The Original Blogger: Poor Richard Still Has It.

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | December 16, 2008

Posted by Cliff Tuttle

Well, it seems that “DigWe”, a kind of “rate the blog post forum” on Digg, picked up my post a few days ago, “Poor Richard on Courts.” The post was apparently selected by a computer due to the use of the word “persona” in the post and all of the competing posts contained that word.

I just checked that page on DigWe and Poor Richard was temporarily in first place.

Benjamin Franklin just celebrated his 300th birthday two January’s ago and it is worth sitting up and taking note when his writing is still able to draw a crowd. I have noticed Poor Richard’s Almanac is written in a style much like blogging. I’m sure that if Franklin were living today, he’d be blogging. So here’s another Poor Richard post from 1750:

OF COURTS

If any Rogue vexatious Suits advance
Against you for your known Inheritance:
Enter by violence your fruitful Grounds,
Or take the sacred Landmark from your Bounds,
Or if your Debtors do not keep their Day,
Deny their hands and then refuse to pay:
You must with Patience all the Terms attend,
Among the common Causes that depend,
Till yours is call’d — And that long-looked-for Day
Is still encumbered with some new Delay:
Your Proofs and Deeds all on the Table spread,
Some of the B–ch perhaps are sick a-bed;
That J–ge steps out to light his pipe, while this
O’er night was boozy, and goes out to p-ss.
Some Witness miss’d; some Lawyer not in Town,
So many Rubs appear and Time is gone,
For Hearing, and the tedious Suit goes on.
Then rather let two Neighbors end your Cause,
And split the Diff’rence; tho’ you lose one Half;
Than spend the Whole, entangled in the Laws,
While Merry Lawyers sly, at both Sides laugh.”

If you want to see how Poor Richard is faring on DigWe (or even cast a vote), click here.

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

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