Man braucht es

siker, balm Donner elektrischer Batterien. nicht erst zu sagen, dafs ein Mann von solchem Talent der angenehmste und belehrendsteSchriftsteller seyn musste. Er hatte in England die ausgebreitete Wirkung periodischer Blätter gese hen, und wählte sich daher diese Form und die Kalender, um seine menschenfreundlichen und beglückenden Grundsätze zu verbreiten. Es möchte schwer seyn, ihn zu übertreffen in der Kunst, die Lehren der Moral zu entwickeln, und sie auf die Pflichten der Freundschaft und der allgemeinen Liebe, auf die Benutzung der Zeit, auf das Glück der Wohlthätigkeit, auf die nothwendige Verbindung des eignen Wohls mit dem allgemeinen, aufdie Früchte der Arbeitsamkeit, auf den süssen Genufs, den uns die gesellschaftlichen Tugenden verschaffen, besser anzuwenden, als er es that. Man kann nichts schöneres in dieser Art lesen, als die Sprichwörter des alten Heinrich, oder die Weisheit des guten Richard, die durch Einkleidung und Inhalt Muster der wahren Popularität sind. Er wusste sich mit seltner Kunst jener Manier zu bedienen, welche die Wahrheit etwas umhüllt, um sie nur desto wirksamer zu machen. So gab er sich, um das unzweckmässige Verfahren des Englischen Ministeriums zu zeigen, die Miene, als wollte er die sichersten Mittel lehren, wie man einen Staat verkleinern müsse, den man zu grofs fände, um ihn regieren zu können. Um die Ansprüche Grofsbritanniens auf Amerika zubeleuchten, erdichtete er ein Schreiben, in welchem der König von Preussen England mit Taxen belegt, weil die Einwohner an der Oder ehemals diese Insel erobert oder bevölkert hätten.“ Weitläuftigere biographische Nachrichten von Franklin findet man unter andern, theils in dem angeführten Jahrgange des Schlichtegrollschen Nekrologs, aus welchem die hier mitgetheilten Notizen gröfstentheils entlehnt sind, theils in der, von Franklin zum Theil selbst aufgesetzten und von seinem Freunde, dem Doktor Stuber in Philadelphia, fortgesetzten Biographie. Letztere befindet sich in Deutscher Sprache vor der, 1794 in Weimar in 2 Bänden in 8. herausgekommenen schönen Übersetzung seiner kleinen Schriften, von Schatz. Von Franklin's Werken giebt es übrigens, so weit uns bekannt ist, noch keine ganz vollständige Ausgabe; ob eine solche von dem Enkel dieses berühmten Mannes, William Temple Franklin, dem durch ein Vermächtnifs die sämmtlichen Handschriften seines Oheims zugefallen sind, schon veranstaltet worden ist, haben wir nicht in Erfahrung gebracht. Sein,,Privat-Correspondenz“ ist zu

London 1817 bei Colburn unter dem Titel erschienen; The private correspondence of Benjamin Franklin etc., comprising a series of letters etc., illustrating the memoirs of his public and private life, published by his grandson William Temple Franklin, 2 Vols. Bei der vorhin angeführten Deutschen Übersetzung der kleinen Schriften liegt eine Ausgabe der Werke Franklin's zum Grunde, welche zu London 1793 in 2 Bänden in kl. 8. erschienen ist, und den Titel führt: Works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin consisting of his Life written by himself, together with Essays humorous, moral and literary chiefly in the manner of the Spectator. In dieser Sammlung befindet sich auch das hier abgedruckte vortreffliche Stück, welches, wie die meisten übrigen Schriften Franklin's, als Muster eines wahrhaft populären Vortrags dienen kann.

I

THE WAY TO WEALTH *),

Courteous Reader,

have heard, that nothing gives an author so great pleasure, as to find his works respectfully quoted by others. Judge, then, how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I stopped my horse, lately, where a great number of people were collected at an auction of merchants' goods. The, hour of the sale not being come, they were conversing on the badness of the times; and one of the company called to a plain, clean, old man, with white locks, 'Pray, father Abraham, what think you of the times? Will not those heavy taxes quite ruin the country? how shall we be ever able to pay them? What would you advise us to?' Father Abraham stood up, and replied, 'If you would have my advice, I will give it you in short;,, for a word to the wise is enough, as Poor Richard says.' They joined in desiring him to speak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows **).

*) Zuerst als Vorrede zu einem Pensylvanischen Almanach erschienen. **) 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 almanacks called Poor Richard, introduces father Abraham for this purpose. Hence it is, that Poor Richard is so often quoted.

,, 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 cannot 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 part of their time to be employed in its service: but idleness taxes many of us much more; sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life. „Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labour wears, while the used key is always bright, 66 as Poor Richard says. But dost thou love life, then do not squander time, stuff life is made of," as Poor Richard says.

for that is the

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.'

66

,If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be, <6 as Poor Richard says, „ the greatest prodigality;' since, as he elsewhere tells 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 alleasy; and he that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him. Drive thy business, let not that drive thee; and early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise," as Poor Richard says.'

"

'So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better, if we bestir ourselves. ,,Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hope will die fasting. There are no gains without pains; then help hands, for I have no lands," or, if I have, they are smartly taxed.,,He that hath a trade, hath an estate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honour," as Pour Richard says; but then the trade must be worked at, and the

calling well followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for,,, at the working man's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter. " Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter, for,, industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them." What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you a legacy, „Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry. Then plow deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep." Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow. One to-day is worth two to-morrows, as Poor Richard says: and farther,,, Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day.“ 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, when there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your king. Handle your tools without mittens: remember, that The cat in gloves catches no mice," as Poor Richard says. It is 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."

'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; for,,, A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. Many, without labour, would live by their wits only, but they break for want of stock;" whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and respect.,, Fly pleasures, and they will follow you. The diligent spinner has a large shift; and now I have a sheep and a cow, every body bids me good-morrow."

II. '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 is 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 plough 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,,, 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,,,If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself. A little neglect may breed great mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost," being overtaken and slain by the enemy; all for want of a little care about a horse-shoe nail.'

III. 'So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to these we must add frugality, if we would make our industry more certainly successful. A man may, if he knows not how to save as he gets, keep his nose all his life to the grindstone, and die not worth *) a groat at last. A fat kitchen makes a lean will;" and, ,,Many estates are spent in the getting,

Since women for tea forsook spinning and knitting, And men for punch forsook hewing and splitting." ,,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 in-comes. "

'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; for,

- Make the wealth small, and the want great. “ 'And farther, „What maintains one vice, would bring up two

*) Ein Mann ist so und so viel werth, bezeichnet bekanntlich im Englischen: er hat so und so viel im Vermögen.