than blafphemous and profane as a pretended act of national devotion, when the people are called upon, in the most folemn and awful manner, to repair to church, to partake of a facrament, and at the foot of the altar to commit facrilege, to perjure themselves publicly, by charging their American brethren with the horrid crime of rebellion, with propagating" fpecious falfehoods," when either the charge must be notoriously falfe, or those who make it, not knowing it to be true, call Almighty God to witnefs to, not a specious, but a moft audacious and blafphemous falfehood.[xxxviii. 559.] Mr Rous, the new member for Shaftefbury, infifted, that there was one point, as a grand preliminary, which must be the bafis of every conciliatory step on either fide; that was, a clear inequivocal acknowledgement of the legislative fupremacy of the British parliament. If that was not to be obtained but by the force of arms, he confeffed, that he would be better pleased to see Britain dying of the wounds the might receive in this unnatural conflict given by her rebellious ungrateful children, than confent to one condescending ftep that might tend to tarnish her former glories. Mr Byng obferved, that adminiftration had all along acted upon fyftem, and however mistaken they might be as to some of the effects of their meafures, they never loft fight of the great object they had in contemplation from the beginning; that was, to compel America to confent to unconditional fubmiffion; which was, in other words, to confent to be flaves; or, in the event of their refufal, and confequent refiftance, to endeavour to fubdue or to extirpate them.This he contended was the great pervading principle which governed the American fyftem, and fuch was the intention of thofe to whom carrying it into execution was committed. The declaration imports one thing, the obvious contents another; fo that whatever the declaration promises, can be of no avail, but to mislead America by falfe lights. Our aim is unconditional fubmiflion; every conceffion beyond that minifters can explain away or difavow.-He fhould not have fo very particularly adverted to thofe circumftances, he said, if it had not called to his recollection the fate of a near relation, who fell a facrifice to the fame treacherous motives of felf-acquittal. [xix. 202.]. Lord George Germaine rofe to give his reasons for not publishing the decla ration in the London gazette. He faid the declaration did not arrive with th other dispatches, but was left at Ply mouth with other matters; that whe it did arrive, he did not think it of im portance enough to make a part of th London gazette; as it was already paft ed against the walls of New York, an many copies of it fent all over America That as it was only a preliminary, h conceived it altogether unufual, as h remembered the converfations betwee Lord Chatham (when Mr Pitt) an Monf. de Buffy [xxiii. 544-], previoust the finishing the treaty of peace wit France, were never published. He de clared himself averfe to the prefent me tion, as it would deprive General an Lord Howe of the honour of makin peace with America, an honour whic he flattered himself the gentlemen on th oppofite tide of the House wished ther to have. And as to the proclamatio. for a faft, he bid the gentlemen recolle the American declaration for indeper deney [xxxviii. 433.], and then ask, if th rebels had not published fpeciou falfehoods?" He bid them read the feveral other publications, and he doubt ed not they would all agree with bin that the affertion was moft true. Bu he obferved, he could easily account fo his not seeing the matter in the fam light as the Hon. Gentleman oppofit him; he was neither fo accomplished a orator, nor fo excellent a divine! -66 Mr Dunning opened with obferving that he was not at the opera on Tue day evening; and as he did not imagin any news-paper contained any matt likely to entertain him, he had not rea one that day; that he came down t Weftminfter-hall in the way of his pro feffion, and had come from thence int the Houfe, without any previous know ledge of the debate; but as the decla ration read from the news paper [pro duced by the Noble Lord his friend] ha been declared to be authentic by th Noble Lord in the blue ribbon, and th other Noble Lord who fat next, [Nort and G. Germaine], it was evident tha news-paper information was to be truft ed as much as that given in any othe manner. He declared his amazement that the motion which had been mad fhould be deemed fudden and ill-timed he faid, he knew of no time more pro per for appointing a committee for the revifion revifion of fuch acts as were deemed grievances by the Americans than the prefent; that the question was not now, what should be altered, and what should Temain in force? that those were confiderations to be agitated when they came Late a committee; that he thought it was high time the legislature of G. Britaia gave America reafon to fuppofe they would not always turn a deaf ear to her complaints; that it appeared by the declaration of Lord Howe, that he had promifed, in the King's name, that fach acts as they thought grievances should be revised; that the promise went to an affertion, that parliament as a branch of the legiflature, would enable the King to keep his word; and that therefore parliament fhould fecond the King's endeavours to reftore peace, by beginning the good work with a revifal of the acts which oppressed America, and a removal of every obftacle to a reconciliation. He faid, the remark of a learned gentleman (who had taken the other fide of the question) relative to the futulity of the Houfe's taking into their confideration what they thought the grievances of America, because it might afterwards appears they were not confidered by the Americans as grievances, was notorioufly ill-founded: That the gentleman did himfelf and the House mach wrong, if, becaufe parliament had collectively been blind to the feveral petitions and publications of America, he fuppofed that the members, as individuals, had been equally blind, and reglected to peep into the petitions which had been presented: That all the members had made themselves mafters of the fubject; and that the Houfe knew the grievances America had to complain of, was well aware what she felt as grievinces, and might with great certainty proceed to redress them. He faid, the kamed gentleman had given fome new ides of liberty; he had declared, that America muft be fubdued, America muft be conquered, in order to her deliverance. This fort of deliverance was to him a new confequence of conqueft; from all that he had read or heard, he never knew that a conquered people were a free people; and he believed the Houfe would join with him in fuppofing, that from time immemorial the very reverfe of freedom had been the fate of the conquered. As to the obfervation, that Lord Howe's first proclamation was ne ceffary to inform the public, that Lord Howe was arrived in America, he faid, it might alfo have been proper to have published the prefent proclamation to fhew that he was ftill there. The Noble Lord [G. Germaine], he said, had accommodated himself to all parties, in his reafons for not publishing the declaration in the gazette. To those who thought it ought to have been made public, he had declared, any man might read it in the news papers; and to those who wifhed and thought it ought to be kept private, he had faid, none could read it but those who chose to take a voyage to New York, where they would find it pafted on the walls of the halfburnt houses; and that he had not printed it in the gazette, because Lord Chatham's private negotiations with Monf. de Buffy were not printed there. He fhould give his vote for the motion, (although, he faid, he knew it would not be carried); and ended with declaring, in reply to Lord G. Germaine's obfervation about the faft-proclamation, that he thought a church an improper place to promulgate a court-creed in, and that fo to act was to profane the place of worship The Houfe divided: For the motion, 47; against it, 109. Preliminary Address to the PENNSYLVANIA ALMANACK, intitled, Poor Richard's Almanack, for the year 1758. Printed at Philadelphia. [Said to be written by Dr Franklin.] COURTEOUS READER, Have heard, that nothing gives an author fo great pleafare as to find his works refpectfully quoted by other learned authors. This pleasure I have feldom enjoyed; for though I have been, if I may fay it without vanity, an eminent author (of Almanacks) annually now a full quarter of a century, my brother-authors in the fame way (for what reafon I know not) have ever been very fparing in their applauses; and no other author has taken the leaft notice of me; fo that, did not my writings produce me fome folid Pudding, the great deficiency of Praife would have quite difcouraged me. I concluded, at length, that the people were the best judges of my merit, for they buy my works; and befides, in my rambles, where I am not perfonally known, I have frequently heard one or other other of my adages repeated, with "As ways bright," as poor Richard fays. poor Richard fays" at the end on't." But doft thou love life? then do not This gave me fome fatisfaction; as it fquander time, for that's the stuff life is fhewed not only that my inftructions made of," as poor Richard fays. How were regarded, but difcovered likewife much more than is neceffary do we spend fome refpect for my authority: and I in fleep! forgetting that "the fleeping own, that, to encourage the practice of fox catches no poultry, and that there remembering and repeating those wife will be fleeping enough in the grave," as fentences, I have fometimes quoted my poor Richard fays. "If time be of all felf with great gravity. things the most precious, wasting time must be (as poor Richard fays) the greateft prodigality;" fince, as he elfewhere tells, "Loft 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 purpofe; fo by diligence fhall we do more with lefs perplexity. "Sloth makes all things difficult, but Industry all eafy," as poor Richard fays; and, "He that rifeth late, muft trot all day, and fhall fcarce overtake his bulinefs at night; while Laziness travels fo flowly, that Po verty foon overtakes him," as we read in poor Richard; who adds, "Drive thy bufinefs, let not that drive thee;" and, "Early to bed, and early to rife, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wife," Judge then how much I have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I ftopped my horfe lately where a great number of people were collected at an auction of merchants goods. The hour of fale not being come, they were converfing on the badness of the times, and one of the company called to a plain, clean, old man, with white locks, · 66 Pray, Father Abraham, what think you of the times? Won't these heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How fhall we be ever able to pay them? What would you advise us to?" Father Abraham ftood up, and replied, "If you'd have my advice, I'll give it you in fort: "For a word to the wife is enough; and many words won't fill a bushel," as poor Richard fays." They joined in defiring him to fpeak his mind; and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows. "Friends, (fays he), and neighbours, 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 fome of us. We are taxed twice as much by our Idlenefs, three times as much by our Pride, and four times as much by our Folly; and from thefe taxes the commiflioners cannot cafe or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and fomething may be done for us; "God helps them that help themfelves," as poor Richard fays, in his Almanack. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one tenth part of their time, to be employed in its fervice; but Idlenefs taxes many of us much more, if we reckon all that is fpent in abfolute floth, or doing of nothing, with that which is fpent in idle employments, or amufements that a mount to nothing. Sloth, by bringing on diseases, abfolutely fhortens life. "Sloth, like ruft, confumes fafter than Labour wears, while the key ufed is al So what fignifies withing and hoping for better times? We make these times better if we beftir ourselves. Induftry need need not wifh," as poor Richard fays; and, "He that lives upon Hope, will die fafting." "There are no gaina without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands; or, if I have, they are fmartly taxed;" and, (as poor Richard likewife obferves), "He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath s calling hath an office of profit and honour:" but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling well followed, or nei ther the eftate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are induftri ous, we fhall never ftarve; for, as poor Richard fays, "At the working-man's houfe Hunger looks in, but dares not en ter." Nor will the bailiff or the conftable enter; for "Induftry pays debts, while Defpair increaseth them," fays poor Ri chard. What though you have found no treature, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy?"Diligence is the mother of Good-luck," as poor Richard says; and, "God gives all things to Industry; then plough deep while Huggards fleep, and you shall have corn to fell and to keep," fays poor Dick. Work while it is called to-day; for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow; which makes makes poor Richard fay, "One to-day a fire;" and again," Keep thy fhop, and is worth two to-morrows;" and farther, thy fhop will keep thee;" and again, “If "Have you fomewhat to do to-morrow, you would have your bufinefs done, go; do it to-day." If you were a fervant, if not, fend." And again, would you not be ashamed that a good mater hould catch you idle? Are you the your own mafter?" Be afhamed to Catch yourself idle," as poor Dick fays. When there is fo much to be done for yourfelf, your family, your country, and our gracious King, be up by peep of dry; Let not the fun look down, and or, Inglorious here he lies!" Handle Sour tools without mittens; remember, at "The cat in gloves catches no ce," as poor Richard fays. It is true, there is much to be done, and perhaps you are weak-handed; but ftick to it teadily, and you will fee great effects; for, Conftant dropping wears away Fones, and, By diligence and patience the mosfe ate into the cable; and, Little frokes fell great oaks," as poor Richard gs in his Almanack, the year I cannot ut now remember. Methinks I hear fome of you fay, Muft a man afford himself no leisure? -I will tell thee, my friend, what poor Richard fays: "Employ thy time well, thou meaneft to gain leifure; and fince thou art not fure of a minute, throw not away an hour." Leifure is time for dofomething ufeful; this leifure the gent man will obtain, but the lazy never; fo that, as poor Richard "A life of leifure, and a life of la rs, are two things.' Do you imagine loth will afford you more comfort an labour? No: for, as poor Richard "Troubles fpring from idlenes, grievous. toil from needlefs eafe. May without labour would live by their only, but they break for want of Whereas Induftry gives comt, and plenty, and respect. Fly Hature, and they'll follow you; The agent fpinner has a large fhift; and, Ihave a fheep and a cow, every body ads me good morrow;" all which is aid by poor Richard. ts 66 but with our industry, we muft likeTe be fteady, fettled, and careful, and fee our own affairs with our own ts, and not truft too much to others; fr, as poor Richard says, "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 "He that by the plough would thrive, Himfelf muft either hold or drive." do more work than both his hands ;' And again, "The eye of a master will and again, "Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge;" and leave them your purfe open." Trusting again, "Not to overfee workmen', is to too much to others care is the ruin of the affairs of the world, men are faved, many: for, as the Almanack fays, "In not by faith, but by the want of it:" but a man's own care is profitable; for, faith and riches to the careful, as well as power poor Dick, "Learning is to the ftudious, to the bold, and heaven to the virtuous.” And farther, "If you would have a faithful fervant, and one that you like, ferve yourself." And again, he advifeth to circumfpection and care, even in the little neglect may breed great mischief;" fmalleft matters, because fometimes "A was loft; for want of a fhoe the horse adding, "For want of a nail the shoe was loft; and for want of a horse the rider was loft;" being overtaken and flain by the enemy, all for want of care about a horse-fhoe nail. attention to one's own bufinefs; but to So much for Industry, my friends, and thefe we must add Fragality, if we would make our Induftry more certainly fuchow to fave as he gets, "keep his nofe cefsful. A man may, if he knows not all his life to the grindstone, and die not worth a groat at laft." makes a lean will," as poor Richard fays; and, "A fat kitchen Many eftates are spent in the getting, Since women for tea forfook spinning and knitting, And men for punch forfook hewing and splitting." in another Almanack), think of faving as "If you would be wealthy, (fays he, made Spain rich, because her out-goes well as of getting: The Indies have not are greater than her in-comes." and you will not have much cause to Away then with your expensive follies, complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for, as poor Dick fays, "Women and wine, game and deceit, Make the wealth small, and the want great." And 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 what Poor Richard fays, " Many a little makes a mickle;" and farther, "Beware of little expences; a fmall leak will fink a great fhip;" and again, "Who dainties loves, fhall beggars prove; and more over, "Fools make feasts, and wife men eat them." Here you are all got together at this fale of fineries and nicknacks. 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 lefs than they coft; but if you have no occasion for them, they must be dear to you. Remember what poor Richard fays, " Buy what thou haft no need of, and ere long thou fhalt fell thy neceffaries." And again, "At a great pennyworth paufe a while:" He means, that perhaps the cheapnefs 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, poor Richard fays, "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: "Wife men (as poor Dick fays) learn by others harms, fools fcarcely by their own; but, Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.' Many a one, for the Take of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly, and half-ftarved their families: "Silk and fattins, fcarlet and velvets, (as poor Richard fays), put out the kitchen fire." Thefe are not the neceffaries of life; they can scarcely be called the conveniencies; and yet, only because they look pretty, how many want to have them? The artificial wants of mankind thus become more numerous than the natural; and, as poor Dick fays, "For one poor person, there are an hundred indigent." By these, and other extravagancies, 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 cafe it appears plainly, "A Ploughman on his legs is higher than a Gentleman his knees," as poor Richard fays. haps they have had a small eftate them, which they knew not the get of; they think " It is day, and will n be night;" that a little to be spent ou fo much is not worth minding: "Ac and a fool (as poor Richard fays) i gine twenty fhillings and twenty y can never be spent, but always be tal out of the meal-tub, and never put in, foon comes to the bottom;" t as poor Dick fays, "When the wo dry, they know the worth of wat But this they might have known bef if they had taken his advice: « If would know the value of money, go try to borrow fome; for he that kn a borrowing goes a forrowing; and, deed, fo does he that lends to fuch ple when he goes to get it in aga Poor Dick farther advises, and fays, "Fond pride of drefs, is fure a curfe; Ere fancy you confult, confult purfe." у And again, " Pride is as loud a be as Want, and a great deal more fau When you have bought one fine th you must buy ten more, that your pearance may be all of a piece; butį Dick fays, "It is eafier to fupprefs firft defire, than to fatisfy all that fol it." And it is as truly folly for the to ape the rich, as the frog to fwell order to equal the ox. "Veffels large may venture more, But little boats fhould keep 1 fhore." "Tis however a folly foon punish for "Pride that dines on Vanity, on Contempt," as poor Richard f And in another place, "Pride bre fafted with Plenty, dined with Pove and fupped with Infamy." And a all, of what ufe is this pride of app ance for which fo much is risked much is suffered? It cannot pron health, nor eafe pain; it makes no creafe of merit in the perfon, it cre Envy, it haftens Misfortune. "What is a butterfly? At beft He's but a caterpillar dreft, The gaudy fop's his picture juft." as poor Richard says. But what madness must it be to ru debt for these superfluities! We are fered, by the terms of this fale, months credit; and that perhaps has duced fome of us to attend it, bec |