Page:Way to wealth (2).pdf/11

11 they will be sold cheap, and perhaps they may, for less than they cost ; but, if you have no occasion for them, they must be dear to you. Remember what poor Riehard says, " Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy neeessaries." And again, " At a great penny-worth pause a while." He means, that perhaps the cheapness is apparent only, but not real ; or the bargain, by straitening thee in thy business, may do thee more harm than good. For in another place he says,

“ Many have been ruined by buying good pennyworths."

Again, poor Richard says, “ 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. “ Wise men (as poor Dick says,) learn by others harms ; fools scareely by their own." Many a one for the sake of finery on the back, have gone with a hungry belly, and have starved their families.

“ Silks and satins, scarlets and velvets, (as poor Richard says) put out the kitchen fire." These are not the necessaries of life-they can scarcely be called the conveniences ; 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 Richard says, " For one poor person there are a hundred indigent."

By these and other extravagances, 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 case it appears plainly that " a ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees," as poor Richard says. Perhaps they have had a small estate left them, which they knew not the getting of ; they think “ it is day, and will never be night ;" that a little to be spent ont of so much is not worth minding : " A child and a fool (as poor Richard says,) imagine twenty shillings and twenty years can never be spent ; but always taking out of the meal-tub, and never pntting in, soon comes to the bottom ;" then, as poor Dick says, “ When the well is dry, they know the worth of water." But this they might have known before, if they had taken his advice.

" If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some ; for he that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing," as poor Richard says ; and indeed so does he that lends to such people, when he goes to get it in again.

Poor Dick further advises, and says,