man had thoroughly studied my almanacks, and digested all I had dropped on those topics during the course of twenty-five years. The frequent mention he made of me must have tired any one else; but my vanity was wonderfully delighted with it, though I was conscious that not a tenth part of the wisdom was my own which he ascribed to me, but rather the gleanings that I had made of the sense of all ages and nations. However, I resolved to be the better for the echo of it; and though I had at first determined to buy stuff for a new coat, I went away, resolved to wear my old one a little longer. Reader, if thou wilt do the same, thy profit will be as great as mine. I am, as ever, thine to serve thee, -RICHARD SAUNDERS.

New and Authentic Sayings of "Poor Richard."

[It was long supposed impossible to find a com plete set of the curious Almanac in which Franklin continued to present annually the shrewd sayings of "Poor Richard." Even Jared Sparks, his most distinguished biographer, shared this doubt. At length a club of admirers, after diligent search over the American continent, succeeded in bringing together a perfect set of the little world-famous Almanac, and from a partial reprint of it the following "Sayings," are reproduced-nearly the whole of them appearing here for the first time in Great Britain.]

A

To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.

C

Eat to live, and not live to eat
He that drinks fast, pays slow.

He is ill clothed who is bare of virtue.

Men and melons are hard to know.

There is no little enemy.

The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

She that will eat her breakfast in bed,

And spend the morn in dressing of her head,
And sit at dinner like a maiden bride,
And talk of nothing all day but of pride;
God in his mercy may do much to save her,
But what a case is he in that shall have her.

Time eateth all things, could old poets say,
The times are chang'd, our times drink all away.
Many dishes, many diseases,

Many medicines, few cures.

Would you live with ease do what you ought, and not what you please.

Better slip with foot than tongue.

Blame-all and praise-all are two blockheads. Take this remark from Richard, poor blame, Whate'er's began in anger ends in shame. No man e'er was glorious who was not laborious. Don't think to hunt two hares with one dog. All things are easy to industry, all things difficult to sloth..

Be neither silly nor cunning, but wise.

Who pleasure gives shall joy receive.
Be not sick too late nor well to soon.

All things are cheap to the saving, dear to the wasteful.

Would you persuade, speak of interest, not of

reason.

Don't value a man for the quality he is of, but for the qualities he possesses.

As charms are nonsense, nonsense is a charm.

A wicked hero will turn his back to an innocent coward.

Look before, or you'll find yourself behind.

Some are weatherwise, some are otherwise.

The poor man must walk to get meat for his stomach, the rich man to get a stomach to his meat. Approve not of him who commends all you say. By diligence and patience the mouse bit in two the cable.

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.

Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing. Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead. Poverty wants some things, luxury many things, avarice all things.

There's small revenge in words, but words may be greatly revenged.

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.

To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.

If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone.

The good paymaster is lord of another man's purse.

Diligence is the mother of good luck.

Do not do that which you would not have known. "Tis easy to see, hard to foresee.

Bargaining has neither friends nor relations. Nor eye in a letter, nor hand in a purse, nor ear in secret of another.

He that can have patience can have what he will. None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing.

The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse.

The rotten apple spoils his companion.

If you desire many things, many things will seem but a few.

The master-piece of man is to live to the purpose. A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats.

The nearest way to come to glory is to do that for conscience which we do for glory.

After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser.

Well done is better than well said.

The worst wheel of the cart makes most noise.
To morrow you'll reform, you always cry;
In what far country does this morrow lie,
That 'tis so mighty long ere it arrive?
Beyond the Indies does this morrow live?
"Tis so far-fetched, this morrow, that I fear
"Twill be both very old and very dear.

To morrow I'll reform, the fool doth say; To-day itself's too late; the wise did yesterday. 'Tis better to leave for an enemy at one's death than beg of a friend in one's life.

To whom thy secret thou dost tell,

To him thy freedom thou dost sell.

Don't go to the doctor with every distemper, nor to the lawyer with every quarrel, nor to the pot for every thirst.

Nothing so popular as good news.

There are three faithful friends, an old wife, an old

dog, and ready money.

Who has deceived thee so oft as thyself?

Fly pleasures and they'll follow you.

Hast thou virtue? Acquire also the graces and beauties of virtue.