The diligent spinner has a large shift, and now I have a sheep and a cow, everybody bids me good morrow, all which is well said by Poor Richard. Aug. Renouard [Antoine-Augustin Renouard], 1795. In the early editions of Poor Richard's Almanack, predicting and falsely reporting the deaths of these astrologersmuch to their dismaywas something of a running joke. Experiments and Observations on Electricity, Made at Philadelphia in America, By Benjamin Franklin, L.L.D. This was later published as The Way to Wealth, and was popular in both America and England. Thus the old gentleman ended his harangue. He advised his readers to buy the next issue of his calendar to see if his prediction held. Site by Bibliopolis. When there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your gracious king, be up by peep of day; let not the sun look down and say, inglorious here he lies. The oldest almanac still in circulation in North America is the Old Farmers Almanac first published in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas. Whereas industry gives comfort, and plenty, and respect: fly pleasures, and theyll follow you. So rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt. Perhaps they have had a small estate left them, which they knew not the getting of; they think tis day, and will never be night; that a little to be spent out of so much, is not worth minding; (a child and a fool, as Poor Richard says, imagine twenty shillings and twenty years can never be spent) but, always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom; then, as Poor Dick says, when the wells dry, they know the worth of water. 1776, Abigail Adams to John Adams, Boston, July 13-14, 1776, John Adams to Abigail Adams, Philadelphia July 20. Poor Richard Improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris for the Year of Our Lord 1749: Fitted to the Latitude of Forty Degrees, and a Meridian of Near Five Hours West from London: But May, Without Sensible Error, Serve All the Northern Colonies (Philadelphia: Printed and sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall, [1748]). How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep! Campbell 510; Drake 9756; Evans 7003; Ford 92; Hildeburn 1325; Miller 570; ESTC W22788. Appealing to his readers, Franklin urged them to purchase the next year or two or three or four editions to show their support for his prediction. For the modern-day Washington Post cartoon strip, see, Independence Hall Association (19992007), The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, The Frigate BonHomme Richard, United States Navy Website, History, "Domestication and Foreignization in Translating American Prose for Slovenian Children", "Janez Nepomuk Primic in ustanovitev stolice za slovenski jezik na liceju v Gradcu 1811", Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Chapter 2, "Printer and publisher, Franklin gives a "Word to the Wise", "High-Quality Scanned Images of several pages of, "Complete high-quality images for most of the almanacs", Gulf Stream exploration, naming, and chart, President, Pennsylvania Abolition Society, "Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress" (1745), Proposed alliance with the Iroquois (1775), Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky, Cities, counties, schools named for Franklin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poor_Richard%27s_Almanack&oldid=1095182508, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 June 2022, at 22:10. The calendar is interspersed with the conclusion of his essay "On Idea of the Creator from his Works." The almanacwas a best seller in the American colonies printing up to 10,000 copies a year. And again, he adviseth to circumspection and care, even in the smallest matters, because sometimes a little neglect may breed great mischief; adding, for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for want of care about a horseshoe nail. Franklin also "borrowedapparently without askingand adapted the title of an almanac his brother James Franklin was publishing at Newport: Poor Robin's Almanack (itself appropriated from a seventeenth-century almanac published under the same title in London)". And tis as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to swell, in order to equal the ox. [12] (Later editions of the Almanack would claim that Leeds had died and that the person claiming to be Leeds was an impostor; Leeds, in fact, died in 1738, which prompted Franklin to applaud the supposed impostor for ending his ruse.). And, as Poor Richard likewise observes, he that hath a trade hath an estate, and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor; 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. Nor will the bailiff nor the constable enter, for industry pays debts, while despair encreaseth them, says Poor Richard. You call them goods, but if you do not take care, they will prove evils to some of you.You expect they will be sold cheap, and perhaps they may for less than they cost; but if you have no occasion for them, they must be dear to you. We are offered, by the terms of this vendue, six months credit; and that perhaps has induced some of us to attend it, because we cannot spare the ready money, and hope now to be fine without it. A beautiful example, rare in wrappers. In 1732 I first published my Almanack, under the name of Richard Saunders; it was continud by me about 25 Years, commonly calld Poor Richards Almanack. By the late 18th century, the work had attained great popularity, not only in American, but in London and Pairs. Light soiling and scattered foxing. It is believed that Richard Saunders personality was modeled after Isaaq Bickerstaff Esq, a pseudonym used by Jonathan Swift as part of a hoax to predict the death of almanac writer John Partridge. Philadelphia: B. Franklin and D. Hall, [1753]. One of the earliest of these was the "prediction" that the author's "good Friend and Fellow-Student, Mr. Titan Leeds" would die on October 17 of that year, followed by the rebuttal of Mr. Leeds himself that he would die, not on the 17th, but on October 26. [16] The Almanack was translated into Italian, along with the Pennsylvania State Constitution (which Franklin helped draft) at the establishment of the Cisalpine Republic. Graphic Arts (GAX) Hamilton 27. No, for as Poor Richard says, trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease. [36]pp. It sold exceptionally well for a pamphlet published in the Thirteen Colonies; print runs reached 10,000 per year. "[8] In 1757, Franklin made a selection of these and prefixed them to the almanac as the address of an old man to the people attending an auction. as Poor Richard says. Richard Saunders, pseud. Item #WRCAM37648 A Poor Richard's almanac issued on the eve of the Revolutionary War. Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts including Americana, Important Notice regarding Condition Reports. If you cannot pay at the time, you will be ashamed to see your creditor; you will be in fear when you speak to him, you will make poor pitiful sneaking excuses, and by degrees come to lose you veracity, and sink into base downright lying; for, as Poor Richard says, the second vice is lying, the first is running in debt. Business hours: Monday Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, I resolved to be the better for the echo of it; and though I had at first determined to buy stuff for a new coat, I went away resolved to wear my old one a little longer. These maxims typically counsel thrift and courtesy, with a dash of cynicism. In a series of three letters in 1708 and 1709, known as the Bickerstaff papers, "Bickerstaff" predicted the imminent death of astrologer and almanac maker John Partridge. All issues of Poor Richard's Almanack prior to 1758 -- Franklin's last year as author -- are rare. What would you advise us to? Father Abraham stood up, and replied, If youd have my advice, Ill give it you in short, for a word to the wise is enough, and many words wont fill a bushel, as Poor Richard says. They joined in desiring him to speak his mind, and gathering round him, he proceeded as follows: Friends, says he, and neighbors, the taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid on by the. Visit the pages of the lots you wish to place an absentee bids. The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practiced the contrary, just as if it had been a common sermon; for the vendue opened, and they began to buy extravagantly, notwithstanding all his cautions, and their own fear of taxes. Make the wealth small, and the wants great. But poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue: tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright, as Poor Richard truly says. Paris: Printed for Ant.

For the next years he continued to affirm that Leeds had died until 1738 when he actually passed on. A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale. Forgetting that the sleeping fox catches no poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the grave, as Poor Richard says. Judge then how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. The first almanac in North America was published by William Pierce of Harvard College in 1639 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Woodcuts illustrating the different signs of the zodiac accompany each month of the almanac. Poor Richards Almanack was not all serious business, it published jokes and hoaxes. This pleasure I have seldom enjoyed; for tho I have been, if I may say it without vanity, an eminent author of almanacs annually now a full quarter of a century, my brother authors in the same way, for what reason I know not, have ever been very sparing in their applauses; and no other author has taken the least notice of me, so that did not my writings produce me some solid pudding, the great deficiency of praise would have quite discouraged me.

29, 1775, Abigail Adams to John Adams, November 27 1775, John Adams to Abigail Adams, Philadelphia July 3. One of Franklins most famous hoaxes The Death of Titan Leeds (see below) was based on this hoax. Then plough deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep, says Poor Dick. Please contact the Special Collections and Archives Department of DePaul University Library regarding rights and any reproduction. Want to adapt books like this? Site Map | Are you then your own master, be ashamed to catch yourself idle, as Poor Dick says. Richard Saunders introducing himself in his first 1733 almanac: In his first edition Franklin predicted the death of Titan Leeds, a competitor publisher of another calendar. [21]. 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. Again, Poor Richard says, tis foolish to lay our money in a purchase of repentance; and yet this folly is practised every day at vendues, for want of minding the almanac. The name Poor Richard was adapted from another British almanac, Poor Robin which was first published in 1664. To which are added, Letters and Papers on Philosophical Subjects. Remember what Poor Richard says, buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries. Gain may be temporary and uncertain, but ever while you live, expense is constant and certain; and tis easier to build two chimneys than to keep one in fuel, as Poor Richard says. And after all, of what use is this pride of appearance, for which so much is risked, so much is suffered? If we are industrious we shall never starve; for, as Poor Richard says, at the working mans house hunger looks in, but dares not enter. We may make these times better if we bestir ourselves. Industry need not wish, as Poor Richard says, 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. That throve so well as those that settled be. [10], In later editions, the original Richard Saunders character gradually disappeared, replaced by a Poor Richard, who largely stood in for Franklin and his own practical scientific and business perspectives. These are not the necessaries of life; they can scarcely be called the conveniencies, and yet only because they look pretty, how many want to have them. Franklin's Poor Richard, like Bickerstaff, claimed to be a philomath and astrologer and, like Bickerstaff, predicted the deaths of actual astrologers who wrote traditional almanacs. And in another place, pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped with infamy. The pseudonym Richard Saunders was initially distinct from Franklin but throughout the years it became linked with Franklins character. And again. Woodcut zodiac man and monthly panels. Several of these sayings were borrowed from an earlier writer, Lord Halifax, many of whose aphorisms sprang from, " [a] basic skepticism directed against the motives of men, manners, and the age. Work while it is called today, for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow, which makes Poor Richard say, one today is worth two tomorrows; and farther, have you somewhat to do tomorrow, do it today. It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one tenth part of their time, to be employed in its service. EVANS 13597. Printed self-wrappers, stitched.