OBSTINACY AND PERVERSENESS. IT T is oftener through pride, than through any defect of understanding, that men with so much obftinacy oppofe opinions generally received: They find the firit rank of the right fide taken, and they difdain the second. Obftinacy in a weak man, is worse than tyranny in a man of sense. Tenacious perfons should be very careful of prepoffeffions. One error perfifted in, frequently produces others. Some perverse spirits will not even do right things, but in a wrong manner. OCCASION AND OPPORTUNITY. IN N great affairs, we ought not with so much application to feek occafions, as to make our advantage of those that offer themselves. There are few occafions, in which we fhould make a bad bargain, to renounce all the good that is faid of us, on condition to have no ill faid of us. All our qualities are uncertain and doubtful, whether good or bad, and lie almost all of them at the mercy of opportunity. ОЕСО OECONOMY. Te O live above our ftation, fhews a proud heart; and to live under it difcovers a narrow foul. In the reputation of a wife man, his oeconomy is one of the moft diftinguished parts. If your means fuit not with your ends, pursue those ends which fuit with your means. Frugality and industry are the two hands of For tune. Prodigality is ever attended with injustice and folly. Getting, is often chance; but keeping, always a virtue. Keep a low fail at the entrance of your eftate; a man may rife in his expences with honour; but he cannot decline without shame. Nothing goes nearer a man in his misfortunes, than to find himself undone by his own folly, or any way acceffary to his own ruin. It is rare to fee a man decline in his fortune, who has not first declined in his wifdom and prudence. Love and refpect are rarely found in loft fortunes; and adverfity feldom meets with the return of friendship. Profperity's friends are generally Adverfity's fe vereit enemies. Money in the purfe gives credit, wisdom in the head adorns; but both will in neceffity ferve. VOL. II. N He He who keeps his accounts will keep his family, but he who neglects them, may be kept by the pa rish. Better abridge petty charges, than ftoop to petty gettings. As no man can be extravagant or covetous without doing an injury to another, it is impoffible for any one to be honeft without having a due regard to the laws of oeconomy. Oeconomy in our affairs has the fame effect upon our fortunes, which good-breeding has upon our converfations; there is a pretending behaviour in both cafes, which instead of making men efteemed, renders them both miferable and contemptible. Every thing is dear that is fuperfluous. Balance your expence by the juft weight of your own eftate, and not by the poise of another's spending. Amaffer en Saison, Defpenfer par raison, Font la, une bonne Maison. Pay what you owe, and you shall know what is your own. We should be just before we are generous. Lay up when young, and you fhall find it when old. Spare when you are young, and spend when you are old. He that measures not his expences, fo as to keep them fomewhat under his annual revenue, cannot continue a fair fubfiftence. He + He that fpends where difcretion bids him spend, and spares where he ought to fpare, will live with honour and credit. The pains of the oeconomift are paid with ease. It is better the world fhould laugh at your oeconomy, than that you should weep at your own prodigality. In the reputation of a wife man, his oeconomy is one of the most diftinguishing parts of his prudence. To know the value of oeconomy, the best way is, to be obliged to borrow money. A seasonable gathering, and a reasonable spending, make a good houfe-keeping. By frugality we are enabled to be both just and generous. Without oeconomy no eftate is large enough; with it, the leaft is not too small. The man who runs away from his accounts, will in time be glad that he could run away from himfelf. A wife man will plant as well as cut down. Those who look into their own affairs, will avoid the doing or fuffering many things difagreeable to them. Many men of large eftates pay intereft for their own money. The man will be ferved and greatly refpected, who fuffers not a juft demand to be made twice upon him. Early hours, and method and eafe without hurry, will do every thing in family manage ment. A prudent man in the management of his affairs, will fee with his own eyes, and difpenfe with his own hands. Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the fifter of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty. He whofe voluntary expences exceed his revenue, who anticipates uncertain profits, and who fquanders against his inclination, must be a beggar, be his income great as it may. See GENEROSITY. See LIBERALITY. OFFICE S. See BUSINESS. OPPORTUNITY. See OCCASION. ORATORY. See ELOQUENCE. OSTEN |