Benjamin Franklin born 1706.

George Bancroft died 1891.

Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and since thou
art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour! Leisure is time
for doing something useful; this leisure the diligent man will
obtain, but the lazy man never; a life of leisure and a life of
laziness are two things.

--Benjamin Franklin.

There is nothing to gain and everything to lose by despising the
example of nature, and making arbitrary rules for oneself. Our
liberty wisely understood is but a voluntary obedience to the
universal laws of life.

--Amiel.

I will meditate on thy precepts,
And have respect unto thy ways.

--Psalm 119. 15.

My Father, help me to understand the power of nature, that I may be
willing to obey her laws. I pray that I may so live that my life will
proclaim itself without need of boasting or deception. Forbid that I
should spend my life in perfecting trifles, and have no leisure to
enjoy thy great gifts. Amen.