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,” as Poor Dick says. When there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your gracious king, be up by peep of day! “Let not the sun look down and say, ‘Inglorious here he lies!’” Handle your tools without mittens! remember that “the cat in gloves catches no mice!” as Poor Richard says.
’Tis true there is much to be done, and perhaps you are weak-handed; but stick to it steadily and you will see great effects; for “constant dropping wears away stones;” and “by diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable;” and “little strokes fell great oaks,” as Poor Richard says in his almanac, the year I cannot just now remember.
Methinks I hear some of you say, “Must a man afford himself no leisure?” I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says, “employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure;” and “since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour!” Leisure is time for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never; so that, as Poor Richard says, “a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.” Do you imagine that sloth will afford you more comfort than labor? No! for, as Poor Richard says, “trouble springs from idleness and grievous toil from needless ease.” “Many, without labor, would live by their wits only, but they’ll break for want of stock;” whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and respect. “Fly pleasure and they’ll follow you;” “the diligent spinner has a large shift;” and
“Now I have a sheep and a cow,
Everybody bids me good-morrow.”
All which is well said by Poor Richard. But with our industry we must likewise be steady, settled, and careful, and oversee our own affairs with our own eyes and not trust too much to others; for, as Poor Richard says,
“I never saw an oft-removed tree
Nor yet an oft-removed family
That throve so well as those that settled be.”
And again, “three removes are as bad as a fire”; and again, “keep thy shop and thy shop will keep thee”; and again, “if you would have your business done, go; if not, send.” And again
“He that by the plow would thrive,
Himself must either hold or drive.”
And again, “the eye of the master will do more work than both his hands;” and again, “want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge;” and again, “not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.”
Trusting too much to others’ care is the ruin of many; for, as the almanac says, “in the affairs of this world men are saved, not by faith, but by the want of it;” but a man’s own care is profitable; for, saith Poor Dick, “learning is to the studious and riches to the careful;” as well as “power to the bold” and “heaven to the virtuous.” And further, “if you would have a faithful servant and one that you like, serve yourself.”