her Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not these heavy
taxes quite ruin the country? How shall we ever be able to pay them?
What would you advise us to do?" 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,' as Poor Richard says." They joined in desiring
him to speak his mind, and gathering round him he proceeded as
follows.

[Footnote 23: From "Poor Richard's Almanac" for 1757, where it was
printed as a preface signed "Richard Saunders." Franklin began this
Almanac in 1732. John Bigelow, Franklin's biographer and editor, says
it "attained an astonishing popularity." For twenty-five years it had
an average circulation of 10,000 copies. Sometimes it was sent to
press as early as October in order to supply remote colonists in time
for the new year. Translations of it have been printed in nearly all
written languages.]

"Friends," said he, "the taxes are indeed very heavy, and, if those
laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might
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 can not ease or deliver us by
allowing an abatement. However, let us harken to good advice, and
something may be done for us; 'God helps them that help themselves,'
as Poor Richard says.

"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
labor 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