Judge, then, how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you! I stopped my horse lately, where a great number of people were collected at a Vendue [_sale_] of Merchant's goods. The hour of sale not being come, they were conversing on the badness of the Times: and one of the company called to a clean old man, with white locks, "Pray, Father ABRAHAM! what do you think of the Times? Won't these heavy taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we be ever able to pay them? What would you advise us to?" Father ABRAHAM stood up, and replied, "If you would have my advice; I will give it you, in short; for _a word to the wise is enough_, and _many words won't fill a bushel_, as _Poor RICHARD_ says." They all joined, desiring him to speak his mind; and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows: "Friends" says he, "and neighbours! The taxes are indeed very heavy; and if those laid on by the Government were the only ones we had to pay, we might the more easily discharge them: but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our IDLENESS, three times as much by our PRIDE, and four times as much by our FOLLY: and from these taxes, the Commissioners cannot ease, or deliver us by allowing an abatement. However let us hearken to good advice, and something may be done for us. _GOD helps them that help themselves_, as _Poor RICHARD_ says in his _Almanac_ of 1733." It would be thought a hard Government that should tax its people One-tenth part of their TIME, to be employed in its service. But Idleness taxes many of us much more; if we reckon all that is spent in absolute sloth, or doing of nothing; with that which is spent in idle employments or amusements that amount to nothing. Sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life. _Sloth, like Rust, consumes faster than Labour wears; while the used key is always bright, as Poor RICHARD says_. But _dost thou love Life? Then do not squander time! for that's the stuff Life is made of_, as _Poor RICHARD says_. How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep? forgetting that _the sleeping fox catches no poultry_; and that _there will be sleeping enough in the grave_, as _Poor RICHARD_ says. If Time be of all things the most precious, _Wasting of Time must be_ (as _Poor RICHARD_ says) _the greatest prodigality;_ since, as he elsewhere tells us, _Lost time is never found again_; and what we call _Time enough! always prows little enough_. Let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpose: so, by diligence, shall we do more with less perplexity. _Sloth makes all things difficult, but Industry all things easy_, as _Poor RICHARD_ says: and _He that riseth late, must trot all day; and shall scarce overtake his business at night_. While _Laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him_, as we read in _Poor RICHARD_; who adds, _Drive thy business! Let not that drive thee!_ and