Never was such a man for improving maxims as Joseph Baxendale. He was a great admirer of _Poor Richard’s Almanack_ and its racy maxims, written by Daniel Webster, and carefully caused a broadsheet containing a selection of them to be printed. He also tried his own hand at composing pithy sentences on the virtues of punctuality and method, and caused leaflets of these, together with _Poor Richard’s_ homely literature, to be circulated and posted in all conspicuous places in the establishments of Pickford & Co. in London and the provinces, and on the roads and canals where his vans travelled or his fly-boats voyaged. Here is one of his compositions in this way:-- [Illustration: +-----------+ +---------+ | | THE | | | TIME LOST | | NEVER | | CANNOT | IMPORTANCE | DESPAIR | | BE | | -- | | REGAINED | OF | NOTHING | | | | WITHOUT | | | PUNCTUALITY | LABOUR | | | | | +-----------+ +---------+ ] METHOD is the very Hinge of Business; and there is no Method without Punctuality. Punctuality is important, because it subserves the Peace and good Temper of a Family: The want of it not only infringes on necessary Duty, but sometimes excludes this Duty. The Calmness of Mind which it produces, is another Advantage of Punctuality: A disorderly man is always in a hurry; he has no time to speak to you, because he is going elsewhere; and when he gets there, he is too late for his business; or he must hurry away to another before he can finish it. Punctuality gives weight to Character. “Such a man has made an Appointment:--then I know he will keep it.” And this generates punctuality in you; for, like other Virtues, it propagates itself. Servants and Children must be punctual, where their Leader is so. Appointments, indeed, become Debts. I owe you Punctuality, if I have made an Appointment with you: and have no right to throw away your time, if I do my own.