INTRODUCTION. THIS little treatise is much and justly admired, as well as its celebrated and ingenious author; in short, it is to be doubted, whether any other work of the kind equal to it ever appeared. It has been repeatedly published, in different sizes; and made its appearance on both sides of the Atlantic. The London copy, from which this is printed, contains the following introduction: "Dr. Franklin, wishing to collect into one piece all the sayings upon the following subjects, which he had dropped in the course of publishing the Almanac, called, 'Poor Richard,' introduces Father Abraham for this purpose. Hence it is that Poor Richard is so often quoted, and that in the present title, he is said to be improved-Notwithstanding the stroke of humor in the concluding paragraph of this address, Poor Richard (Saunders) and Father Abraham have proved, in America, that they are no common preachers. And, shall we, brother Englishmen, refuse good sense and saving knowledge because it comes from the other side of the water ?" |