"I. 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; 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 is 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 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 proves 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 easy_; 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_. _Drive thy business, let not that drive thee_; and _Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise_, as Poor Richard says. "So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better if we bestir ourselves. _Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hopes will die fasting_. _There are no gains without pains; then help, hands, for I have no lands_; or, if I have, they are smartly taxed. _He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honour_, as Poor Richard says; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, _At the workingman's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter_. Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter; for _Industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them_. What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy? _Diligence is the mother of luck, and God gives all things to industry. Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep._ Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow. _One to-day is worth two to-morrows_, as Poor Richard says; and farther, _Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day_. If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? Are you, then, your own master? Be ashamed to catch yourself idle when there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, and your country. Handle your tools without mittens; remember that _The cat in gloves catches no mice_, as Poor Richard says. It is true there is much to be