Kom över den här texten idag via Gutenberg-projektet via HumbleDollar som introducerar texten som:
BEN FRANKLIN WROTE the most popular personal finance text of the 18th century. Originally published in 1758 as an essay in his Poor Richard’s Almanack , it became a perennial bestseller when printed separately under the title The Way to Wealth.
While waiting for an auction to start, a group of neighbors complains that their taxes are too high and will ruin the country. They ask a wise man, called Father Abraham, to advise them. He climbs up on a tree stump and agrees that taxes are high—and then adds this retort: “We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly.”
Den är något svårläst på grund av den gamla engelskan, men intressant och det är svårt att tänka att den är 250 år gammal. Några av mina favoritcitat:
If you would be wealthy, think of saving, as well as of getting. The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her out-goes are greater than her incomes
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
“Many a little makes a mickle.” Beware of little expences; A small leak will sink a great ship"
'And again, “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; but[28] Poor Dick says, “It is easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it.” And it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to swell, in order to equal the ox.
“Vessels large may venture more, But little boats should keep near shore.”
“For age and want save while you may, No morning sun lasts a whole day.”
They that will not be counselled cannot be helped
och här är avslutningen:
Thus the old gentleman ended his harangue. The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practised the contrary, just as if it had been a common sermon; for the auction opened, and they began to buy extravagantly.
Spännande. 
. Jag rekommenderar de som är intresserade att läsa historien om hur Franklin jobbade i decennier på att förbättra sin egen karaktär via en dagbok där han betygsatte sig själv om hur väl han följde dygderna i vardagen. Finns läsvärda böcker om detta.