THE WAY TO WEALTH.
By Benjamin Franklin
COURTEOUS READER,
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I
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HAVE heard that nothing
gives an author so great 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 merchants' goods. The hour of the sale not being come,
they were conversing on 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 be ever able to pay them? What
would you advise us to?'----Father Abraham stood up, and replied, 'If you would
have my advice, I will give 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 them that help themselves," as Poor Richard says.
I. 'It would be thought a hard government that should tax its
people one-tenth part of their time to be employed in its service: 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, dost
thou love life? then do not squander time, for that is the stuff 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 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; and he that
riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at
night; while 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 these times better,
if we bestir ourselves. "Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon
hope will die fasting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I
have no lands;" or if I have, they are smartly taxed. "
He that hath a trade, hath an estate; and he that hath a calling,
hath 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
increaseth 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 plow deep, while sluggards sleep,
and you shall have corn to sell and to keep."
Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how much you may
be hindered to-morrow. "One to-day is worth two to-morrows," as Poor Richard
says, and farther, "Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do
to-day."
--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 is 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 ate in two 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 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; 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, every body bids me
good-morrow."
II. 'But with our industry we must likewise be steady, 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
those that settled be."
And again, "Three removes are as bad as a fire," and
again, "Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee:" and again,
"If you would have your business done, go; if not, send." And again,
"He that by the
plow would thrive,
Himself must either
hold or drive."
'And again, "The eye of the 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 oversee workmen, is to leave
them your purse open."
'Trusting too much to others' care is the ruin of many; for,
"In the affairs of this world, men are saved, not by faith, but by the
want of it:" but a man's own care is profitable; for, "If you would
have a faithful servant, and one that you like,--serve yourself.
A little neglect
may breed great mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a
shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost;"
being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all for want of a little care about a
horse-shoe nail.
III. 'So much for 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;" and,
"Many estates are
spent in the getting,
Since women for tea
forsook spinning and knitting,
And men for punch
forsook hewing and splitting."
"If you would be wealthy, think of saving, 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 expensive follies, and you will not then
have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families;
for,
"Women and wine,
game and deceit,
Make the wealth small,
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, clothes a little finer, and a little entertainment
now and then, can be no great matter; but remember, "Many a little makes a
mickle." Beware of little expences;
"A small leak will sink a great ship," as Poor Richard
says; and again, "Who dainties love shall beggars prove;" and
moreover, "Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them." Here you are
all got together to this sale of fineries and nick-nacks. You call them goods;
but, if you do not take care, they will prove evils to some of you. You expect
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
Richard says, "Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell
thy necessaries." And again, "At a great pennyworth pause a
while:" he means, that perhaps the cheapness is apparent only, and 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, "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.
Many a one, for the sake of finery
on the back, have gone with a hungry belly, and half starved their families;
"Silks and satins, scarlet and velvets, put out the kitchen fire," as
Poor Richard says. 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?--By these, and other extravagancies, 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 out of so much
is not worth minding; but "Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting
in, soon comes to the bottom," as Poor Richard says; and then, "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 farther advises, and says,
"Fond pride of
dress is sure a very curse,
Ere fancy you consult,
consult your purse."
'And again, "Pride is as loud a beggar as Want, and a great
deal more saucy." When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten
more, that your appearance may be all of a piece; but Poor Dick says, "It
is easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it."
And it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to
swell, in order to equal the ox.
It is,
however, a folly soon punished: for, as Poor Richard says, "Pride that
dines on vanity, sups on contempt;--Pride breakfasted with Plenty, dined with
Poverty and supped with Infamy." And, after all, of what use is this pride
of appearance, for which so much is risked, so much is suffered? It cannot promote
health, nor ease pain; it makes no increase of merit in the person, it creates
envy, it hastens misfortune.
'But what madness it must be to run in debt for these
superfluities? We are offered, by the terms of this sale, six months credit;
and that, perhaps, has induced some of us to attend it, because we cannot spare
the ready money, and hope now to be fine without it. But, ah! Think what you do
when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty,
If you
cannot pay at the time, you will be ashamed to see your creditor; you will be
in fear when you speak to him; you will make poor pitiful sneaking excuses,
and, by degrees, come to lose your veracity, and sink into base, downright
lying; for, "The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt,"
as Poor Richard says; and again, to the same purpose, "Lying rides upon
Debt's back:" whereas a free-born Englishman ought not to be ashamed nor
afraid to see or speak to any man living. But poverty often deprives a man of
all spirit and virtue. "It is hard for an empty bag to stand
upright."
--What would you think of that prince, or of that government, who
should issue an edict forbidding you to dress like a gentleman or gentlewoman,
on pain of imprisonment or servitude? Would you not say that you were free,
have a right to dress as you please, and that such an edict would be a breach of
your privileges, and such a government tyrannical?
And yet you are about to put
yourself under that tyranny, when you run in debt for such dress! Your creditor
has authority, at his pleasure, to deprive you of your liberty, by confining
you in gaol for life, or by selling you for a servant, if you should not be
able to pay him. When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps, think little
of payment; but, as Poor Richard says, "Creditors have better memories
than debtors; creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days
and times."
The day comes round before you are aware, and the demand is
made before you are prepared to satisfy it; or, if you bear your debt in mind, the
term, which at first seemed so long, will, as it lessens, appear extremely
short: "Time will seem to have added wings to his heels as well as his
shoulders. Those have a short Lent, who owe money to be paid at Easter."
At present, perhaps, you may think yourselves in thriving circumstances, and
that you can bear a little extravagance without injury; but
"For age and want
save while you may,
No morning sun lasts a
whole day."
Gain may be temporary and uncertain; but ever, while you live,
expense is constant and certain; and "It is easier to build two chimneys,
than to keep one in fuel," as Poor Richard says: so, "Rather go to
bed supper-less, than rise in debt,"
Get what you can, and
what you get hold,
'Tis the stone that will
turn all your lead into gold.
And when you have got the Philosopher's stone, sure you will no
longer complain of bad times, or the difficulty of paying taxes.
IV. 'This doctrine, my friends, is reason and wisdom; but, after
all, do not depend too much upon your own industry, and frugality, and prudence,
though excellent things; for they may all be blasted without the blessing of
Heaven; and therefore, ask that blessing humbly, and be not uncharitable to
those that at present seem to want it, but comfort and help them. Remember, Job
suffered, and was afterwards prosperous.
'And now to conclude, "Experience keeps a dear school, but
fools will learn in no other," as Poor Richard says, and scarce in that;
for it is true, "We may give advice, but we cannot give conduct."
However, remember this, "They that will not be counselled cannot be
helped;" and farther, that "If you will not hear Reason, she will
surely rap your knuckles," as Poor Richard says.'
Thus the old gentleman ended his harangue. The people heard it,
and approved the doctrine, and immediately practised the contrary, just as if
it had been a common sermon; for the auction opened, and they began to buy
extravagantly.--I found the good man had thoroughly studied my Almanacks, and
digested all I had dropt on those topics during the course of twenty-five
years.
The frequent mention he made of me must have tired any one else; but my
vanity was wonderfully delighted with it, though I was conscious that not a
tenth part of the wisdom was my own, which he ascribed to me; but rather the
gleanings that I had made of the sense of all ages and nations. However, I
resolved to be the better for the echo of it; and, though I had at first
determined to buy stuff for a new coat, I went away, resolved to wear my old
one a little longer. Reader, if thou wilt do the same, thy profit will be as
great as mine.--I am, as ever, thine to serve thee,
RICHARD SAUNDERS.
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