Brave Men and Women | Page 5

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 horseshoe 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 outgoes 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 expenses. '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
knick-knacks. 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 erelong thou shalt

sell thy necessaries.' And again, 'At a great pennyworth pause awhile;'
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 practiced every day at
auctions, for want of minding the almanac. 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
extravagances, the greatest 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 plowman 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