ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 241 



Aphorism 5 

 Poverty comes as a traveller, but want as an armed man g 



This aphorism elegantly describes how prodigals, and such 

 as take no care of their affairs, make shipwreck of their for- 

 tunes. For debt, and diminution of the capital, at first steal on 

 gradually and almost imperceptibly like a traveller, but soon 

 after want invades as an armed man ; that is, with a hand so 

 strong and powerful as can no longer be resisted ; for it was 

 justly said by the ancients, that necessity is of all things the 

 strongest. We must, therefore, prevent the traveller, and 

 guard against the armed man. 



Aphorism 6 



He who instructs a scoffer, procures to himself reproach; and 

 he who reproves a wicked man, procures to himself a stain h 



This agrees with the precept of our Saviour, not to throw 

 pearls before swine. This aphorism distinguishes betwixt the 

 actions of precept and reproof, and again betwixt the persons of 

 the scorner and the wicked, and lastly, the reward is distin- 

 guished. In the former case, precept is repaid by a loss of labor, 

 and in the latter, of reproof, it is repaid with a stain also. For 

 when any one instructs and teaches a scorner, he first loses his 

 time ; in the next place, others laugh at his labor, as fruitless 

 and misapplied; and lastly, the scorner himself disdains the 

 knowledge delivered. But there is more danger in repiroving a 

 wicked man, who not only lends no ear, but turns again, and 

 either directly rails at his admonisher, who has now made him- 

 self odious to him, or, at least, afterwards traduces him to 

 others. 



Aphorism 7 



A wise son rejoices his father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to 



his mother k 



The domestic joys and griefs of father and mother from their 

 children are here distinguished ; for a prudent and hopeful son 

 is a capital pleasure to the father, who knows the value of virtue 

 better than the mother, and therefore rejoices more at his son's 

 disposition to virtue. This joy may also be heightened, per- 

 haps, from seeing the good effect of his own management, in 

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