’Tis, however, a folly soon punished; for “Pride that dines on vanity, sups on contempt,” as poor Richard says. And in another place,
“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 cannot promote health, nor ease pain; it makes no increase of merit in the person: it creates envy; it hastens misfortuue.
“What is a butterfly? at best
He’s but a eaterpillar drest;
The gaudy fop’s his picture just,”
as poor Richard says.
But what madness must it be to run in debt for those 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 cannot spare tho ready money, and hope now to be fine without it. But ah! think what you do when you ruu in debt; you give to another power over your liberty. If you cannot 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, pityful, sneaking excuses, and, by degrees, come to lose your veracity, and sink into base, downright lying; for, as podr Richard says, “the second vice is lying; the first is ruuning in debt.”
And again to the same purpose, “Lying rides upon debt’s back;” whereas a free born Briton ought not to be ashamed nor afraid to see or speak to any man living. But poverty often deprives a
