Poor Richard

Poor Richard, unschooled but experienced homespun philosopher, a character created by the American writer and statesman Benjamin Franklin and used as his pen name for the annual Poor Richard’s almanac, edited by Franklin from 1732 to 1757. Although the Poor Richard of the early almanacs was a dim-witted and foolish astronomer, he was soon replaced by Franklin’s famous Poor Richard, a country dweller, dutifully pious, quiet, and rather dull, who is a rich source of prudent and witty aphorisms on the value of thrift, hard work, and the simple life. Among his practical proverbs are “God helps those who help themselves” and “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

The Way to Wealth (1757) is a collection of Poor Richard’s advice on getting ahead in business and public life. Poor Richard is the precursor of later horse-sense characters such as Sam Slick, Josh Billings, and Davy Crockett, who belong to a tradition of typically American humour.