tens 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's
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 of 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 things easy," as Poor Richard says; 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," as we read in Poor Richard; who adds, "drive thy
business! let not that drive thee!" and

"Early to bed and early to rise
Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

[Illustration: "THE SLEEPING FOX CATCHES NO POULTRY"]

So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these
times better if we bestir ourselves. "Industry need not wish," as Poor
Richard says, and "he that lives on hope 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. And as Poor Richard likewise observes, "he
that hath a trade hath an estate, and he that hath a calling hath an
office of profit and honor;" but then the trade must be worked at and
the calling well followed, or neither the estate nor the office will
enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious we shall never starve;
for, as Poor Richard says, "at the working-man's house hunger looks in,
but dares not enter." Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter, for
"industry pays debt, 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 good luck," as Poor Richard
says, and "God gives all things to industry."

"Then plow deep while sluggards sleep,
And you shall have corn to sell and to keep,"

says Poor Dick. Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how
much