What is the meaning of “Fly pleasures, and they’ll follow you”?

Question

On Page 287 of the 1758 version of Poor Richard's Almanac, we find this paragraph:

Methinks I hear some of you say, Must a Man afford himself no Leisure? ---- I will tell thee, my Friend, what Poor Richard says, 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; so that, as Poor Richard says, a Life of Leisure and a
  Life of Laziness are two Things. Do you imagine that Sloth will afford you more Comfort than Labor? No, for as Poor Richard says, Trouble springs from Idleness, and grievous Toil from needless Ease. Many without Labor would live by their WITS only, but they break for want of Stock. Whereas Industry gives Comfort, and Plenty, and Respect: Fly Pleasures, and they'll follow you. The diligent Spinner has a large Shift, and now I have a Sheep and a Cow, everybody bids me Good morrow; all which is well said by Poor Richard.

I'm reading Benjamin Franklin's works, which I find to be of profound wisdom, and caught this particular phrase, and this is causing confusion:

"Fly pleasures, and they ’ll follow you."

Since English is my second language, I don't quite well understand the meaning of that sentence.

What does it mean?

Colin Fine · Answer

Hmmm. It is not clear to this native English speaker. The general sense is, but not the specific meaning of "fly pleasures".

My guess (and it is only a guess) is that this is a reference to hawking - hunting with hawks or other birds. The OED give as definition 3c for fly: "To chase with a hawk", which is not on the surface a particularly good fit. But when a hawker flies a bird, they let it go (to chase prey), confident that they have trained it to return to them. I take it therefore that it means "Let pleasures have some freedom, to soar in the air, and they will come back to stay with you".

lbf · Answer

From Wisdom from B Franklin

Industry gives comfort and plenty and respect: fly pleasures, and
  they’ll follow you. If we work as we should, then we will have all
  that we need. If you take the proper time for pleasure, then it can be
  properly enjoyed.

And from the etymology fly = flee:  etymonline

fly (v.2)

"run away," Old English fleon, flion "fly from, avoid, escape;"
  essentially a variant spelling of flee.

and

perhaps from fly (n.) on the notion of the insect being hard to catch

Thus possibly: let go of (flee) pleasure, pursue industry (work and toil), and pleasure will follow!

Jesse Gomola · Answer

Franklin is saying that if you forgo (fly) pleasures and live a diligent life that those pleasures will always be there for you to enjoy when you need them (they will follow you). This is because if you live a diligent life, in which you do what is necessary when it is necessary, then you will be able to acquire the things that make leisure possible. These are things like a comfortable house, store of food, solid relationships, etc. What's more, these things will always be calling to you to take it easy and relax and it will be within your control if and when you do so. If you give in to pleasures when it is not time for it, however, then these things required to live a life of leisure will not be in your possession and you will be the one that has to chase pleasure. In this case it will be hard work that chases you. Franklin is encouraging us to chase hard work and let pleasure chase us rather than chase pleasure and have hard work chase us. This is why he says elsewhere in the book that "Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy." A slothful person is someone who chases pleasure, and industrious person chases hard work.

Answered by Jesse Gomola on April 5, 2021

What is the meaning of “Fly pleasures, and they’ll follow you”?

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