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naturally honest, than for one naturally roguish, but who had lately acted honestly: for currents whose natural channels are dammed up, till a new course is by time worn sufficiently deep, and become natural, are apt to break their banks. If one servant is more valuable than another, has he not more merit than the other, and yet this is not on account of superior self-denial.

Is a patriot not praiseworthy, if public spirit is natural to him?

Is a pacing horse less valuable for being a natural pacer? Nor in my opinion has any man less merit for having in general naturally virtuous inclinations.

The truth is, that temperance, justice, charity, &c., are virtues whether practised with or against our inclinations; and the man who practises them, merits our love and esteem: and self-denial is neither good nor bad, but as it is applied. He that denies a vicious inclination, is virtuous in proportion to his resolution; but the most perfect virtue is above all temptation; such as the virtue of the saints in Heaven: and he who does any foolish, indecent, or wicked thing, merely because it is contrary to his inclination, like some mad enthusiasts, I have read of, who ran about in public naked, under the notion of taking up the cross, is not practising the reasonable science of virtue, but is lunatic.

Newcastle, Feb. 5.

RIVALSHIP IN ALMANAC MAKING.
From Poor Richard's Almanac, 1742.

Courteous Reader,

THIS is the ninth year of my endeavors to serve thee in the capacity of a calendar-writer. The encouragement I have met with must be ascribed, in a great measure, to your charity, excited by the open, honest declaration I made of my poverty at my first appearance. This my brother Philomaths could, without being conjurers discover; and Poor Richard's success, has produced ye a Poor Will, and a Poor

Robin; and no doubt, Poor John, &c. will follow, and we shall all be, in name, what some folks say we are already in fact, a parcel of poor almanac makers. During the course of these nine years, what buffetings have I not sustained! The fraternity have been all in arms. Honest Titan, deceased, was raised, and made to abuse his old friend. Both authors and printers were angry. Hard names, and many, were bestowed on me. They denied me to be the author of my own works; declared there never was any such person; asserted that I was dead sixty years ago; prognosticated my death to happen within a twelvemonth: with many other malicious inconsistences, the effects of blind passion, envy at my success; and a vain hope of depriving me, dear reader, of thy wonted countenance and favor.-Who knows him? they cry: Where does he live?-But what is that to them? If I delight in a private life, have they any right to drag me out of my retirement? I have good reasons for concealing the place of my abode. It is time for an old man, as I am, to think of preparing for his great remove. The perpetual teasing of both neighbors and strangers, to calculate nativities, give judgments on schemes, and erect figures, discover thieves, detect horse-stealers, describe the route of runaways and strayed cattle; the crowd of visiters with a thousand trifling questions: Will my ship return safe? Will my mare win the race? Will her next colt be a pacer? When will my wife die? Who shall be my husband? and HOW LONG first? When is the best time to cut hair, trim cocks, or sow sallad? These and the like impertinences I have now neither taste nor leisure for. I have had enough of them. All that these angry folks can say, will never provoke me to tell them where I live-I would eat my nails first.

My last adversary is J. J-----n, philomat. who declares and protests (in his preface, 1741) that the false prophecy put in my almanac, concerning him, the year before, is altogether false and untrue: and that I am one of Baal's false prophets. This false, false prophecy he speaks of, related to his reconciliation with the church of Rome; which, notwithstanding

his declaring and protesting, is, I fear, too true. Two things in his elegiac verses confirm me in this suspicion. He calls the first of November All-Hallows day. Reader, does not this smell of popery? Does it in the least savor of the pure language of Friends? But the plainest thing is, his adoration of saints, which he confesses to be his practice, in these words, page 4.

When any trouble did me befal,
To my dear Mary then I would call:

Did he think the whole world were so stupid as not to take notice of this? So ignorant as not.to know, that all catholics pay the highest regard to the Virgin-Mary? Ah! friend John, we must allow you to be a poet, but you are certainly no protestant. I could heartily wish your religion were as good as your verses.

RICHARD SAUNDERS.

RULES OF HEALTH.

From Poor Richard's Almanac, 1742.

EAT and drink such an exact quantity as the constitution of thy body allows of, in reference to the services of the mind.

They that study much, ought not to eat so much as those that work hard, their digestion being not so good.

The exact quantity and quality being found out, is to be kept to constantly.

Excess in all other things whatever, as well as in meat and drink, is also to be avoided.

Youth, age, and sick, require a different quantity.

And so do those of contrary complexions; for that which is too much for a phlegmatic man, is not sufficient for a choleric.

The measure of food ought to be (as much as possibly may be) exactly proportionable to the quality and condition of the stomach, because the stomach digests it.

That quantity that is sufficient, the stomach can perfectly concoct and digest, and it sufficeth the due nourishment of the body.

A greater quantity of some things may be eaten than of others, some being of lighter digestion than others.

The difficulty lies, in finding out an exact measure; but eat for necessity, not pleasure; for lust knows not where necessity ends.

Wouldst thou enjoy a long life, a healthy body, and a vigorous mind, and be acquainted also with the wonderful works of God, labor in the first place to bring thy appetite to reason.

RULES FOR A CLUB FORMERLY ESTABLISHED IN

PHILADELPHIA.

'Previous question, to be answered at every meeting.

HAVE you read over these queries this morning, in order to consider what you might have to offer the Junto touching any one of them? viz.

1. Have you met with any thing, in the author you last read, remarkable, or suitable to be communicated to the Junto? particularly in history, morality, poetry, physic, travels, mechanic arts, or other parts of knowlege.

2. What new story have you lately heard agreeable for telling in conversation?

3. Hath any citizen in your knowlege failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause?

This was an early performance, and carries along with it an air of singularity, accompanied with such operative good sense and philanthropy, as is characteristic of Dr. Franklin. The club, for which it was written, was held in Philadelphia; and, was composed of men considerable for their influence and discretion, for though the chief measures of Pennsylvania usually received their first formation in this club, it existed for thirty years without the nature of its institution being publicly known. This club gave origin to the American Philosophical Society now existing, of which Thomas Jefferson was president.

4. Have you lately heard of any citizen's thriving well, and by what means?

5. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate?

6. Do you know of a fellow citizen, who has lately done a worthy action, deserving praise and imitation: or who has lately committed an error, proper for us to be warned against and avoid?

7. What unhappy effects of intemperance have you lately observed or heard? of imprudence? of passion? or of any other vice or folly?

8. What happy effects of temperance? of prudence? of moderation? or of any other virtue?

9. Have you or any of your acquaintance been lately sick or wounded? If so, what remedies were used, and what were their effects?

10. Who do you know that are shortly going voyages or journies, if one should have occasion to send by them?

11. Do you think of any thing at present, in which the Junto may be serviceable to mankind? to their country, to their friends, or to themselves?

12. Hath any deserving stranger arrived in town since last meeting, that you heard of? and what have you heard or observed of his charactor or merits? and whether think you, it lies in the power of the Junto to oblige him, or encourage him as he deserves?

15. Do you know of any deserving young beginner lately set up, whom it lies in the power of the Junto any way to encourage?

14. Have you lately observed any defect in the laws of your country, of which it would be proper to move the legislature for an amendment? or do you know of any beneficial law that is wanting?

15. Have you lately observed any encroachment on the just liberties of the people?

16. Hath any body attacked your reputation lately? and what can the Junto do towards securing it?

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