These proverbs, which contained the wisdom of many ages and nations, I assembled and form'd into a connected discourse prefix'd to the Almanack of 1757, as the harangue of a wise old man to the people attending an auction. The bringing all these scatter'd councils thus into a focus enabled them to make greater impression. The piece, being universally approved, was copied in all the newspapers of the Continent; reprinted in Britain on a broadside, to be stuck up in houses; two translations were made of it in French, and great numbers bought by the clergy and gentry, to distribute gratis among their poor parishioners and tenants. In Pennsylvania, as it discouraged useless expense in foreign superfluities, some thought it had its share of influence in producing that growing plenty of money which was observable for several years after its publication. Two pages from _Poor Richard's Almanac_ for 1736. Size of original. Reproduced from a copy at the New York Public Library. _IV Mon._ June hath xxx days. Things that are bitter, bitterrer than Gall Physicians say are always physical: Now Women's Tongues if into Powder beaten, May in a Potion or a Pill be eaten, And as there's nought more bitter, I do muse, That Women's Tongues in Physick they ne'er use. My self and others who lead restless Lives, Would spare that bitter Member of our Wives. 1 3 _fine weather_, 4 Le 4 36 8 Moon set 10 12 aft 2 4 Ascension Day 5 19 4 35 8 _He that can have_ 3 5 Mars Sat. Ven. _Sudden_ 6 Vi 4 35 8 _Patience, can_ 4 6 _showers_ 6h 19 4 35 8 _have what he_ 5 7 _of Rain_. 7 Li 4 35 8 First Quarter. 6 C Eraudi 8 19 4 35 8 _will._ 7 2 Trine Mars Merc. _thunder_, 9 Sc 4 35 8 Le. Vi. Li. 8 3 _perhaps hail._ 10 17 4 35 8 Sun ent. Cn. today 9 4 7* rise 2 15 10 Sa 4 34 8 making longest 10 5 _very hot_, 11 13 4 34 8 day 14 h. 51 m. 11 6 St. Barnabas. 12 26 4 34 8 Full Moon 12 day, 12 7 _then rain_. 1 Cp 4 34 8 at 1 morn. 13 C Whitsunday. 2 20 4 35 8 Moon rise 8 20 aft. 14 2 2h Aq 4 35 8 _Now I've a sheep_ 15 3 K. Geo. II. procl 3 15 4 35 8 _and a cow, every_ 16 4 ff. Sun Sat. _wind, rain_, 4 27 4 35 8 _body bids me good_ 17 5 Sxtil Sat. Merc. _hail and_ 5 Pi 4 35 8 _morrow._ 18 6 _thunder_ 6 21 4 35 8 Moon rise 11 10 af. 19 7 Day shorter 2 m. 6h Ar 4 35 8 20 C Trinity Sund. 7 15 4 36 8 Last Quarter 21 2 _If we have rain about_ 8 27 4 36 8 _God helps them_ 22 3 _the Change_, 9 Ta 4 36 8 _that help themselves_ 23 4 _Let not my reader_ 10 22 4 36 8 24 5 St. John Bap. 10 Gm 4 36 8 Moon rise 2 morn.