_Poor Richard_
1741
Enjoy the present hour, be mindful of the past;
And neither fear nor wish the Approaches of the last.
Learn of the skilful: He that teaches himself, hath a fool for his master.
Best is the Tongue that feels the rein; --
He that talks much, must talk in vain;
We from the wordy Torrent fly:
Who listens to the chattering Pye?
Think _Cato_ sees thee.
No Wood without Bark.
_Monkeys_ warm with envious spite,
Their most obliging FRIENDS will bite; --
And, fond to copy human Ways,
Practise new Mischiefs all their days.
_Joke_ went out, and brought home his fellow, and they two began a quarrel.
Let thy discontents be thy Secrets; -- if the world knows them, 'twill despise _thee_ and increase _them._
E'er you remark another's Sin,
Bid your own Conscience look within.
Anger and Folly walk cheek-by-jole; Repentance treads on both their Heels.
Turn Turk _Tim_, and renounce thy Faith in Words as well as Actions: Is it worse to follow _Mahomet_ than the Devil?
Don't overload Gratitude; if you do, she'll kick.
Be always asham'd to catch thy self idle.
Where yet was ever found the Mother,
Who'd change her booby for another?
At 20 years of age the Will reigns; at 30 the Wit; at 40 the Judgment.
Christianity commands us to pass by Injuries; Policy, to let them pass by us.
Lying rides upon Debt's back.
They who have nothing to be troubled at, will be troubled at nothing.
Wife from thy Spouse each blemish hide
More than from all the World beside:
Let DECENCY be all thy Pride.
_Nick's_ Passions grow fat and hearty; his Understanding looks consumptive!
If evils come not, then our fears are vain:
And if they do, Fear but augments the pain.
If you would keep your Secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.
Rob not for burnt offerings.
_Bess_ brags she 'as _Beauty_, and can prove the same;
As how? why thus, Sir, 'tis her _puppy_'s name.
Up, Sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough.
Well done, is twice done.
Clearly spoken, Mr. Fog! You explain English by Greek.
_Formio_ bewails his Sins with the same heart,
As Friends do Friends when they're about to part.
Believe it _Formio_ will not entertain,
One chearful Thought till they do meet again.
Honours change Manners.
Jack eating rotten cheese, did say,
Like _Sampson_ I my thousands slay;
I vow, quoth _Roger_, so you do,
And with the self-same weapon too.
There are no fools so troublesome as those that have wit.
Quarrels never could last long,
If on one side only lay the wrong.
Let no Pleasure tempt thee, no Profit allure thee, no Ambition corrupt thee, no Example sway thee, no Persuasion move thee, to do any thing which thou knowest to be Evil; So shalt thou always live jollily: for a good Conscience is a continual Christmass.
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