A Father's Gift to His Son, on His Becoming an Apprentice: To which is Added Dr. Franklin's Way to Wealth

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Wood, 1821 - 140 pages
 

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Page 98 - 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.
Page 101 - He that hath a trade hath an estate; and He that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor, 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 workingman's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.
Page 114 - 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, as Poor Richard...
Page 96 - ... goods. The hour of 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 ?. Won't these heavy taxes quite ruin the country ? How shall we ever be 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, and Many words won't fill...
Page 109 - 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 expenses; "A small leak will sink a great ship...
Page 117 - 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 supperless, than rise in...
Page 126 - Remember, that money is of the prolific, generating nature. Money can beget money, and its offspring can beget more, and so on. Five shillings turned is six, turned again it is seven and three-pence, and so on till it becomes an hundred pounds.
Page 114 - 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...
Page 112 - 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.
Page 111 - 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.

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