5 says. 6 1 97 8 while the key often used is always bright,' as poor Richard says. 'But dost thou love life? then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of,'2 as poor Richard How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep! forgetting, that the sleeping fox catches no poultry,3 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,' as poor Richard says; and, he that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night;9 while laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him,'10 as we read in poor Richard; who adds,' Drive thybusiness, let not that drive thee;' and, early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.'11 "So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We make these times better if we bestir ourselves. 'Industry needs not wish,' as poor Richard says; and, He that lives upon hope will die fasting.'13 There are no gains without pains; 14 then help hands, for I have no 15 12 3 lands; or if I have, they are smartly taxed;'2 and (as poor Richard likewise observes)' He that hath a trade hath an estate, and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honour ;'4 but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling well followed, or5 neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, as poor Richard says, At the working-man's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.'7 Nor will the bailiff or the constable 8 enter; for, Industry pays debts, but despair increaseth them,' says poor Richard. What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy? 10 Diligence is the mother of good luck,' as poor Richard says; and God gives all things to industry; then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you will have corn to sell and to keep,' says poor Dick. Work while it is called 11 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 ;' 12 and, farther, 'Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day.'13 • If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? 14 Are you then 15 your own master, be ashamed 16 to catch yourself idle,' as poor pendant que c'est. 12 Un bon aujourd'hui vaut mieux que deux demain' (PROVERB). Notice that demain, being an adverb, and therefore an essentially invariable word, cannot agree, even when used substantively, as it is here. 13 Ne remets jamais à demain (or, au lendemain) ce que tu peux faire aujourd'hui (or, le jour même) -Common precept. 14 Turn, If you were in the (au) service of a good master, would you. &c. that he should,' &c.; qu'il vous surprit les bras croisés (figurative, and much used, for à ne rien faire, 'doing nothing,' 'idle'). 15But you are.' 16 Use a synonymous expression Dick says. When there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, and your country, be up by peep of day. 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 'continual dropping wears away stones,2 and by diligence and patience the mouse ate into the cable; and light strokes fell1 great oaks,' as poor Richard says in his Almanac, the year I cannot just now remenber. "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; so that, as poor Richard says, A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.'6 Many without labour would live by their own wits only; but they break for want of stock; whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and respect. Fly pleasures, and they'll follow you ;10 the diligent spinner has a large shift; and, now I have a sheep and a cow, every body bids me good-morrow ;'12 all which is well said by poor Richard. 5 9 11 6 "But with our industry, we must likewise be steady, 5 The construction, in French, must be, either, 'The diligent man will obtain this leisure,' or, more forcibly, "This leisure, the diligent man will obtain it;' but the English construction is not allowed. 6 Simply, 'are two.' 7 Bien des gens voudraient vivre exclusivement d'industrie, sans travailler. There is no fear of any ambiguity, here, as vivre d'indus trie is always used in a bad sense. 8 échouent. 9 le travail au contraire. 12 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 one that settled be.'1 "And again, "Three removes are as bad as a fire ;' 2 and again,Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee;' and again,4 If you would have your business done, go; if not, send.'5 And again,6 'He that by the plough would thrive, 8 And again, The eye of the master will do more work than both his hands ;'s 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, as the Almanac says, 'In the affairs of this world, men are saved, not by faith, but by the want of it;' 9 but a man's own care is profitable; for, saith poor Dick, Learning is to the studious, 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 servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.' 10 And again, he adviseth to circumspection and care, even in the smallest matters, because sometimes, A little neglect may breed great mischief;' 1 "Arbres ni gens ne s'accom- D'un constant change- Oui, croyez-moi, plus sou- 2 Trois déménagements valent 4 Et ailleurs encore. 5 The French have, upon this, the following Proverb :-"On ne trouve jamais de meilleur messager que soi-même." 6 Le Bonhomme dit aussi. 7 "Par la charrue entends-tu t'enrichir? Il faut alors de ta main la tenir." 8 The French Proverb in common use is, "Il n'y a rien de tel que l'œil du maître." 9 Turn, In the things of this world, it is not faith which saves, but doubt.' 10 The French have the following Proverb: "Nul ne fait si bien la besogne que celui à qui elle est." adding, For want of a nail the shoe was lost;1 for want of a shoe the horse was lost;2 and for want of a horse the rider was lost,' being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all3 for want of care about a horse-shoe nail.1 6 "So much for 5 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,' as poor Richard says; and, Many estates are spent in the getting, Since women for tea forsook spinning and knitting, 9 "If you would be wealthy, (says he, in another Almanac) think of saving, as well as of getting: the Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes.'10 "Away then with 11 your expensive follies, and you will not have much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families;12 for, as poor Dick says, 'What maintains one vice would bring up 13 two children.' You may think, perhaps, that a little tea, or a little punch now and then, diet a little more costly, clothes a little finer, and a little entertainment now and then,14 can be no great matter;15 but remember what poor Richard says, |