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, must trot all day, and shall fcarce overtake his bufinefs at night; while laziness travels fo flowly, that poverty foon overtakes him," as we read in poor Richard; who adds, "Drive thy business; let not that drive thee;" and, "early to bed, and early to rife, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wife"

So what fignifies withing and hoping for better times? We make these times better if we beftir ourfelves. "Induftry need not with," as poor Richard fays; 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;" and, (as poor Richard likewife obferves), "He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honour:" 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 ftarve; for, as poor Richard fays, "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 despair increaseth them," fays poor Richard. What though you have found no treafure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy?"Diligence is the mother of good-luck," as poor Richard fays; and," God gives all things to industry; then plough deep while fluggards 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 poor Richard say, "One to-day is worth two to-morrows;" and farther, fomewhat to do to-morrow, do it to-day." If you were a fervant, 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," as poor Dick fays. When there is fo much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your gracious king, be up by peep of day; "let not the fun look down, and fay, inglorious here he lies!" Handle your tools without mittens; 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

"Have you

02

dropping wears away ftones, and, by diligence and patience the mouse ate into the cable; and, little strokes fell great oaks," as poor Richard fays in his Almanack, the year cannot just now remember.

I

Do you

Methinks I hear fome of you fay, "must a man afford himself no leifure?"---I will tell thee, my friend, what poor Richard fays: "Employ thy time well, if thou meanest 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; fo that, as poor Richard fays, "A life of leifure, and a life of lazinefs are two things." imagine that floth will afford you more comfort than labour? No for, as poor Richard fays, "Troubles fpring from idlenefs, and grievous toil from needlefs eafe: Many without labour would live by their wits only; but they break for want of ftock :" Whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and refpect. "Fly pleasures, and they'll follow you; the diligent fpinner has a large fhift; and, now I have a sheep and a cow, every body bids me good morrow;" all which is well faid by poor Richard.

But with our industry, we must likewise be steady, fettled, and careful, and overfee our own affairs with our own eyes, and not trust 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 fhop will keep thee;" and again, "If bufiness done, go; would have you if not, fend." And again,

your

"He that by the plough would thrive,

Himfelf muft either hold or drive."

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 overfee workmen, is to leave them your purfe open." Trusting too much to others care, is the ruin of many for, as the Almanack fays, "In the affairs of the world, men are faved not by faith, but by the want of it :" but a man's own care is profitable; for, faith poor Dick, "Learning is to the ftudi

ous, and riches to the careful, as well as power to the bold, and heaven to the virtuous." And farther," If you would have a faithful fervant, and one that you like, ferve yourfelf." And again, he advifeth to circumfpection and care, even in the smallest matters, becaufe fometimes "A little neglect may breed great mifchief;" adding, "For want of a nail the fhoe was loft; For want of a fhoe the horse was left; and for want of a horse the rider was loft;" being overtaken and flain by the enemy; all for want of care about a horfe-fhoe nail.

So much for induftry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to these we must add frugality, if we would make our industry more certainly fuccessful. 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," as poor Richard fays; and,

"Many eftates are spent in the getting;

Since women for tea, forfook fpinning and knitting,

And men for punch, forfook hewing and fplitting."

"If you would be wealthy, (fays he, in another alma nack), think of faving, 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 expenfive follies, and you will not have much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for, as poor Dick says,

"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 costly, 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 meikle; and farther," Beware of little expences; a fmall leak will fink a great fhip ;" and again, "Who dainties love, fhall beggars prove; and moreover, "Fools make feafts, and wife men eat them."

To be continued.

INTELLIGENCE refpeting LITERATURE, &c.

INTELLIGENCE refleting

Society for the Improvement of British Wool.

A SOCIETY has been lately instituted under the auspices of Sir John Sinclair, Bart. M. P. for the improvement of British wool. That intelligent and active senator, in the course of his investigations refpecting the revenue, trade, finances, and refources of this country, having had occafion to obferve that the wool of Britain, for many centuries, had been accounted the finest, and best for the manufacture of cloth, that was then to be had in Europe, and that it now is many degrees inferior to that of Spain, was at pains to trace the cause of this fingular phenomenon. The refult of his inquiries was, that this change could only be attributed to neglect, and that this neglect had probably arisen from fome legiflative regulations that took place foon after the acceffion of the family of Stuart to the throne of England. Hence he concluded, that by a proper degree of attention, the wool of this country might be brought to an equal degree of fineness at least to what it formerly poffeffed, which, if effected, muft prove highly beneficial to the manufactures of this country. In one neglected corner of the kingdom (Shetland), he discovered the remains of this fine woolled breed of sheep nearly unadulterated; but it was in fo great danger of being loft, by an admixture with other breeds, that his first attention was directed to the faving of it; and having propofed it to the Highland Society of Scotland, that patriotic body of men, with their ufual liberality, made hafte to second his intentions; a fet of premiums have been offered by them for felecting the beft of this breed of sheep, and obtaining a thorough knowledge of them, which will effectually preferve them till measures can be adopted for more fully ascertaining the value of their wool and other qualities.

But as the Highland Society have many other objects that claim their attention, and exhaust their funds, it was judged expedient to establish a diftinct fociety, whofe fole object fhould be that of improving the quality of British

wool. This was no fooner propofed, than many noblemen and gentlemen of the first rank, made hafte to ftep forward in fo public a caufe. The Town of Edinburgh, with an alacrity that does honour to the magiftrates of that city, have contributed very liberally towards that end; and the Chambers of Commerce, and other corporate bodies, have expreffed a defire to do the fame; fo that there feems to be little doubt but the funds of the fociety will be foon adequate to the purposes wanted.

Each member of this fociety, is to contribute one guinea a year, towards its funds, while he continues a member. The money to be at the difpofal of a committee, chofen annually, by the fociety at large.

The objects of this fociety are, in the first place, to felect the best breeds of theep, that are ftill to be found in Britain, and to keep them apart from all others, till, by a fet of accurate experiments, the actual value of the wool, and other qualities of the fheep, be fairly afcertained; and, in the next place, to obtain from foreign parts, fome of the best breeds of fheep that can be found, to be kept also apart from all others, till the respective value of their wool, and the other qualities of these sheep, can be ascertained, and compared with others. Then, by publishing to the world the refult of thefe trials, to point out the particular breeds, that appear to be best adapted for every particular purpose ; and the peculiar cirumftances of pafturage and climature, where the flocks may best be kept. Such are the extenfive views of this patriotic fociety, which are fo liberal and beneficent, that it cannot fail to obtain the good wishes of every well-difpofed citizen.

In confepuence of the attention, that has been already bestowed upon this fubject, fome fpecimens of the Shetland wool have been obtained, and fhewn to manufacturers, who account it an article of ineftimable value. In foftnefs of texture it far exceeds the finest Spanish wool, and may in fome refpects be compared with the laine de vigogne. And it can be had of a much purer white than any other wool, fo as to admit of being dyed of the most delicate light colours, which the yellowish tinge of other kinds of wool does not admit of. We fhall probably have occafion, in fome future numbers of this work, to give a further account of this article.