Franklin's code of proverbs, and proves "Poor Richard" a silly fellow.
Imagine Jones lecturing his wife on her economy, and reproaching her for
a spirit of saving, "My dear, if you had bought this camel's hair shawl
thirty years ago, it would now be a source of income to us; if you
had not been so close we should now be wealthy." Smith acquires an
independence by giving his children an expensive education, and sees in
every new dress or costly jewel which his growing daughters wear, a new
mine of wealth for himself. If he can only persuade them to spend money
enough he is sure of a support in his old age.

* * * * *

A GIGANTIC BRIDGE.--A suspension bridge is to be erected by M. Oudry,
engineer, over the Straits of Messina, Sicily, from Point Pezzo, on the
Calabrian Coast. It is to consist of four spans of 3,281 feet each,
elevated about 150 feet above high-water level, so that the largest
ships may pass under. The proposed Roebling bridge over the East River,
between New York and Brooklyn, is to have a single span of 1,600 feet.

* * * * *

The through mails to the West now go in iron-bound boxes instead of
leathern bags. Each box, tightly packed, contains about eight hundred
letters.

* * * * *

The first steam vessel used in Great Britain was called the _Comet_, and
built by Henry Bell in 1812. It was thirty tuns burden.