“ If time be of all things the most precious," wasting time must be," as Poor Richard says, "the greatest prodigality;" since as he elsewhere tells us "Lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough, always proves little enough. ”

“ It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their time, to be employed in its service; but idleness taxes many of as much more: sloth, by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life. ”

“ A man in the last stage of destitution, came before the sitting Magistrate, at Lambeth Street, and stated that having by the operation of the new Poor Laws, been suddenly deprived of parish assistance, he was reduced to such extremity, that if not instantly relieved he must be driven to a deed that his soul abhorred. ”

“ One to-day is worth two to-morrows," as Poor Richard says; and further, "Never leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day." If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? Are you then your own master? be ashamed to catch yourself idle, when there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, and your king.
NO GRUMBLING.———A TALE.
An odd whim once possessed a country 'squire, that he would not hire any servant whatever, until ten pounds should be deposited between the master and servant ”

“ Wattie, Wattie, what's this that's come ower ye? Do you no ken your ain wife?" Barber——— "Here goes I,”——— Wife——— (weeping) ——— "Oh! Wattie, if ye care na for me, mind your bairns at hame, and come awa' wi' me." Barber——— "Here goes I, Wat———" The affilicted wife now clasped her husband round the neck, and hung on him so as effectually to arrest his farther progress. Much did poor Wattie struggle to shake off his loving, yet unwelcome spouse, but it was now no "go"———his galloping was at an end. ”

“ The beggar agreed, and mounted John accordingly, after he had wrapped himself in his grey plaid. When they came within view of the thief, John would very fain have turned, but the beggar spurned him on, until they came within a very short distance of him, when he, supposing it to be his comrade coming with a sheep on his back, exclaimed, “Is he a fat ane?” John, whose heart was quaking before, on hearing this question put to him, could no longer resist his inclination to turn; he threw the old man off his back, saying, “Be he fat or be he lean, there he is to ye,” and run what he was able. ”

“ If we are industrious, we shall never starve, for at the working man's house, hunger looks in but dares not enter.' Nor will the bailiff, or the constable enter; for industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them. ”

“ On stepping back to my ain house, the first thing I did was to tak a thimblefu’ of whisky, by way of gi’eing me a pickle spunk, in case of ony fresh rumpus wi’ the wife, and also to clear up my ideas—for I hae fand, that after a lang spell at the loom the thochts as weel as the body, are like to get stupid and dozey. So I taks a drappie, and sits down quietly by the fireside, waiting for the return of Maggy frae scolding Mrs Todd about the flour. ”

“ Being in want of a coachman, not one round the country would venture to go after the place. Now it happened that one Thomas Winterbourn, a coachman of London, who had been discharged from a nobleman's family, was in that part of the country on a visit, and being acquainted with the oddity of the 'squire's whim, resolved to accept of the place, and, on application, was admitted into the family. ”

“ Andrew Brand aye said to me that a man should wear his ain breeks; and I can mainteen, frae present experience, that a wiser saying is no to be found in the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David. No that Maggie has na tried nows and thans to recover her lost power, but I hae on thae occasions conduckit mysell wi' sie firmness, that she has at last gi’en it up as a bad job, and is now as obedient a wife, as ye'll meet wi' between this and Bothwell. The twa bairns, too, are just wonderfully changed, and are as raisonable as ean be expeckit, a' things considered. ”

“ What though you have found no treasure, nor has any rich relation. left you a legacy, diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry. Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep." Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow. ”

“ So, as I was saying, I stappit ben to Andrew’s, to ask his advice, but odds, if ye ever saw a man in sic a desperate passion as he was in, when I tauld him how I had been used by my wife and dochter.
“ William M‘Ghee,” said he, raising his voice——— it was a geyan strong ane——— “ye’re an absolute gomeril. O, man, but ye’re a henpickit sumph! I tell ye ye’re a gawpus, and a lauching stock, and no worth the name of a man. Do ye hear that?” ”

“ I often wonder, when I think of the tribulations that men bring upon themsells, through a want of gumption and common independence of speerit. There now, was I for nao less than eighteen years as henpickit a man as ever wrocht at the loom. Maggy and me, after the first week of our marriage, never foregathered weel thegither. ”

“ The bairn I had brought up on my knee———that used, when a wee thing, to come and sit beside me at the loom, and who was in the custom of wheeling my pirns wi’ her ain hand——— odds, man, it was desperate. I coudna say anither word, but I fand a big tear come hap hap-ping ower my runkled cheeks, the first that had wet them sin’ I was a bit laddie running about before the schule door. What was her mither’s abusiveness to this? A man may thole muckle frae his wife, but O, the harsh words of the undutifu’ bairn gang like arrows to his heart, and he weeps tears of real bitterness. ”

“ In ae word, I was a puir, broken-hearted man, and often wished myself in Abraham's bosom, awa frae the cares and miseries of this sinfu' world.
I was just saying that folk often rin their heads into scrapes for want of a pickle natural spunk. Let nae man tell me that guid nature and simpleecity will get on best in this world ”

“ I had ower muckle experience that way; and the langer I lived has pruved to me that my auld maister, James Currie, (him in the Quarry Loan) wasna sae far wrang when he alleged, in his droll gude-humoured way, that a man should hae enough of the deil about him to keep the deil frae him. That was, after a', ane of the wisest observes I hae heard o' for a lang time. Little did I opine that I would ever be oblegated to mak' use o't in my ain particklar case :-but, bide awee, and ye shall see how it was brocht about between me and Maggy. ”

“ So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times? We may make these times better, if we bestir ourselves. "Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hope, will be fasting. There are no gains without pains ”