wisdom effectively recycled

Garson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Mon Sep 20 06:36:43 UTC 2010


Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> A paraphrase of many similar statements.  Only three RGs, nothing in GB:
>
> 2009
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/06/us-jobless-rate-hits-10-percent
> (Nov. 6):
> As the wise man once said, there are two ways to get rich: earn more or want
> less.

As Walt Whitman did not say: Google Books archive is large. It
contains multitudes. The saying about wealth has been assigned to
Benjamin Franklin by at least one individual in the Google Books
archive.

Cite: Circa 2010 (Reprint of a book with a 1963 copyright), Legends
and Lore of Southern Illinois by John W. Allen, Page 391, Southern
Illinois Press. (Google Books preview; Page blocked; Not verified; May
be inaccurate)

Anyway, by strict observance of the latter half of Benjamin Franklin's
admonition, "Earn more or want less," a reasonably comfortable life
has been lived.

http://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&tbo=p&q=%22latter+half+of+Benjamin%22&num=10

The quote appears to be in the epilogue, and it may have been added
any time between 1963 and 2010.

Yahoo Answer voters chose the saying as part of a "Best Answer" to a
vague question four years ago.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060618060245AAdQCn2

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