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1747
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1992-12-02
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_Poor Richard_
1747
_Courteous Reader,_
This is the 15th Time I have entertain'd thee with my annual
Productions; I hope to thy Profit as well as mine. For besides the
astronomical Calculations, and other Things usually contain'd in
Almanacks, which have their daily Use indeed while the Year
continues, but then become of no Value, I have constantly
interspers'd _moral_ Sentences, _prudent_ Maxims, and _wise_ Sayings,
many of them containing _much good Sense_ in _very few_ Words, and
therefore apt to leave _strong_ and _lasting_ Impressions on the
Memory of young Persons, whereby they may receive Benefit as long as
they live, when both Almanack and Almanack-maker have been long
thrown by and forgotten. If I now and then insert a Joke or two,
that seem to have little in them, my Apology is, that such may have
their Use, since perhaps for their Sake light airy Minds peruse the
rest, and so are struck by somewhat of more Weight and Moment. The
Verses on the Heads of the Months are also generally design'd to have
the same Tendency. I need not tell thee that not many of them are of
my own Making. If thou hast any Judgment in Poetry, thou wilt easily
discern the Workman from the Bungler. I know as well as thee, that I
am no _Poet born_; and it is a Trade I never learnt, nor indeed could
learn. _If I make Verses, 'tis in Spight -- Of Nature and my Stars,
I_ _write._ Why then should I give my Readers _bad Lines_ of my own,
when _good Ones_ of other People's are so plenty? 'Tis methinks a
poor Excuse for the bad Entertainment of Guests, that the Food we set
before them, tho' coarse and ordinary, is _of one's own Raising, off
one's own Plantation,_ &c. when there is Plenty of what is ten times
better, to be had in the Market. -- On the contrary, I assure ye, my
Friends, that I have procur'd the best I could for ye, and _much Good
may't do ye._
I cannot omit this Opportunity of making honourable Mention of
the late deceased Ornament and Head of our Profession, Mr. JACOB
TAYLOR, who for upwards of 40 Years (with some few Intermissions
only) supply'd the good People of this and the neighbouring Colonies,
with the most compleat Ephemeris and most accurate Calculations that
have hitherto appear'd in _America._ -- He was an ingenious
Mathematician, as well as an expert and skilful Astronomer; and
moreover, no mean Philosopher, but what is more than all, He was a
PIOUS and an HONEST Man. _Requiescat in pace._
_I am thy poor Friend, to serve thee,_
R. SAUNDERS.
______
Strive to be the _greatest_ Man in your Country, and you may be
disappointed; Strive to be the _best_, and you may succeed: He may
well win the race that runs by himself.
Tis a strange Forest that has no rotten Wood in't.
And a strange Kindred that all are good in't.
None know the unfortunate, and the fortunate do not know
themselves.
There's a time to wink as well as to see.
Honest _Tom_! you may trust him with a house-full of untold
Milstones.
There is no Man so bad, but he secretly respects the Good.
When there's more Malice shown than Matter:
On the Writer falls the satyr.
_Courage_ would fight, but _Discretion_ won't let him.
Delicate _Dick_! whisper'd the Proclamation.
_Cornelius_ ought to be _Tacitus._
_Pride_ and the _Gout_,
are seldom cur'd throughout.
We are not so sensible of the greatest Health as of the least
Sickness.
A good Example is the best sermon.
A Father's a Treasure; a Brother's a Comfort; a Friend is both.
Despair ruins some, Presumption many.
A quiet Conscience sleeps in Thunder,
but Rest and Guilt live far asunder.
He that won't be counsell'd, can't be help'd.
_Craft_ must be at charge for clothes, but _Truth_ can go
naked.
Write Injuries in Dust, Benefits in Marble.
What is Serving God? 'Tis doing Good to Man.
What maintains one Vice would bring up two Children.
Many have been ruin'd by buying good pennyworths.
Better is a little with content than much with contention.
A Slip of the Foot you may soon recover:
But a Slip of the Tongue you may never get over.
What signifies your Patience, if you can't find it when you
want it.
d. wise, l. foolish.
_Time enough_, always proves _little enough._
It is wise not to seek a Secret, and Honest not to reveal it.
A Mob's a Monster; Heads enough, but no Brains.
The Devil sweetens Poison with Honey.
He that cannot bear with other People's Passions, cannot govern
his own.
He that by the Plow would thrive,
himself must either hold or drive.