to the wise is enough,' as Poor Richard says." They joined in desiring
him to speak his mind, and gathering around him, he proceeded as
follows:--

"Friends," says he, "the taxes are indeed very heavy; and if those laid
on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might more
easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous
to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times
as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly; and from
these taxes the commissioners can not ease or deliver us by allowing an
abatement. However, let us hearken to good advice, and something may be
done for us; 'God helps them that help themselves,' as Poor Richard
says.

"I. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people
one-tenth of their time to be employed in its service, but idleness
taxes many of us much more: sloth, by bringing on disease, absolutely
shortens 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 is 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 time must be,' as
Poor Richard says, 'the greatest prodigality;' since as he elsewhere
tell 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 easy, and he that
riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at