Borrowing and Lending by Marion Harland

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 14, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 27.

Borrowing and Lending

By Marion Harland

So LITTLE akin are they, it has passed into a proverb that the habitual borrower seldom lends. The best of books admonishes us not to “turn away from him that borroweth,” reminding us that the righteous man is “ever merciful and lendeth.”

Shakespeare, more worldly-wise than merciful, says:

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and friend.”

There are not a few who read that second line who respond with feeling born of experience, “That’s as true as Gospel!” It is a fact that is not creditable to this poor human nature of ours that long holding and usage of another’s property blunts one’s sense of honesty. . . .

The safe and the only really neighborly-kind plan is never to borrow. If you find the particular corner of the cupboard upon which you would draw “bare,” do without the article you are looking for or punish yourself for forgetfulness and improvidence by sending or going to the shop for it. You lower your ladyhood by borrowing. This is a hard saying; but it is based upon a half-century of domestic haps and mishaps that qualify me to lay down the law to my juniors.—Marion Harland.