HKB
PREFACE TO POOR RICHARD, 1746
Who is Poor Richard? People oft enquire, Where lives? What is he? never yet the nigher. Somewhat to ease your Curiositee, Take these slight Sketches of my Dame and me. Thanks to kind Readers and a careful Wife, With plenty bless'd, I lead an easy Life; My business Writing; less to drain the Mead, Or crown the barren Hill with useful Shade; In the smooth Glebe to see the Plowshare worn, And fill the Granary with needful Corn. Press nectareous Cyder from my loaded Trees, Print the sweet Butter, turn the Drying Cheese. Some Books we read, tho' few there are that hit The happy Point where Wisdom joins with Wit; That set fair Virtue naked to our View, And teach us what is decent, what is true. The Friend sincere, and honest Man, with Joy Treating or treated oft our Time employ. Our Table next, Meals temperate; and our Door Op'ning spontaneous to the bashful Poor. Free from the bitter Rage of Party Zeal, All those we love who seek the publick Weal. Nor blindly follow Superstitious Love, Which cheats deluded Mankind o'er and o'er, Not over righteous, quite beyond the Rule, Conscience perplext by every canting Tool. Nor yet when Folly hides the dubious Line, When Good and Bad the blended Colours join: Rush indiscreetly down the dangerous Steep, And plunge uncertain in the darksome Deep. Cautious, if right; if wrong resolv'd to part The Inmate Snake that folds about the Heart. Observe the Mean, the Motive, and the End, Mending ourselves, or striving still to mend. Our Souls sincere, our Purpose fair and free, Without Vain Glory or Hypocrisy: Thankful if well; if ill, we kiss the Rod; Resign with Hope, and put our Trust in God.
THE SPEECH OF POLLY BAKER[32]
[Printed in the Gentleman's Magazine, April, 1747.]
The Speech of Miss Polly Baker before a Court of Judicature, at Connecticut near Boston in New England; where she was prosecuted the fifth time, for having a Bastard Child: Which influenced the Court to dispense with her Punishment, and which induced one of her Judges to marry her the next Day--by whom she had fifteen Children.