Franklin's Way to Wealth or, 'Poor Richard Improved' by Benjamin Franklin. The Way to Wealth is an essay written by Benjamin Franklin in 1758. It is a collection of adages and advice presented in Poor Richard's Almanac during its first 25 years of publication, organized into a speech given by "Father Abraham" to a group of people. Many of the phrases Father Abraham quotes continue to be familiar today. The essay's advice is based on the themes of work ethic and frugality. Some phrases from the almanac quoted in The Way to Wealth include: "There are no gains, without pains", "One today is worth two tomorrows", "A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things", "Get what you can, and what you get hold".