Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-08-07
From the Phil Iirae americnH.
Lectures of Father Paul.

volume. we are urged to the performance
af our neral duties, and the virtues OIL
industry and prudence are frequently ~
cnIcated The desire Of wealth seems to-
he ;mnlanted in every breast; but hall
the evils that society suffers, arise iron
avsrt;ons TO obtain it by surreptitiou
means. Tie plain way OF industry ~
earn. and prudence to save, is neglec'
Cd while gambling coHh !
terf.;t;ns. and fifty other plans are iol-
loved With he easerness of the tox-hun'
ter-aud generally with MS succe SO
= b;s neck is not broke in the pursuit, he
finds at the death, that his game is n,'
worth carving away. In truth. the lead
mo eyi, that now is prevalent IN ou'
.connntry is this, that there are ten who
srs striving to get rich by their WI
where there is enc who is trying to obtaIl'
y cath by his work.
Men who have been invited into trad
bv The former Furnishing state OF COM
neree. before whose delighted eyes vi
sions of fancy have spread millions, at the
return Of a ship from successful voyage
can hardly bear ioramoment the thong
of abandoning the pursuit, and returnlns
to the slow process of patient industry
and prudent saving. But the sooner thai
an hundred thousand men in the United
States come to this conclusion, the bet
ter
The real wealth of the country is tht
products of the earth-apd the increasta
value Of those products by the appiica
tisn oflabour, changing the raw material
into The manufactured article OF more va
iue.
But It's Of little consequence what ou,
siness man may follow, he neve! VIII
obtain an independence unless he is IN
dustrious. and if by industry he could
make Thousands, still he be poor unless
he was prudent. The great secret OF
getting rich is to save money, lhere y
not n man who would not be surprised
il he could see an exact bill Of all that ne
had unnecessarily expended within the
last five years. Yet recoliect mat this
nrnderce;s as far removed from the mea'
derestab,e vice Of ava,ice, as light troll
darkness 1t is not Incompatible witt
every rational ard libe al enjoyment, pro
portioued to our means.
But it is useless to preach to tie mer-
chants. for many Of them are too much
engaged in invoices-consignments. ana
bark stock. to think of hearing sermon
onthe sabbath. and much more to listen
ing to a lecture on a week day. Lltera'
ry men are too consequential and vain
to receive instruction from any work less
than ouarto volume or octave. he Ia
dies are all SO perfect that lessons of IL
dusty and prudence would to them Of
course be unnecessary. ! must therefore
devote this to the use OF The young men
who may please to henour me With then
notice. sr
The story Of Benjamin Franklin is too
well known to need repeating. Wlthout
Going TO tales of iction, to learn the storF
Of the little English lad-to whom the
church bells ruEg-
Turn again Wilmington,
Lord Mayer Of london,
we here have an instance of poor boy,
who BY industry, prudence, ard good be-
haviour. raised himself from the humble
station of journeyman printer; to be the
poyernour of the first state in the Union.
what a powerful incentive should it be
every young man to pursue his loot
steps.
| dare hardly transcribe my notes q
men in this city, from motives OF dellca
lev. intended some day hence, however
70 put them 10 press for the use OF future
Iti,leS. But look about you, and you Will
fad that prudence and industry have
raiseil many from inaigent circumstances
ia most priIcely sortunes.
+ There is however one recent example
af prosperity thatI shall venture to no.
|tce, for it pleased me. A young man
who acts as porter at we'll known and
house in Fourth street, was as
'sistng me to carry some packages, when
observing from his conversation, that he
had a bit Of the b. osue, thought to en-
qure respecting bis fortune for there is
Something in young Irishman whose
Ihea.t is not contaminated, but, beats IN
its native purity. SO generous and honora-
bile tha, feel an instructive attachment
Ito him, q have been, said he, four
years and half in this country, SIT. The
|Srst year aud half Invent to school, tor
| had not much learning when | came o.
yer. [ now live at the Green free with
lnut wares. but Lave what can make as