By these and other extravagances, the genteel are reduced to poverty,
and forced to borrow of those whom they formerly despised, but who,
through industry and frugality, have maintained their standing; in
which case it appears plainly, that _A ploughman on his legs is higher
than a gentleman on his knees_, as Poor Richard says. Perhaps they have
had a small estate left them, which they know not the getting of; they
think, _'Tis day, and will never be night_, that a _little to be spent
out of so much is not worth minding_; (_A child and a fool_, as Poor
Richard says, _imagine_ twenty shilling and twenty years can never be
spent), but _Always taking out of the meal-tub and never putting in,
soon comes to the bottom._ Then, as Poor Dick says, _When the well's
dry, they know the_ _worth of water_. But this they might have known
before, if they had taken his advice. _If you would know the value of
money, go and try to borrow some_; for _He that goes a borrowing, goes
a sorrowing_, and indeed, so does he that lends to such people, _when
he goes to get it again_.

Poor Dick further advises and says--

Fond pride of dress is, sure a very curse;
Ere fancy you consult, consult your purse.

And again, _Pride is as loud a beggar as Want, and a great deal more
saucy._ When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more,
that your appearance may be all of a piece; but Poor Dick says, _'Tis
easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow
it._ And 'tis as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the
frog to swell in order to equal the ox.

Great estates may venture more,
But little boats should keep near shore.

'Tis, however, a folly soon punished; for, _Pride that dines on vanity
sups on contempt_, as Poor Richard says. And in another place, _Pride
breakfasted with Plenty, dined with Poverty and supped with Infancy_.

And after all, what use is this pride of appearance, for which so much
is risked, so much is suffered? It cannot promote health or ease pain;
it makes no increase of merit in the person; it creates envy; it
hastens misfortune.

What is a butterfly? At best
He's but a caterpillar drest,
The gaudy fop's his picture just,

as poor Richard says.

But what madness must it be to _run into debt_ for these superfluities!
We are offered, by the terms of this vendue, six months' credit; and
that, perhaps, has induced some of us to attend it, because we ca