Franklin's Way to Wealth; or, "Poor Richard Improved"
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THE
_WAY TO WEALTH._
FRONTISPIECE.
_FRANKLIN'S_ WAY TO WEALTH;
OR,
"Poor Richard Improved."
LONDON:
PRINTED BY AND FOR W. AND T. DARTON,
No. 58, Holborn-Hill.
1810.
TO PARENTS, GOVERNESSES, AND SCHOOL MASTERS.
_Just Published_,
A GRAMMATICAL CATECHISM for the use of Schools, upon the plan of
Lindley Murray.
"This manual is particularly adapted to the purposes of examination and
catechetical instruction, and will be found of the utmost service in
weekly grammatical enquiries."
_This Day is Published, Price 5s. 12mo. bound_,
THE PAGAN MYTHOLOGY of ancient Greece and Rome versified, accompanied
with Philosophical Elucidations of the probable latent meaning of some
of the Fables of the Ancients, on a theory entirely new. By R. ATKINS.
Illustrated by twenty-two Cuts on Wood.
"This little work is intended as an easy Introduction to the Mythology
of ancient Greece and Rome, and is particularly adapted to the use
of Schools, being divested of the obscene allegories introduced
by the ancients in their usual figurative style. It is certainly
better calculated to convey a general idea of the subject, than any
attempt of the kind which has yet fallen under our observation. The
Poetical Illustrations are simple, and well calculated to the purpose
of becoming a vehicle of instruction to juvenile minds, and the
elucidations of the fables are plausible and ingenious."
_Repository, June, 1809._
Sold by W. and T. Darton,
58, Holborn Hill.
INTRODUCTION.
_Dr. Franklin, wishing to collect into one piece all the sayings
upon the following subjects, which he had dropped in the course of
publishing the Almanacks called "Poor Richard," introduces Father
Abraham for this purpose. Hence it is, that Poor Richard is so often
quoted, and that, in the present title, he is said to be improved.
Notwithstanding the stroke of humour in the concluding paragraph of
this address, Poor Richard (Saunders) and Father Abraham have proved,
in America, that they are no common preachers. And shall we, brother
Englishmen, refuse good sense and saving knowledge, because it comes
from the other side of the water?_
_The following may be had of the Proprietors,
W. & T. DARTON_,
And of most Booksellers in the United Kingdom.
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THE
WAY TO WEALTH.
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
stopped 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 those 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:
'Friends,' 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 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.
'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 increaseth 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, your country, and your king. 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 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 plow would thrive,
Himself must either hold or drive."
'And again, "The eye of the 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 out-goes are greater than
her incomes."
* * * * *
'Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will not then have