Top 1425 Quotes & Sayings by Benjamin Franklin - Page 20

But they have two other Rights; those of sitting when they please, and as long as they please, in which methinks they have the advantage of your Parliament; for they cannot be dissolved by the Breath of a Minister, or sent packing as you were the other day, when it was your earnest desire to have remained longer together.

To expect people to be good, to be just, to be temperate, etc., without showing them how they should become so, seems like the ineffectual charity mentioned by the apostle, which consisted in saying to the hungry, the cold and the naked, be ye fed, be ye warmed, be ye clothed, without showing them how they should get food, fire or clothing.

She that paints her Face, thinks of her Tail.

To the haranguers of the populace among the ancients, succeed among the moderns your writers of political pamphlets and news-papers, and your coffee-house talkers.

And as to the Cares, they are chiefly what attend the bringing up of Children; and I would ask any Man who has experienced it, if they are not the most delightful Cares in the World; and if from that Particular alone, he does not find the Bliss of a double State much greater, instead of being less than he expected.

I've striven my whole life for humility, but if I'd ever achieved it, I'd probably be pretty damn proud of that.

Slavery is ...an atrocious debasement of human nature.

Duty is not beneficial because it is commanded, but is commanded because it is beneficial.

Lawyers, Preachers, and Tomtits Eggs, there are more of them hatch'd than come to perfection.

Gentlemen, I have lived a long time and am convinced that God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? I move that prayer imploring the assistance of Heaven be held every morning before we proceed to business.

Let all Men know thee, but no man know thee thoroughly: Men freely ford that see the shallows.

Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.

As sore places meet most rubs, proud folks meet most affronts.

I have met the enemy, and it is the eyes of other people.

The punishment of murder by death is contrary to reason, and to the order and happiness of society, and contrary to divine revelation.

Perhaps I was too saucy and provoking.

When religion is good, it will take care of itself. When it is not able to take care of itself, and God does not see fit to take care of it, so that it has to appeal to the civil power for support, it is evidence to my mind that its cause is a bad one.

I scarce ever heard or saw the introductory words, "Without vanity I may say," etc., but some vain thing immediately followed.

A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy - "A republic," replied the Doctor, "if you can keep it."

Time is money, be a better you.

Indeed, when religious people quarrel about religion, or hungry people quarrel about victuals, it looks as if they had not much of either among them.

That it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer, is a Maxim that has been long and generally approved.

I believe ... that the soul of man is immortal and will be treated with justice in another life, respecting its conduct in this.

Those who are fear'd, are hated.

Squeamish stomachs cannot eat without pickles.

At the working man’s house, hunger looks in but dares not enter.

All cats look gray in the dark.

Virtues, of ... Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure, and trouble therewith.

A policy of life insurance is the cheapest and safest mode of making a certain provision for one's family.

Saying and Doing, have quarrel'd and parted.

...till we are uneasy in Rest, we can have no Desire to move, and without Desire of moving there can be no voluntary Motion.

I think with you, that nothing is of more importance for the public weal, than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue. Wise and good men are in my opinion, the strength of the state; more so than riches or arms.

Thou can'st not joke an enemy into a friend, but thou may'st a friend into an enemy.

God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter.

There was great difference in persons; and discretion did not always accompany years, nor was youth always without it.

It's better to swim in the sea below Than to swing in the air and feed the crow, Says jolly Ned Teach of Bristol.

O powerful goodness! Bountiful Father! Merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me.

I grew convinced that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life, and I formed written resolutions . . . to practice them ever while I lived.

Great talkers, little doers.

Let thy maid servant be faithful, strong, and homely.

This gave me occasion to observe, that when Men are employ'd they are best contented. For on the Days they work'd they were good-natur'd and chearful; and with the consciousness of having done a good Days work they spent the Evenings jollily; but on the idle Days they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with their Pork, the Bread, and in continual ill-humour. (Autobiography, 1771)

You have on hand those things that you need if you have but the wit and wisdom to use them.

A virtuous and industrious people may be cheaply governed.

Industry and frugality, as the means of procuring wealth . . . thereby [secures] virtue, it being more difficult for a man in want to act always honestly. . . .

No nation has ever been ruined by trade.

We have no poor houses in the Colonies, and if we had, we would have no one to put in them, as in the Colonies there is not a single unemployed man, no poor and no vagabonds.

If Jack's in love, he's no judge of Jill's beauty.

Old boys have their playthings as well as young ones; the difference is only in the price.

Half-wits talk much, but say little.

Let thy discontents be thy secrets

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. - Ben Franklin

Those renowned generals [Alexander and Caesar] received more faithful service, and performed greater actions by means of the love their soldiers bore them, than they could possibly have done, if instead of being beloved and respected they had been hated and feared by those they commanded.

'Tis true there is much to be done, . . . but stick to it steadily, and you will see great effects, for constant dropping wears away stones . . . and little strokes fell great oaks, as Poor Richard says. . . .

We can defer, yet time is most certainly not.

Liberality is not giving much, but giving wisely.

He who will not be counseled cannot be helped.

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

Perhaps I'm too saucy or provoking?