ly^l. LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. I05 



The following piece has often been printed ; but its intrinfic 

 merit is fiich as to entitle it to a place in every colledion of 

 this fort. Could a mifcellaiiy be formed, that confifted 

 entirely of pieces of equal value, one would have little occa- 

 fion to regret their not being what are ufually called origi- 

 nal. Perhaps the homelinefe of its drefs may difpleafe fome ; 

 but the fame circumftance will recommend it to others. 

 It may furnifh a good fubjed for a diflertation, to afcertain, 

 which of thefe two parties have the fined: tafte, or the 

 foundeft judgment. 



Preliminary Addrefs to the Pennjylvania Almanack, in- 

 tituled Poor Richard's Almanack^ /or the year 1758, 

 Printed at Philadelphia. 



Said to be written by Dr Franklin. 



HAVE heard, that nothing gives an author fo great plea- 

 fure as to find his works refpeftfully quoted by other learn- 

 ed authors. This pleafure I have feldom enjoyed; for 

 though I have been, if I may fay it without vanity, an emi- 

 nent author (of Almanacks) annually now a full quarter of 

 a century, my brother-authors in the fame way (for what 

 itafon I know not) have ever been very fparing in their ap- 

 plaufes ; and no other author has taken the leaft notice of 

 me; fo that, did not my writings produce me fome folid 

 pudding, the great deficiency of praife would have quite dif- 

 ijouraged me. 



1 concluded, at length, that the people were the befl 

 judges of my merit, for they buy my works ; and befides, in 

 my rambles, where I am not perfonally known, I have fre- 

 quently heard one or other of my adages repeated, with 

 •' As poor Richard fays," at the end on't. This gave me 

 ome fatisfaftion ; as it fliewed not only that my inftrudions 

 were regarded, but difcovered likewil'e fome refpecl for my 

 luthority : and I own, that, to encourage the praftice' of re- 

 nembering and repeating thofe wife fentences,' I have fome- 

 ;imes quoted myfelf with great gravity. 



Judge then how much I have been gratified by an inci- 

 lent I am going to relate to you. I flopped my horfe lately 

 where a great number of people were eolleiJled at an au(5Uon 

 Vol. I. O 



