h Poverty, and supped with Infamy. And, after all, of what use
is this pride of appearance, for which so much is risked, so much is
suffered? It can not promote health, nor ease pain; it makes no increase
of merit in the person; it creates envy; it hastens misfortune.

"But what madness must it be to run in debt for these superfluities! We
are offered by the terms of this sale six months' credit; and that,
perhaps, has induced some of us to attend it, because we can not spare
the ready money, and hope now to be fine without it. But, ah! think what
you do when you run in debt: you give to another power over your
liberty. If you can not pay at the time, you will be ashamed to see your
creditor; you will be in fear when you speak to him; you will make poor,
pitiful, sneaking excuses, and, by degrees, come to lose your veracity,
and sink into base, downright lying; for, The second vice is lying, the
first is running in debt, as Poor Richard says; and again, to the same
purpose, Lying rides upon Debt's back; whereas, a free-born Englishman
ought not to be ashamed nor afraid to see or speak to any man living.
But poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue. It is hard
for an empty bag to stand upright.

"What would you think of that prince, or of that government, who should
issue an edict forbidding you to dress like a gentleman or gentlewoman
on pain of imprisonment or servitude? Would you not say that you were
free, have a right to dress as you please, and that such an edict would
be a breach of your privileges, and such a government tyrannical? And
yet you are about to put yourself under such tyranny when you run in
debt for such dress. Your creditor has authority, at his pleasure, to
deprive you of your liberty, by confining you in jail till you shall be
able to pay him. When you have got your bargain you may perhaps think
little of payment; but, as Poor Richard says, Creditors have better
memories than debtors; creditors are a superstitious sect, great
observers of set days and times. The day comes round before you are
aware, and the demand is made before you are prepared to satisfy it; or,
if you bear your debt in mind, the term, which at first seemed so long,
will, as it lessens, appear extremely short. Time will seem to have
added wings to his heels as well as his shoulders. Those have a short
Lent who owe money to be paid at Easter. At present, perhaps, you may
think yourselves in thriving circumstances, an