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1735
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1992-12-02
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_Poor Richard_
1735
_Courteous Reader,_
This is the third Time of my appearing in print, hitherto very
much to my own Satisfaction, and, I have reason to hope, to the
Satisfaction of the Publick also; for the Publick is generous, and
has been very charitable and good to me. I should be ungrateful
then, if I did not take every Opportunity of expressing my Gratitude;
for _ingratum si dixeris, omnia dixeris_: I therefore return the
Publick my most humble and hearty Thanks.
Whatever may be the Musick of the Spheres, how great soever the
Harmony of the Stars, 'tis certain there is no Harmony among the
Stargazers; but they are perpetually growling and snarling at one
another like strange Curs, or like some Men at their Wives: I had
resolved to keep the Peace on my own part, and affront none of them;
and I shall persist in that Resolution: But having receiv'd much
Abuse from _Titan Leeds_ deceas'd, (_Titan Leeds_ when living would
not have us'd me so!) I say, having receiv'd much Abuse from the
Ghost of _Titan Leeds_, who pretends to be still living, and to write
Almanacks in spight of me and my Predictions, I cannot help saying,
that tho' I take it patiently, I take it very unkindly. And whatever
he may pretend, 'tis undoubtedly true that he is really defunct and
dead. First because the Stars are seldom disappointed, never but in
the Case of wise Men, _Sapiens dominabitur astris_, and they
foreshow'd his Death at the Time I predicted it. Secondly, 'Twas
requisite and necessary he should die punctually at that Time, for
the Honour of Astrology, the Art professed both by him and his Father
before him. Thirdly, 'Tis plain to every one that reads his two last
Almanacks (for 1734 and 35) that they are not written with that
_Life_ his Performances use to be written with; the Wit is low and
flat, the little Hints dull and spiritless, nothing smart in them but
_Hudibras_'s Verses against Astrology at the Heads of the Months in
the last, which no Astrologer but a _dead one_ would have inserted,
and no Man _living_ would or could write such Stuff as the rest. But
lastly, I shall convince him from his own Words, that he is dead,
(_ex ore suo condemnatus est_) for in his Preface to his Almanack for
1734, he says, _"Saunders adds another_ GROSS FALSHOOD _in his
Almanack,_ viz. _that by my own Calculation I shall_ survive _until
the_ 26th _of the said Month October_ 1733, _which is as_ untrue _as
the former."_ Now if it be, as _Leeds_ says, _untrue_ and a _gross
Falshood_ that he surviv'd till the 26th of October 1733, then it is
certainly _true_ that he died _before_ that Time: And if he died
before that Time, he is dead now, to all Intents and Purposes, any
thing he may say to the contrary notwithstanding. And at what Time
before the 26th is it so likely he should die, as at the Time by me
predicted, _viz._ the 17th of October aforesaid? But if some People
will walk and be troublesome after Death, it may perhaps be born with
a little, because it cannot well be avoided unless one would be at
the Pains and Expence of laying them in the _Red Sea_; however, they
should not presume too much upon the Liberty allow'd them; I know
Confinement must needs be mighty irksome to the free Spirit of an
Astronomer, and I am too compassionate to proceed suddenly to
Extremities with it; nevertheless, tho' I resolve with Reluctance, I
shall not long defer, if it does not speedily learn to treat its
living Friends with better Manners. I am,
_Courteous Reader,
Your obliged Friend and Servant,_
Octob. 30. 1734. R. SAUNDERS.
______
Look before, or you'll find yourself behind.
Bad Commentators spoil the best of books,
So God sends meat (they say) the devil Cooks.
Approve not of him who commends all you say.
By diligence and patience, the mouse bit in two the cable.
Full of courtesie, full of craft.
A little House well fill'd, a little Field well till'd, and a
little Wife well will'd, are great Riches.
Old Maids lead Apes there, where the old Batchelors are turn'd
to Apes.
Some are weatherwise, some are otherwise.
xxx
Dyrro lynn y ddoeth e fydd ddoethach.
The poor man must walk to get meat for his stomach, the rich
man to get a stomach to his meat.
He that goes far to marry, will either deceive or be deceived.
Eyes and Priests
Bear no Jests.
The Family of Fools is ancient.
Necessity never made a good bargain.
If Pride leads the Van, Beggary brings up the Rear.
There's many witty men whose brains can't fill their bellies.
Weighty Questions ask for deliberate Answers.
When xxx and xxx in xxx lie,
Then, Maids, whate'er is ask'd of you, deny.
Be slow in chusing a Friend, slower in changing.
Old _Hob_ was lately married in the Night,
What needed Day, his fair young Wife is light.
Pain wastes the Body, Pleasures the Understanding.
The cunning man steals a horse, the wise man lets him alone.
Nothing but Money,
Is sweeter than Honey.
Humility makes great men twice honourable.
A Ship under sail and a big-bellied Woman,
Are the handsomest two things that can be seen common.
Keep thy shop, & thy shop will keep thee.
The King's cheese is half wasted in parings: But no matter,
'tis made of the peoples milk.
What's given shines,
What's receiv'd is rusty.
Sloth and Silence are a Fool's Virtues.
Of learned Fools I have seen ten times ten,
Of unlearned wise men I have seen a hundred.
Three may keep a Secret, if two of them are dead.
Poverty wants some things, Luxury many things, Avarice all
things.
A Lie stands on 1 leg, Truth on 2.
There's small Revenge in Words, but Words may be greatly
revenged.
Great wits jump (says the Poet) and hit his Head against the
Post.
A man is never so ridiculous by those Qualities that are his
own as by those that he affects to have.
Deny Self for Self's sake.
_Tim_ moderate fare and abstinence much prizes,
In publick, but in private gormandizes.
Ever since Follies have pleas'd, Fools have been able to
divert.
It is better to take many Injuries than to give one.
Opportunity is the great Bawd.
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and
wise.
To be humble to Superiors is Duty, to Equals Courtesy, to
Inferiors Nobleness.
Here comes the Orator! with his Flood of Words, and his Drop of
Reason.
An old young man, will be a young old man.
_Sal_ laughs at every thing you say. Why? Because she has
fine Teeth.
If what most men admire, they would despise,
'Twould look as if mankind were growing wise.
The Sun never repents of the good he does, nor does he ever
demand a recompence.
Are you angry that others disappoint you? remember you cannot
depend upon yourself.
One Mend-fault is worth two Findfaults, but one Findfault is
better than two Makefaults.
_Reader_, I wish thee Health, Wealth, Happiness,
And may kind Heaven thy Year's Industry bless.