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 fink into base downright lying; for, "The fecond vice is lying, the first is running in debt," as Poor Richard fays; and again, to the fame purpose, "Lying rides upon Debt's back:" whereas a free American ought not to be ashamed, nor afraid to fee 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 ftand upright." What would you think of that nation, or of that government, who fhould iffue 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 you that fuch an edict would be a breach of your privileges, and fuch a government tyrannical? And yet you are about to put yourself 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 con fining you in gaol for life, or by felling for a fervant, if you fhould 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 set 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 first seemed so long, will, as it leffens, appear extremely fhort: Time will feem to have added wings to his heels as well as his fhoulders. "Thofe have a fhort Lent, who owe money to be paid at Eafter." At prefent, per haps, you may think yourselves in thriving circumstances, and that you can bear a little extravagance without injury; but “For age and want fave while you may, GAIN may be temporary and uncertain, but ever, while you live, expence is constant and uncertain; and, "It is eafier to build two chimneys, than to keep one in fuel," as Poor Richard fays: So, "Rather go to bed fupperlefs, than rise 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 philofopher's stone, fure you will no longer complain of bad times, or the difficulty of paying taxes. IV." THIS doctrine, my friends, is reafon and wisdom: but, after all, do not depend too much upon your own industry industry and frugality, and prudence, though excellent things; for they may all be blafted, without the bleffing of Heaven; and therefore, afk that bleffing humbly, and be not uncharitable to those that at present seem to want it, but comfort and help them. Remember, Job fuffered, and was afterwards profperous. AND now to conclude, " Experience keeps a dear fchool, but fools will learn in no other," as Poor Richard fays, and fcarce in that; for, it is true, "We may give advice, but we cannot give conduct:" However remember this, "They that will not be counselled cannot be helped ;" and farther, that "If will not hear Reafon, fhe will furely rap your knuckles," as Poor Richard fays. you THUS the old gentleman ended his harangue. The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practifed practifed the contrary, juft 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 studied my Almanacks, and digested all I had dropt on those topics during the courfe 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 fenfe of all ages and nations. However, I refolved to be the better for the echo of it; and, though I had at first determined to buy ftuff for a new coat, I went away, refolved 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 ferve thee. RICHARD SAUNDERS. M 2 |