“’Vessels large may venture more,
    But little boats should keep near shore.’

It is, however, a folly soon punished; for, as Poor Richard says, ’Pride that dines on vanity, sups on contempt; Pride breakfasted with Plenty, dined with Poverty, and supped with Infamy.’  And after all, of what use is this pride of appearance, for which so much is risked, so much is suffered?  It can not promote health, nor ease pain; it makes no increase of merit in the person; it creates envy, it hastens misfortune.

“But what madness it must be to run in debt for these superfluities!  We are offered by the terms of this sale six months’ credit; and that, perhaps, has induced some of us to attend it, because we can not spare the ready money, and hope, now to be fine without it.  But, ah! think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty.  If you can not 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 your veracity, and sink into base downright lying; for ’The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt,’ as Poor Richard says; and again, to the same purpose, ‘Lying rides upon debt’s back;’ whereas a freeborn Englishman ought not to be ashamed nor afraid to see or speak to any man living.  But poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue.  ’It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.’  What would you think of that prince, or of that government, who should issue an edict forbidding you to dress like a gentleman or gentlewoman, on pain of imprisonment or servitude?  Would you not say that you were free, have a right to dress as you please, and that such an edict would be a breach of your privileges, and such a government tyrannical? and yet you are about to put yourself under that tyranny when you run in debt for such dress!  Your creditor has authority, at his pleasure, to deprive you of your liberty, by confining you in jail for life, or by selling you for a servant, if you should not be able to pay him.  When you have got your bargain, you may, perhaps, think little of payment; but, as Poor Richard says, ’Creditors have better memories than debtors; creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of days and times.’  The day comes round before you are aware, and the demand is made before you are prepared to satisfy it; or, if you bear your debt in mind, the term, which at first seemed so long, will, as it lessens, appear extremely short:  Time will seem to have added wings to his heels as well as his shoulders.  ’Those have a short Lent, who owe money to be paid at Easter.’  At present, perhaps, you may think yourselves in thriving circumstances, and that you can bear a little extravagance without injury; but

    “’For age and want save while you may,
    No morning sun lasts a whole day.’

“Gain may be temporary and uncertain; but ever, while you live, expense is constant and certain; and ’It is easier to build two chimneys than to keep one in fuel,’ as Poor Richard says:  so, ’Rather go to bed supperless than rise in debt.’