Does anyone know of any manuals on wealth building or investment that were written before the joint stock company came into vogue (say 1800 or thereabouts)? I'm looking for other perspectives than the usual "sign up to an online service and hope the numbers go up on your screen forever" that have fewer fees, require less infrastructure, have more tangible applicability, and have a philosophy other than infinite growth. I suppose this could also take the form of particularly useful memoirs from well known figures as well.