Richard fays; and again, to the fame purpose, "Lying rides upon Debt's back:" whereas a free-born Englishman ought not to be ashamed nor afraid to fee or fpeak 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 issue an edict forbidding you to drefs like a gentleman or gentlewoman, on pain of imprisonment or fervitude? Would you not fay that you were free, have a right to drefs as you please, and that such an edict would be a breach of your privileges, and fuch a government tyrannical? and yet you are about to put yourfelf under that tyranny, when you run in debt for fuch drefs! Your creditor has authority, at his pleasure, 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 obfervers 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 firft feemed fo long, will, as it leffens, appear extremely fhort: Time will feem to have added wings to his heels as well as his fhoulders. "Those have a fhort Lent, who owe money to be paid at Eafter." At prefent, perhaps, you may think yourselves in thriving circumstances, and that you can

"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, Rather go to bed fupperlef's, than rife in debt.

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

And when you have got the philofo-
pher's ftone, fure you will no longer com-
plain 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 industry, and frugality, and prudence, though excellent things; for they may all be blasted without the bleffing of Heaven; and therefore, afk that blefling humbly, and be not uncharitable to thofe that at prefent seem to want it, but comfort and help them. Remember, Job fuffered, and was afterwards profperous.

And now to conclude, "Experience keeps a dear school, 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 Reafon, fhe 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, just 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 fludied my Almanacks, and digefted all I had dropt on those topics during the courfe of twenty-five years. The frequent mention he made of me muft 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 afcribed to me; but rather the gleanings that I had made of the fenfe of all ages and nations. However, I refolved to be the better for the echo of it; and though

I had at firft determined to bay ftuff for a new coat, I went away, refcived to wear my old one a little longer. Reader, if thou wilt do the fame, thy profit will be as great as mine.—I am, as ever, thine to serve thee. RICHARD SAUNDERS.

155. In Praise of Virtue. Virtue is of intrinfic value and good defert, and of indifpenfable obligation; not the creature of will, but necefiary and immutable: not local or temporary, but of equal extent and antiquity with the divine mind; not a mode of fenfation, but everlasting truth; not dependent on power, but the guide of all power. Virtue is the foundation of honour and efleem, and the fource of all beauty, order, and happinefs, in nature. It is what confers value on all the other endowments and qualities of a reasonable being, to which they ought to be abfolutely fubfervient, and without which the more eminent they are, the more hideous deformities and the greater curfes they become. The ufe of it is not confined to any one stage of our existence, or to any particular fituation we can be in, but reaches through all the periods and circumftances of our beings. Many of the endowments and talents we now poffefs, and of which we are too apt to be proud, will cease entirely with the prefent ftate; but this will be our ornament and dignity in every future ftate to which we may be removed. Beauty and wit will die, learning will vanish away, and all the arts of life be foon forgot; but virtue will remain for ever. This unites us to the whole rational creation, and fits us for converfing with any order of fuperior natures, and for a place in any part of God's works. It procures us the approbation and love of all wife and good beings, and renders them our allies and friends. But what is of unfpeakably greater confequence is, that it makes God our friend, aflimilates and unites our minds to his, and engages his almighty power in our defence. Superior beings of all ranks are bound by it no lefs than ourselves. It has the fame authority in all worlds that it has in this. The further any being is advanced in excellence and perfection, the greater is his attachment to it, and the more he is under its influence. To Lay no more, 'tis the law of the whole univerfe; it ftands first in the estimation of the Deity; its original is his nature; and it is the very object that makes him lovely.

Such is the importance of virtue.-Of what confequence, therefore, is it that we

practise it!-There is no argument or motive, which is at all fitted to influence a reasonable mind, which does not call us to this. One virtuous difpofition of foal is preferable to the greatest natural accomplishments and abilities, and of more value than all the treafures of the world. If you are wife, then, ftudy virtue, and contemn every thing that can come in conpetition with it. Remember, that nothing elfe deferves one anxious thought or with. Remember, that this alone is honour, glery, wealth, and happiness. Secure this, and you fecure every thing; lofe this, and all is lot. Price.

§ 156. On Cruelty to inferior Animals.

Man is that link of the chain of univerfal exiftence, by which spiritual and corporeal beings are united: as the numbers and variety of the latter his inferiors are almost infinite, so probably are thofe of the former his fuperiors; and as we fee that the lives and happiness of those below us are dependant on our wills, we may reafonably conclude, that our lives and happinefs are equally dependant on the wills of thofe above us; accountable, like ourfelves, for the use of this power, to the Supreme Creator and Governor of all things. Should this analogy be well founded, how criminal will our account appear, when laid before that just and impartial Judge! How will man, that fanguinary tyrant, be able to excufe himfelf from the charge of these innumerable cruelties inflicted on his unoffending fubjects committed to his care, formed for his benefit, and placed under his authority by their common Father? whofe mercy is over all his works, and who expects that his authority should be exercised not only with tenderness and mercy, bat in conformity to the laws of justice and gratitude.

But to what horrid deviations from thefe benevolent intentions are we daily witneffes! no fmall part of mankind derive their chief amufements from the deaths and fufferings of inferior animals; a much greater, confider them only as engines of wood, or iron, useful in their several occupations. The carman drives his horfe, and the carpenter his nail, by repeated blows; and fo long as these produce the defired effect, and they both go, they neither reflect or care whether either of them have any fenfe of feeling. The butcher knocks down the stately ox, with no more compaffion than the blacksmith hammers a horfelhoe; and plunges his knife into

the

the throat of the innocent lamb, with as little reluctance as the taylor flicks his needle into the collar of a coat.

If there are fome few, who, formed in a fofter mould, view with pity the fufferings of thefe defencelefs creatures, there is fcarce one who entertains the leaft idea, that juftice or gratitude can be due to their merits, or their fervices. The focial and friendly dog is hanged without remorse, if, by barking in defence of his mafter's perfon and property, he happens unknowingly to difturb his reft: the generous horfe, who has carried his ungrateful mafter for many years with eafe and fafety, worn out with age and infirmities, contracted in his fervice, is by him condemned to end his miferable days in a duft-cart, where the more he exerts his little remains of fpirit, the more he is whipped to fave his ftupid driver the trouble of whipping fome other lefs obedient to the lafh. Sometimes, having been taught the practice of many unnatural and ufelefs feats in a riding-houfe, he is at laft turned out, and configned to the dominion of a hackney-coachman, by whom he is every day corrected for performing thofe tricks, which he has learned under fo long and fevere a difcipline. The fluggish bear, in contradiction to his nature, is taught to dance, for the diverfion of a malignant mob, by placing redhot irons under his feet: and the majeflic bull is tortured by every mode which malice can invent, for no offence, but that he is gentle, and unwilling to affail his diabolical tormentors. Thefe, with innumerable other acts of cruelty, injuftice, and ingratitude, are every day committed, not only with impunity, but without cenfure, and even without obfervation; but we may be affured, that they cannot finally pafs away unnoticed and unretaliated.

The laws of felf-defence undoubtedly juftify us in deftroying those animals who would destroy us, who injure our properties, or annoy our perfons; but not even thefe, whenever their fituation incapacitates them from hurting us. I know of no right which we have to shoot a bear on an inacceffible ifland of ice, or an eagle on the mountain's top; whofe lives cannot injure us, nor deaths procure us any benefit. We are unable to give life, and therefore ought not wantonly to take it away from the meanest infect, without fufficient reafon; they all receive it from the fame benevolent hand as ourselves, and have therefore an equal right to enjoy it.

God has been pleased to create number

lefs animals intended for our fuftenance; and that they are fo intended, the agreeable flavour of their flesh to our palates, and the wholefome nutriment which it adminifters to our ftomachs, are fufficient proofs: thefe, as they are formed for our ufe, propagated by our culture, and fed by our care, we have certainly a right to deprive of life, because it is given and preferved to them on that condition; but this fhould always be performed with all the tendernefs and compaffion which fo difagreeable an office will permit; and no circumftances ought to be omitted, which can render their executions as quick and eafy as poffible. For this, Providence has wifely and benevolently provided, by forming them in fuch a manner, that their flesh becomes rancid and unpalateable by a painful and lingering death; and has thus compelled us to be merciful without compaffion, and cautious of their fuffering, for the fake of ourselves: but, if there are any whofe taftes are fo vitiated, and whofe hearts are so hardened, as to delight in fuch inhuman facrifices, and to partake of them without remorfe, they should be looked upon as dæmons in human shapes, and expect a retaliation of those tortures which they have inflicted on the innocent, for the gratification of their own depraved and unnatural appetites.

So violent are the paffions of anger and revenge in the human breaft, that it is not wonderful that men fhould perfecute their real or imaginary enemies with cruelty and malevolence; but that there should exift in nature a being who can receive pleasure from giving pain, would be totally incredible, if we were not convinced, by melancholy experience, that there are not only many, but that this unaccountable difpofition is in fome manner inherent in the nature of man; for, as he cannot be taught by example, nor led to it by temp. tation, or prompted to it by interest, it mult be derived from his native conftitution; and is a remarkable confirmation of what revelation fo frequently inculcatesthat he brings into the world with him an original depravity, the effects of a fallen and degenerate ftate; in proof of which we need only obferve, that the nearer he approaches to a ftate of nature, the more predominant this difpofition appears, and the more violently it operates. We fee children laughing at the miferies which they inflict on every unfortunate animal which comes within their power; all favages are ingenious in contriving, and happy in execut

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