The Way To Wealth - Chapter 1

 

The Way To Wealth - Benjamin Franklin

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Chapter 1

I have heard that nothing gives an Author so great a pleasure as to find his works respectfully quoted by others.

Judge then, how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you.

I stopped my horse lately where a great number of people were collected  at an auction of Merchant's goods.

The hour of the sale not being come, they were conversing about the badness of the times and one of the Company called to a plain clean old man with white locks, "pray Father Abraham, What think you of the times? Will not those heavy taxes quite ruin the Country? How shall we ever be able to pay them? What would you advise us to do?"

Father Abraham stood up and replied. "If you would have my advice, I will it you in short : "for a word to the wise is enough." as Poor Richard says

They joined in desiring him to speak his mind and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows.

"Friends, says he, the taxes are indeed very heavy and if those laid on by the Government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more easily discharge them, but we have many others. and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride and four times as much by our folly"; and from these taxes the Commissioners cannot ease or deliver us by allowing an abatement.

However let us hearken to good advice and something may be done for us. "God helps those that help themselves as poor Richard says"

It should be thought a hard Government that should tax its people 1/10 part of their time to be employed in its' services but idleness taxes many of us much more, sloth by bringing on diseases absolutely shortens life.

Sloth like rust consumes faster than labour wears,  while the used key is always bright as poor Richard says"

"But does that love life? "then do not squander time for that is the stuff that life is made of" as poor Richard says;

How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep? "forgetting that the sleeping fox catches no poultry and 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, and he that riseth late must trot all day and shall  scarce overtake his business at night

Laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him

Drive thy business,  let not that drive thee

and early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise as poor Richard says

So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times?

We may make those times better if we bestir ourselves.

Industry need not wish and he who lives upon hope will die fasting. There are no gains without pain then help hands for I have no lands or if I have they are smartly taxed.

He that has a trade has an estate and he that has a calling has an office of profit and honour as poor Richard says 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 starve for at the working man's house hunger looks in but dares not enter Nor will the bailiff or the Constable enter, for industry pays debts while despair increases them

What though you have found no treasure nor has any rich relation left you a legacy.

Diligence is the mother of good luck and God gives all things to industry;

Then plough deep while sluggards sleep and you should have corn to sell and keep;

Work where it is called today for you don't know how much you may be hindered tomorrow. One today is worth two tomorrows as poor Richard says and farther Never leave that for tomorrow which you can do today. If you were a servant 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 when there's so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your king. 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 "constant dropping wears away stones" and "by diligence and patience the mouse eats into the cable" and "little Strokes fell great Oaks".

Methinks I hear some of you say must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell you 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 the time for doing something useful, this leisure the diligent man will obtain but the lazy man never; for a life of Leisure and a life of laziness are two things. 

Many without labour would live by their wits only but they break for want of stock, whereas industry gives comfort and plenty and respect Fly pleasures and they will follow you. 

The diligent spinner has a large shift. And now I have a sheep and a cow everybody bids me good morrow

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