The Way to Wealth

„If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality.”

„Drive thy business, let not that drive thee; and early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

„Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hope will die fasting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands.”

„Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry. Then plow deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep.”

„If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? Are you then your own master? Be ashamed to catch yourself idle, when there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your king.”

„The cat in gloves catches no mice.”

„Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.”

„A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.”

„Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.”

„The eye of the master will do more work than both his hands.”

„Away, then, with your expensive follies, and you will not then have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for, ‘Women and wine, game and deceit, make the wealth small, and the want great.’”

„Beware of little expences; a small leak will sink a great ship.”

„Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.”

„It is foolish to lay out money in a purchase of repentance.”

„If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some; for he that goes a borrowing, goes a sorrowing.”

„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.”

„Of what use is this pride of appearance, for which so much is risked, so much is suffered? It cannot promote health, nor ease pain; it makes no increase of merit in the person, it creates envy, it hastens misfortune.”

„The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt.”

„Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue. It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.”

„For age and want save while you may, no morning sun lasts a whole day.”

„Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.”