NI He is rich enough that needs neither flatter, nor borrow, and truly rich that is fatisfied: Want lies in defire. To defire little, makes poverty equal with riches. He who wants, is not rich; nor he who wants not, poor; riches are to be measured by their use. A little wealth will fuffice us to live well, and lefs to die happily. A man should not defire more riches, than such as he can get juftly, ufe foberly, diftribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly. Great want proceeds from great wealth, and makes riches almoft equal with poverty. Riches would be but little esteemed, if they did not furnish vanity with the pleasure of having what others have not. Command your wealth, or it will command you. Prize not yourself for what, you have, but for what you are. Riches are given us, that by the proper ufe of them, we may pass life easily, but life is not given us that we may heap up riches. It is not an abundant coming in that maketh rich, but by the few occafions of fpending. It is none of the leaft of God's favours, if wealth flows not in upon us; for many of us would have been worse, if our eftates had been better. Rich men are not rich, but for the fake of the for the benefit of the poor; and the poor are poor, rich. Riches and power invite the smoothness of flattery, but check the freedom of true friendship. Riches create more wants than they satisfy. The affluence of gold brings with luxury, the corruption of manners, and the contempt of the laws. If a man's defires increase with his riches, is he not by fo much the more miferable, the more he poffeffes? Riches fhould be admitted into our houses, but not into our hearts; we may take them into our poffeffion, but not into our affections. Money is like manure, it does no good until it is fpread; there is no real use of riches except it be in the diftribution, the reft is but conceit. It is difficult for a rich person to be right-minded, or a right-minded perfon to be rich. Great riches are great fnares. Riches ought to be used as the materials of fome action, and not upon every occasion alike. Riches are bleffings, if not perverted; they are the rewards of industry, and the instruments of charity, the first of Chriftian virtues. Though want is the fcorn of every wealthy fool, an innocent poverty is yet preferable to all the guilty affluence the world can offer. From the manner of men's bearing their condition, we often pity the profperous, and admire the unfortunate. Many men defpife wealth, but few know how to be liberal. Riches and power never want advocates. The The means to grow rich, are thrift, diligence and method. Poverty with honesty, is far a happier choice than plenty with wickedness. He that keeps up his riches and lives poorly, is like an afs that carries gold, and eats thiftles. If money be not our fervant, it will be our mafter. Little shame, little confcience, and much induftry, seldom fail of making rich. Moderate riches will carry you; if you have more, you must carry them. Rich men and fortunate men, have need of much prudence. Riches abuse those, who know not how to use them. An unequal diftribution of riches, which exhibits a fmall number of citizens in opulence, and a great multitude in extreme poverty, causes the infolence of the former, and the debafement of the latter. Perfons who have nothing, find it extremely difficult to get any thing; but those who have money, eafily make their fortune. Riches are gotten with pain, kept with care, and loft with grief. Youth has the pains of getting, age of lofing its riches. Riches have made more covetous men, than covetousness hath made rich men. Riches ferve a wife man, but command a fool. The The abuse of riches is worfe than the want of them. Riches sharpen pain, and flatten pleasure. They are only a bleffing, when they are well got and well ufed. To rich men, the greatest pleasures of sense, either grow dull for want of difficulty, or hurt by ex cefs. The true end of riches (next to doing good) are ease and pleasure; the common effect, care and trouble. Unless a rich man will, in fome things, live like a poor one, he is not the better for his riches; his life will be the worfe and the shorter. Among all the fatires upon human nature, to which folly and prodigality have given occafion, none is equally fevere with a bond or a fettle ment. If thou art rich, ftrive to command thy money, left thy money command thee. If thou knoweft how to use it, then it is thy fervant; if not, thou art its flave. They who are of opinion that money will do every thing, may very well be fufpected to do every thing for money. Wealth cannot confer greatness, for nothing can make that great, which the decree of Nature has ordained to be little. See AVARICE. See CONTENT. See HAPPINESS. RIDICULE |