Benjamin Franklin Quotes and Quotation

Poor Richard's Almanack (1733 -1758)

1733

• I might in this place attempt to gain thy Favor, by declaring that I write Almanacks with no other View than that of the public Good; but in this I should not be sincere; and Men are now a-days too wise to be deceived by Pretenses how specious so ever. The plain Truth of the Matter is, I am excessive poor, and my Wife, good Woman, is, I tell her, excessive proud...
  • Beginning of the note by "R. Saunders" (A pseudonym of Franklin)

• A House without woman & Fire-light, is like a body without soul or sprite.
• Light purse, heavy heart.
• He's a Fool that makes his Doctor his Heir.
• Hunger never saw bad bread.
• Great Talkers, little Doers.
• Relation without friendship, friendship without power, power without will, will without effect, effect without profit, & profit without vertue, are not worth a farto.
• Eat to live, and not live to eat.
• The favor of the Great is no inheritance.
• Beware of the young Doctor and the old Barber.
• The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.
• After 3 days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, & weather rainy.
• To lengthen thy Life, lessen thy Meals.
• The proof of gold is fire, the proof of woman, gold; the proof of man, a woman.
• He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.
• Distrust and caution are the parents of security.
• Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.
• The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.
• Men and Melons are hard to know.
• He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines.
• Beware of meat twice boiled, and an old foe reconciled.
• A fine genius in his own country, is like a gold in the mine.
• There is no little enemy.
• Where bread is wanting, all's to be sold.

1734

• Would you live with ease? Do what you ought, not what you please.
• You cannot pluck roses without fear of thorns, Nor enjoy fair wife without danger of horns.
• Without justice, courage is weak.
• Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.
• Whate'ers begun in anger ends in shame.
• Beauty & Folly are old companions.
• Don't think to hunt two hares with one dog.
• Who pleasure gives, Shall joy receive.
• Where there is Marriage without Love, there will be Love without Marriage.
• Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
• He that cannot obey, cannot command.
• Necessity has no Law; I know some Attorneys of the name.

1735

• By diligence and patience, the mouse bit in two the cable.
• Some are weatherwise, some are otherwise.
• Be slow in choosing a Friend, slower in changing.
• Humility makes great men twice honorable.
• What's given shines, What's receiv'd is rusty.
• Three may keep a Secret, if two of them are dead.
• Poverty wants some things, Luxury many things, Avarice all things.

1736

• Fish & Visitors stink in 3 days.
• Diligence is the mother of Good-Luck.
• Do not do what you would not have known.
• Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.
• God helps them that help themselves.
• He that would live in peace & at ease, Must not speak all he knows, nor judge all he sees.

1737

• The greatest monarch on the proudest throne, is oblig'd to sit upon his own arse.
• He that can compose himself, is wiser than he that composes books.
• Well done is better than well said.
• There are no ugly Loves, nor handsome Prisons.
• The noblest question in the world is What Good may I do in it?
• Nothing is so popular as GOODNESS.

1738

• Who has deceiv'd thee so oft as thy self?
• If thou hast wit & learning, add to it Wisdom and Modesty.
• Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.
• Wish not so much to live long as to live well.
• Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.

The Autobiography (1817)

• I scarce ever heard or saw the introductory words, "Without vanity I may say," &c., but some vain thing immediately followed. Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves; but I give it fair quarter wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of good to the possessor, and to others that are within his sphere of action; and therefore, in many cases, it would not be altogether absurd if a man were to thank God for his vanity among the other comforts of life.

• From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books.

• This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or two each day, and thus repair'd in some degree the loss of the learned education my father once intended for me. Reading was the only amusement I allow'd myself. I spent no time in taverns, games, or frolicks of any kind; and my industry in my business continu'd as indefatigable as it was necessary.

• Human felicity is produc‘d not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.

Attributed:

• A Democracy will vote away its rights.
• God made beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy.
• He that lives on hope will die fasting.
• Know the signs of the sky and you will far the happier be.
• We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing.
• The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
• Hide not your talents, they for use were made, what good is a sundial in the shade.