亲爱的读者：
我以历书作家的身份竭诚为各位服务，这已经是第九个年头。我第一次露面时就坦然公开了自己贫穷的窘境，这激起了大家的恻隐之心，我也因此得到了很多鼓励和支持。这一点我的同行兄弟们不需借助魔法就能发现；由于穷理查的成功，也产生了穷威尔、穷罗宾，以后不用说，还会有穷约翰之流模仿，实际上有人已经说我们不过是一票挂羊头卖狗肉的骗子。这九年里，我什么样的攻击没有碰到过？我的同行们都磨刀霍霍。正直的泰坦明明已经去世了，却在捏造下复活，还对挚友口出恶言。历书作者们与出版商们都怒气冲冲，出言不逊地咒骂我。他们否认我是自己作品的作者，宣称世上根本没有我这个人，咬定我六十年前就已经过世，预言我将在一年内死去，还有很多其他胡编乱造的恶毒谎言，这些都是因为他们嫉恨我的成功，妄图夺取亲爱的读者您对我的支持和喜爱。他们叫嚣道：谁认识他呀？他住哪儿啊？但这与他们何干？如果我喜欢宁静的归隐生活，他们有什么权利让我重返喧嚣尘世。我隐匿住处有着正当的理由，现在是像我这样的老年人考虑彻底隐退的时候了。我永远在为街坊和陌生人取乐，计算生辰，占卜天相，确立数据，发现盗贼，找出偷马贼，描述逃犯逃跑或牛羊走失的路线，以及接踵而来的访客带来的千百个琐碎的问题：我的船能安全返航吗？我的母马能赢得比赛吗？她生的小崽会是一匹溜蹄马吗？我妻子什么时候死？谁会成为我的丈夫，最重要的是婚姻会维持多久？什么时候理发、喂料或是播种合适？这类不着边际的问题，我现在既没有兴趣也没有时间去回答。我已经受够了。不管这些愤怒的家伙说些什么来刺激我，我都不会告诉他们我住在哪里，别做梦了。
我最后的对手是大学者J.Jn，他在他1741年的历书序言里宣称，我前年写的关于他的预言是彻头彻尾错误和不真实的，并且表示强烈的抗议，说我不过是邪神巴力门下的一个冒牌预言家。这个“大错特错”的预言有关他和罗马教廷的和解，尽管他公开否认和抗议，不过很遗憾，这件事千真万确。他所作的祭文经文里有两件事情证实了我的猜测。他把11月1日称作“万圣节”读者，您闻到罗马天主教会的味道了吗？这难道没有一点点示好的意思吗？然而最明显的证据是他坦白了他对圣徒们的崇敬，并承认了他的信仰，有第4页里的这些话为证：
一旦烦恼困苦涌现，我将求助于亲爱的玛丽亚。
他难道以为全世界都那么愚蠢，会没注意到这个？世人难道无知到天主教徒们对圣母玛丽亚最为尊敬这一点都不了解？啊！朋友约翰，我们绝对承认你是个诗人，但你明显不是新教徒。我衷心希望你的信仰与诗篇一样好。
理查·桑德斯
有门手艺，有点钱财。
He that hath a Trade, hath an Estate.
明日事，今日毕。
Have you somewhat to do tomorrow; do it today.
没有手无工具的工人，
也无不使手段的律师，
循规蹈矩都无法存活。
No workman without tools,
Nor Lawyer without Fools,
Can live by their Rules.
说话需简洁明了：苍蝇飞不进紧闭的嘴巴。
Speak and speed: the close mouth catches no flies.
关心姨妈真贴心，日日上门不可行。
兄弟聊天真是好，夜夜拜访成烦恼。
Visit your Aunt, but not every Day; and call at your Brother"s, but not every night.
雪中送炭，倍加贵重。
Bis dat, qui cito dat.——拉丁文谚语
He gives twice who gives promptly.
有钱知礼节，造就真绅士。
Money and good Manners make the Gentleman.迟来的孩子，早成孤儿。
Late Children, early Orphans.
本敲打脑袋，期待智慧来，
无论怎么敲，灵感未必有。
Ben beats his Pate, and fancys wit will come;
But he may knock, there"s no body at home.
勤转动的纺织机干活快。
The good Spinner hath a large Shift.
即便煞费苦心，烂泥糊不上墙。
Tom, vain"s your Pains; They all will fail:
Ne"er was good Arrow made of a Sow"s Tail.
海盗一无所有，被人嘲笑鄙夷：
言称追寻财富，归来衣衫褴褛，
像被剪毛的羊，落得一身精光。
Empty Freebooters, cover"d with Scorn:
They went out for Wealth, & come ragged and torn,
As the Ram went for Wool, and was sent back shorn.
坏习惯和馊主意，总是很难被人忘记。
Ill Customs & bad Advice are seldom forgotten.
种刺荆的人不该光着脚去。
He that sows thorns, should not go barefoot.人会相遇，山峦永远不会。人生何处不相逢。
Men meet, mountains never.
当骗子们吵架，诚实的人得到了他们的东西；
当神父们争吵，我们弄清了真相。
When Knaves fall out, honest Men get their goods: When Priests dispute, we come at the Truth.
凯特想嫁给汤姆，没人能责怪她：
汤姆不想娶凯特，谁又能斥责他？
Kate would have Thomas, no one blame her can:
Tom won"t have Kate, and who can blame the Man?
货车大，荷包轻。
A large train makes a light Purse.
有钱也买不通死神。
Death takes no bribes.
一个好丈夫值两个好妻子；越稀罕的东西越值钱。
One good Husband is worth two good Wives; for the scarcer things are the more they"re valued.
起床晚，一天忙，入深夜也难完工。
He that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night.
嘴上说得再不堪，心里打着小算盘。贬低想买的东西，是想压低价格然后买下。
He that speaks ill of the Mare, will buy her.
打开礼物不需要钻头。杀鸡焉用牛刀。
You may drive a gift without a gimblet.
少吃饭，少买药。
Eat few Suppers, and you"ll need few Medicines.
聪明的人会知道，触及他人宗教、信用和眼睛，小心为好。
You will be careful, if you are wise;
How you touch Men"s Religion, or Credit, or Eyes.
吃过了鱼，就不想牛奶。
After Fish, Milk do not wish.
若有节制，百病不侵。
Against Diseases here, the strongest Fence,
Is the defensive Virtue, Abstinence.
若是行恶，快乐消失，痛苦不变；
若是行善，痛苦消失，快乐留下。
If thou dost ill, the joy fades, not the pains;
If well, the pain doth fade, the joy remains.
人非圣贤，孰能无错。
改即圣明，否则恶魔。
To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.
钱与人乃一出共生老友记：
人赚不义之财，钱滋利欲之心。
Money & Man a mutual Friendship show:
Man makes false Money, Money makes Man so.
勤奋让负债越来越少，绝望让债务越来越高。
Industry pays Debts, Despair encreases them.
来者巧舌如簧：既可阿谀奉承，亦能颠倒是非。
Here comes Glibtongue: who can outflatter a Dedication; and lie, like ten Epitaphs.
希望诱人人发奋，红布斗牛牛发疯。
Hope and a RedRag, are Baits for Men and Mackrel.
旧年旧历书，统统都过去，
坏事坏毛病，难舍要割弃。
With the old Almanack and the old Year,
Leave thy old Vices, tho" ever so dear.
健康长寿、清热解毒与疾病预防之道
Rules of Health and long Life, and to preserve from Malignant Fevers, and Sickness in general
吃喝量身体而行，以对心智有益。
Eat and drink such an exact Quantity as the Constitution of thy Body allows of, in reference to the Services of the Mind.
脑力劳动者不应该像体力劳动者吃那么多，他们的消化能力跟不上。
They that study much, ought not to eat so much as those that work hard, their Digestion being not so good.
找出饮食适当的质和量，并长期保持。
The exact Quantity and Quality being found out, is to be kept to constantly.
凡事都要避免过度，饮食一样也需节制。
Excess in all other Things whatever, as well as in Meat and Drink, is also to be avoided.
年轻人、老人以及病人需要不同的食量。
Youth, Age, and Sick require a different Quantity.
那些性格相异的也是如此，对粘液质人来说太多的食物，可能还不够胆汁质人塞牙缝。心理学研究发现，人的个性差异表现为四种气质类型：多血质、胆汁质、粘液质、抑郁质。粘液质安静稳重、反应慢、沉默寡言。胆汁质直率热情、好动、脾气急。
And so do those of contrary Complexions; for that which is too much for a flegmatick Man, is not sufficient for a Cholerick.
进食量应该（很可能）完全由胃的能力与状况来衡量，因为是胃来消化食物。
The Measure of Food ought to be (as much as possibly may be)exactly proportionable to the Quality and Condition of the Stomach, because the Stomach digests it.
胃能够完美接受消化，并为身体提供足够营养，才是足量。
That Quantity that is sufficient, the Stomach can perfectly concoct and digest, and it sufficeth the due Nourishment of the Body.
一些东西吃得比其他的多，一些食物消化比其他的困难，便是过量。
A greater Quantity of some things may be eaten than of others, some being of lighter Digestion than others.找出准确的度量相当困难，但要为需要而吃，而不是为享受而吃，因为欲望不知何为需要的止境。
The Difficulty lies, in finding out an exact Measure; but eat for Necessity, not Pleasure, for Lust knows not where Necessity ends.
想要健康长寿，才思敏捷，并享受上帝的造化？劳动最重要，带给你合理适度的胃口。
Wouldst thou enjoy a long Life, a healthy Body, and a vigorous Mind, and be acquainted also with the wonderful Works of God? Labour in the first place to bring thy Appetite into Subjection to Reason.
饮食适量的原则
Rules to find out a fit Measure of Meat and Drink如果你的饮食影响了你的学习或工作，你一定过量了。
If thou eatest so much as makes thee unfit for Study, or other Business, thou exceedest the due Measure.
如果你在餐后困乏不已，这就是吃得太多的迹象；饮食应能恢复身体活力，而不是使其困倦疲惫。
If thou art dull and heavy after Meat, it"s a sign thou hast exceeded the due Measure; for Meat and Drink ought to refresh the Body, and make it chearful, and not to dull and oppress it.
如果你有这些症状，反思下是否暴饮或暴食，抑或两者兼有，之后应逐渐减少食量，直到困扰消失。
If thou findest these ill Symptoms, consider whether too much Meat, or too much Drink occasions it, or both, and abate by little and little, till thou findest the Inconveniency removed.
应尽量回避聚餐与宴会，身处其中时比远离宴请诱惑时，更难抑制欲望带来的欢愉；你会发现其他感官也是如此。
Keep out of the Sight of Feasts and Banquets as much as may be; for "tis more difficult to refrain good Cheer, when it"s present, than from the Desire of it when it is away; the like you may observe in the Objects of all the other Senses.
如果某人偶尔暴食，让他免了下一顿，一切便能恢复正常，不过不能经常为之；如果午餐过量，就让他省掉晚饭，以此类推。
If a Man casually exceeds, let him fast the next Meal, and all may be well again, provided it be not too often done; as if he exceed at Dinner, let him refrain a Supper, &c.
适当节食令人远离疾病；这样的人很少生病，而且即使意外患病，承受力也更强，康复也更快；因为疾病大多源于暴饮暴食。
A temperate Diet frees from Diseases; such are seldom ill, but if they are surprised with Sickness, they bear it better, and recover sooner; for most Distempers have their Original from Repletion.
偶尔在饭前一刻钟做点小运动，比如举举重物，双手负重甩甩胳臂,蹦一蹦，之类的，能让胸前的肌肉活动起来。
Use now and then a little Exercise a quarter of an Hour before Meals, as to swing a Weight, or swing your Arms about with a small Weight in each Hand; to leap, or the like, for that stirs the Muscles of the Breast.
适当节食让身体能够抵御各种外来侵袭；不会轻易发热、受凉或积劳成疾；即使任何时候受到伤害，也更容易痊愈，外伤、挫伤、脱臼无不如此。
A temperate Diet arms the Body against all external Accidents; so that they are not so easily hurt by Heat, Cold or Labour; if they at any time should be prejudiced, they are more easily cured, either of Wounds, Dislocations or Bruises.
但是当病毒性流感充斥他们居住的城市与乡村时，更加自由地饮食才是明智之举，能够起到预防作用，因为那些病症不是由于暴饮暴食所引起，而且极少缠上饱腹之人。
But when malignant Fevers are rife in the Country or City where thou dwelst, "tis adviseable to eat and drink more freely, by Way of Prevention; for those are Diseases that are not caused by Repletion, and seldom attack Fullfeeders.
适度节食令人离世没有痛苦；使人保持充沛活力；助人减少激情冲动。它还增强记忆力，提高理解力，减轻欲火；促人考虑后半生的目标。
A sober Diet makes a Man die without Pain; it maintains the Senses in Vigour; it mitigates the Violence of Passions and Affections. It preserves the Memory, it helps the Understanding, it allays the Heat of Lust; it brings a Man to a Consideration of his latter End.