io6 THE BEE, OR. Jan. 19. 



of merchants goods. The hour of fale not being come, they 

 were converfing on the badnefs 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? 

 Won't thefe heavy taxes quite ruin the country ? How (hall 

 we be ever able to pay them ? What would you advife us 

 to?" Father Abraham flood up, and replied, — If you'd 

 have my advice, I'll give it you in (hort ; " For a word to 

 the wife is enough ; and many words won't fill a buihel," 

 as poor Richard fays.'' They joined in defiring him to fpeak 

 his mind; and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows : 

 " Friends, (fays he), and neighbours, the taxes are in- 

 deed very heavy; and if ihofe laid on by the government 

 were the only ones we had to pay, we might more eafily dlf- 

 charge them ; but we have many others, and much more 

 grievous to fome of us. We are taxed twice as much by or 

 idlenefs, three times as much by our pride, and four times . 

 much by our folly; and from thefe taxes the commiHiu- : 

 jiers cannot eafe or deliver us, by allowing an abatement. I 

 However, let us hearken to good advice, and fomething ma 

 be done for us ; " God helps them that help themfelver 

 SIS poor Richard fays, in his Almanack. 



It would be thought a hard government that ihould t 

 its people one tenth part of their time, to be employed in 1 

 fcrvice ; but idlenefs taxes many of us much more, if ' 

 reckon all that is fpent in abfolute floth or doing of nothii 

 with that Vv^hlch is fpent ifi idle employments, or amufemeins 

 that amount to nothing. Sloth, by bringing on difeafcs, ab- 

 folutely fhortens life. " Sloth, like ruft, confumes fader than 

 labour wears, while the key ufed is always bright," ai 

 poor Richard fays. " But doft thou love hfe ? then do not 

 fquander time, for that's the fluff life is made of," as poor 

 Richard fays. How much more than is neceffary do we 

 I'pend in fleep ! forgetting that " the fleeping fox catclies 

 110 poultry, and that there will be fleeping enough in the 

 grave," as poor Richard fays. " If time be of all things 

 the mofl precious, wafling time mufl be (as poor Ricliard 

 Jays) the greatefl prodigality;" fince, as he elfewherei: 

 tills, " Lofl time is never found again ; and what we call j 

 time enough, always proves little enough." Let us then i 

 up and be doing, and doing to the purpofe; fo by diligence 



