Switch to English Switch to French

The Open University  |   Study at the OU  |   About the OU  |   Research at the OU  |   Search the OU

Listen to this page  |   Accessibility

the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 17520


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

[TRANSCRIBED] ?Twelve True Old Golden Rules For those who like to fare better than they now do, and at the same time to thrive and grow rich. 1 The ready penny always fetches the best bargain. He who buys upon trust, must not complain if he is cheated. The shopkeeper suspects the customer who buys on trust, and thinks that he means to cheat and never to pay; and therefore he takes good care to be before hand, and charges highly accordingly. 2 The best pennyworth is to be had where most sit together in the open market; and bargains are often cheaper in the latter end of the day. When honest men have done their work, it is better for them to go to market than to the alehouse 3 When times are hard, why should we make them harder Still, it is not enough to be taxed once by Government without being taxed by folly, thrice by drunkenness four times by Laziness, and so on ? a good man, even in hard times will do twice as well as a bad man will in the best of times, let us all then rise up against ourselves, who thus tax and injure ourselves and we shall soon find that the times mend. let us do good to ourselves at home, and we shall become happy in our own habitations; and learn that it is a true saying, that God helps those who help themselves. 4 Time is our estate; it is our most valuable property If we lose it, or waste it, we can never ? never purchase it back again. We ought, therefore, not to have an idle hour, or throw away an idle penny. While we employ our time and our property (however small that property may be) to the best advantage, we shall find that a fortune may be made in any situation of life; and that poor man, who once wanted assistance himself may become able to assist and relieve others 5 Industry will make a man a purse, and frugality will find him strings for it, Neither the purse nor nor the strings will cost him any thing. He who has it should only draw the strings as frugality directs and he will be sure always to find an useful penny at the bottom of it the servants of industry are known by their livery; it is always whole and wholesome. Idleness travels very leisurely, and poverty soon overtakes her. look at the ragged Slaves of idleness and judge which is the best master to serve ? Industry or Idleness (continues)

Century:

1700-1799

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1789 and 31 Dec 1799

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

county: Hampshire
specific address: Aylesfield Farm, Nr. Alton, Hampshire.

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Mary Bacon

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

15 Dec 1743

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Farmer's wife

Religion:

Church of England

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

unknown

Title:

Twelve True Old Golden Rules

Genre:

Conduct books

Form of Text:

Unknown

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

17520

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Mary Bacon

Title:

Mary Bacon's List of Books

Location:

Hampshire Record Office

Call No:

28M82/F1

Page/Folio:

n/a

Additional Information:

n/a

Citation:

Mary Bacon, Mary Bacon's List of Books, Hampshire Record Office, 28M82/F1, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=17520, accessed: 07 November 2024


Additional Comments:

This piece was copied out by Mary Bacon into her ledger/commonplace book. Although, by its nature, it is likely to have been read aloud, there is no actual evidence other than that she obviously read the original.

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design