Page:Pleasing art of money-catching (7).pdf/15

15 men to be condemned and ridiculed, but it also puts men upon taking wicked and unlawful courses to obtain it : which made one say.

O wretched poverty ! a tool thou’rt made,

To every evil act and wicked trade.

For it wresteth and maketh crooked the best natures ; which are forced by their necessities, to do those things which they blush to think of while they are doing them ; such as borrowing, and not being able to pay, to speak untruths to cover and disguise their poverty ; to deceive and sometimes to cheat their nearest relations ; and all because, when they are in want, they are scorned, and despised, and perhaps disowned by them.

But before I leave this subject, of shewing the misery of wanting money, it is necessary I should say something of the misery of borrowing money, or running in debt, which is a consequent of wanting money ; for he that does not want, has no occasion to borrow, and is in that respect happy ; for being out of debt he is out of danger, and therefore needs not seek for by-ways to avoid his creditors, but can walk in the open streets without fear, and whet his knife even at the gates of the prison.

But on the contrary, he that borrows money, has made himself such a slave to his creditors,