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| Benjamin Franklin
A cheerful face is nearly as good for an invalid as healthy weather.A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats. A good conscience is a continual Christmas. A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges. A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one. A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave. A little neglect may breed mischief: for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost. A man may, if he knows not how to save as he gets, keep his nose to the grindstone. A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. A single man has not nearly the value he would have in a state of union. He is an incomplete animal. He resembles the odd half of a pair of scissors. A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over. A small leak can sink a great ship. Admiration is the daughter of ignorance. All who think cannot but see there is a sanction like that of religion which binds us in partnership in the serious work of the world. Ambition has its disappointments to sour us, but never the good fortune to satisfy us. Its appetite grows keener by indulgence and all we can gratify it with at present serves but the more to inflame its insatiable desires. An egg to-day is better than a hen to-morrow.An old young man, will be a young old man. And whether you're an honest man, or whether you're a thief,Depends on whose solicitor has given me my brief. Anger is never without a reason, but seldom a good oneAnger is one of the sinews of the soul; he that wants it hath a maimed mind. Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both. At twenty years of age the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment. Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man. Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing. Beer is proof that God loves us. Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. Beware the hobby that eats. Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. Clearly spoken, Mr. Fogg; you explain English by Greek. Content makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor. Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather by your friends.Does't thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. Don't judge a man's wealth – or his piety – by his appearance on Sunday. Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of. Early to bed and early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation. Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. Even peace may be purchased at too high a price. Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will learn at no other. Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. Fish and visitors stink after three days. Flesh eating is unprovoked murder.For the want of a nail, the shoe was lose; for the want of a shoe the horse was lose; and for the want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy, all for the want of care about a horseshoe nail. God heals, and the doctor takes the fee. God helps them that help themselves. {Maxims prefixed to Poor Richard's Almanac, 1757} God works wonders now and then; Behold a lawyer, an honest man. Half a truth is often a great lie. He that blows the coals in quarrels that he has nothing to do with, has no right to complain if the sparks fly in his face. He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book. He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing. He that has done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged. He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money. He that raises a large family does, indeed, while he lives to observe them, stand a broader mark for sorrow; but then he stands a broader mark for pleasure too. He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner. He's a fool who cannot conceal his wisdom.Here comes the orator with his flood of words and his drop of reason. Here Skugg lies snug As a bug in a rug. {Letter to Miss Georgiana Shipley, September, 1772} Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade? I am about courting a girl I have had but little acquaintance with. How shall I come to a knowledge of her faults, and whether she has the virtues I imagine she has? Answer. Commend her among her female acquaintances. I saw few die of hunger; of eating, a hundred thousand. I should have no objection to go over the same life from its beginning to the end: requesting only the advantage authors have, of correcting in a second edition the faults of the first. Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and parliaments. If we can get rid of the former, we may easily bear the latter. If a man could have half of his wishes, he would double his troubles. If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it from him. If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed. If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins. If time be of all things most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality, since lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough always proves little enough. If we do not hang together, we will all hang separately. If you desire many things, many things will seem few. If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself. If you would know the value of money try to borrow some. If you wouldn't live long, live well; for folly and wickedness shorten life. In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes. It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness and I pronounce it as certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous. It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright. It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow. It should not be supposed that honor and dignity are better served by persisting in a wrong measure once entered into than by rectifying an error as soon as it is discovered. Keep conscience clear, then never fear. Keep you eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards. Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no persuasion move thee, to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so shalt thou always live jollity; for a good conscience is a continual Christmas. Life's tragedy is that we get old to soon and wise too late. Little strokes fell great oaks. Lost time is never found againLove your enemies, for they will tell you your faults. Many a long dispute among divines may be thus abridged: It is so. It is not so. It is so. It is not so. Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it. Many foxes grow gray but few grow good. Many people die at twenty five and aren't buried until they are seventy five. Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one. Necessity never made a good bargain. Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day. Never take a wife till thou hast a house (and a fire) to put her in. Often I sit up in my room reading the greatest part of the night, when the book was borrowed in the evening and to be returned early in the morning, lest it should be missed or wanted. One to-day is worth two to-morrows.Our Constitution is in actual operation; everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. {Letter to M. Leroy, 1789} Plough deep while sluggards sleep. Poverty, Poetry, and new Titles of Honour, make Men ridiculous. Rather go to bed with out dinner than to rise in debt. Read much, but not many books. Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man. Remember that credit is money. Remember that time is moneySince thou are not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Singularity in the right hath ruined many; happy those who are convinced of the general opinion. So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do. Teach your child to hold his tongue; he'll learn fast enough to speak. That which resembles most living one's life over again, seems to be to recall all the circumstances of it; and, to render this remembrance more durable, to record them in writing. The absent are never without fault. Nor the present without excuse. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance. The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart. The use of money is all the advantage there is in having money. There are three great friends: an old wife, an old dog, and ready money. There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self. There never was a good war or a bad peace.There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous. There was never a good war or a bad peace.They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. {Historical Review of Pennsylvania} They that will not be counseled cannot be helped. If you do not hear reason, she will rap you on the knuckles.They who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account. Those disputing, contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory, sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them. Those that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Those who love deeply never grow old; they may die of old age, but they die young. Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Three can keep a secret if two are dead. Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead. Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. Three may keep a secrety if two are dead. To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals, courtesy, to inferiors, nobleness. To bear other people's afflictions, everyone has courage and enough to spare. To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals. Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest. Vessels large may venture more, But little boats should keep near shore. We must all hang together, or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately.We must indeed all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. Well done is better than well said. What's a Sun-Dial in the Shade? Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame. When you're finished changing, you're finished. While we may not be able to control all that happens to us, we can control what happens inside us. Who had deceived thee so often as thyself? Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody. Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.Wise men don't need advice; fools don't take it. Words may show a man's wit but actions his meaning. Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow. You and I were long friends: you are now my enemy, and I am yours. {Letter to William Strahan, July 5, 1775} You can bear your own faults, and why not a fault in your wife? |
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