ou have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more,
that your appearance may be all of a piece; but Poor Dick says, 'It is
easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow
it.' And it is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the
frog to swell in order to equal the ox.

'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 cannot promote health nor ease pain; it makes no
increase of merit in the person; it creates envy; it hastens
misfortune.

"But what madness must it 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 cannot 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 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, 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
free-born 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 a
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 such 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
till you shall 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 b