If Thou Be Rich, Strive To Command

God Hath Given To Mankind A Common Library, His Creatures; To Every Man A Proper Book, Himself Being An Abridgment Of All Others. If Thou Read With Understanding, It Will Make Thee A Great Master Of Philosophy, And A True Servant Of The Divine Author: If Thou But Barely Read, It Will Make Thee Thine Own Wise Man And The Author's Fool.

For Trash And Toys, And Grief-engend'ring Joys, What Torment Seems Too Sharp For Flesh And Blood; What Bitter Pills, Compos'd Of Real Ills, Men Swallow Down To Purchase One False Good!

The Average Person's Ear Weighs What You Are, Not What You Were.

If Thou Neglectest Thy Love To Thy Neighbor, In Vain Thou Professest Thy Love To God; For By Thy Love To God, The Love To Thy Neighbor Is Begotten, And By The Love To Thy Neighbor Thy Love To God Is Nourished.

If Thy Words Be Too Luxuriant, Confine Them, Lest They Confine Thee; He That Thinks He Never Can Speak Enough May Easily Speak Too Much. A Full Tongue And An Empty Brain Are Seldom Parted.