Benjamin Franklin : $b Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notesFranklin, Benjamin
General
Benjamin Franklin : $b Representative selections, with introduction, bibliograpy, and notes
Franklin, Benjamin
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
with a little, because it cannot well be avoided unless one would be at
the Pains and Expence of laying them in the _Red Sea_; however, they
should not presume too much upon the Liberty allow'd them; I know
Confinement must needs be mighty irksome to the free Spirit of an
Astronomer, and I am too compassionate to proceed suddenly to
Extremities with it; nevertheless, tho' I resolve with Reluctance, I
shall not long defer, if it does not speedily learn to treat its living
Friends with better Manners,
I am, _Courteous Reader, your obliged Friend and Servant_
Octob. 30. 1734 R. SAUNDERS.
HINTS FOR THOSE THAT WOULD BE RICH
[October, 1736--From _Poor Richard_, 1737]
The Use of Money is all the Advantage there is in having Money.
For £6 a Year you may have the Use of £100 if you are a Man of known
Prudence and Honesty.
He that spends a Groat a day idly, spends idly above £6 a year, which is
the Price of using £100.
He that wastes idly a Groat's worth of his Time per Day, one Day with
another, wastes the Privilege of using £100 each Day.
He that idly loses 5s. worth of time, loses 5s. and might as prudently
throw 5s. in the River.
He that loses 5s. not only loses that Sum, but all the Advantage that
might be made by turning it in Dealing, which, by the time that a young
Man becomes old, amounts to a comfortable Bag of Money.
_Again_, He that sells upon Credit, asks a Price for what he sells
equivalent to the Principal and Interest of his Money for the Time he is
like to be kept out of it: therefore He that buys upon Credit, pays
Interest for what he buys. And he that pays ready Money, might let that
Money out to Use; so that He that possesses any Thing he has bought,
pays Interest for the Use of it.
_Consider then_ when you are tempted to buy any unnecessary
Householdstuff, or any superfluous thing, whether you will be willing to
pay _Interest, and Interest upon Interest_ for it as long as you live;
and more if it grows worse by using.
_Yet, in buying goods, 'tis best to pay Ready Money, because_, He that
sells upon Credit, expects to lose _5 per Cent_ by bad Debts; therefore
he charges, on all he sells upon Credit, an Advance that shall make up
for that Deficiency.
Those who pay for what they buy upon Credit, pay their Share of this
Advance.
He that pays ready Money, escapes or may escape that Charge.
A Penny sav'd is Twopence clear,
A Pin a Day is a Groat a Year.
TO JOSIAH FRANKLIN[28]
Philadelphia, April 13, 1738.
HONOURED FATHER,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account