Top 1425 Quotes & Sayings by Benjamin Franklin - Page 23

To inquisitive minds like yours and mine the reflection that the quantity of human knowledge bears no proportion to the quantity of human ignorance must be in one view rather pleasing, viz., that though we are to live forever we may be continually amused and delighted with learning something new.

The Body of B. Franklin, Printer Like the Cover of an old Book Its Contents turn out And Stript of its Lettering & Guilding Lies here. Food for Worms For, it will as he believed appear once more In a new and more elegant Edition corrected and improved By the Author.

I have heard that nothing gives an Author so great Pleasure, as to find his works respectfully quoted by other learned authors.

Take care of the halfpence and pence, and the shillings and pounds will take care of themselves.

No better relation than a prudent and faithful friend.

A fine genius in his own country is like gold in the mine.

Notwithstanding my experiments with electricity the thunderbolt continues to fall under our noses and beards; and as for the tyrant, there are a million of us still engaged at snatching away his sceptre.

That as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.

At a great pennyworth pause a while.

Christians are directed to have faith in Christ, as the effectual means of obtaining the change they desire.

Christianity commands us to pass by injuries; policy, to let them pass by us.

The electrical matter consists of particles extremely subtile, since it can permeate common matter, even the densest metals, with such ease and freedom as not to receive any perceptible resistance. If anyone should doubt whether the electrical matter passes through the substance of bodies, or only over along their surfaces, a shock from an electrified large glass jar, taken through his own body, will probably convince him. Electrical matter differs from common matter in this, that the parts of the latter mutually attract, those of the former mutually repel each other.

You and I were long friends: you are now my enemy, and I am yours.

He that scatters thorns, let him not go barefoot.

The sun of liberty is set; you must light up the candle of industry and economy.

What signifies Philosophy that does not apply to some Use? May we not learn from hence, that black Clothes are not so fit to wear in a hot Sunny Climate or Season, as white ones; because in such Cloaths the Body is more heated by the Sun when we walk abroad, and are at the same time heated by the Exercise, which double Heat is apt to bring on putrid dangerous Fevers? The Soldiers and Seamen, who must march and labour in the Sun, should in the East or West Indies have an Uniform of white?

Reckless haste makes poor speed.

I have been apt to think that there has never been, nor ever will be, any such thing as a good war, or a bad peace.

An infallible Remedy for the Tooth-ach, viz Wash the Root of an aching Tooth, in Elder Vinegar, and let it dry half an hour in the Sun; after which it will never ach more; Probatum est.

In going on with these Experiments, how many pretty systems do we build, which we soon find ourselves oblig'd to destroy! If there is no other Use discover'd of Electricity, this, however, is something considerable, that it may help to make a vain Man humble.

Great Modesty often hides great Merit.

Here you would know, and enjoy, what prosperity will way of Washington. For a thousand leagues have nearly the same effect with a thousand years.

Mankind are dastardly when they meet with opposition.

Anyone willing to give up liberty in exchange for security deserves neither.

Those who sacrifice essential liberty for temporary safety are not deserving of either liberty or safety.

We are not certain, we are never certain. If we were we could reach some conclusions, and we could, at last, make others take us seriously. In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

It seems to me, that if statesmen had a little more arithmetic, or were accustomed to calculation, wars would be much less frequent.

The riches of a country are to be valued by the quantity of labor its inhabitants are able to purchase, and not by the quantity of silver and gold they possess; which will purchase more or less labor, and therefore is more or less valuable, as is said before, according to its scarcity or plenty.

But in this world nothing is sure but death and taxes. [Fr., Mais dons ce monde, il n'y a rien d'assure que le mort et les impots.]

By my rambling digressions I perceive myself to be growing old.

If we can sleep without dreaming, it is well that painful dreams are avoided. If, while we sleep, we can have any pleasing dreams, it is as the French say, tant gagne, so much added to the pleasure of life.

A cheerful face is nearly as good for an invalid as healthy weather.

Who has deceived thee as oft as thyself.

We may perhaps learn to deprive large masses of their gravity and give them absolute levity, for the sake of easy transport.

Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves.

There is much money given to be laughed at, though the purchasers don't know it; witness A.'s fine horse, and B.'s fine house.

Nothing in the world is certain except for death and taxes.

Mankind naturally and generally love to be flatter'd.

Private property...is the creature of society and is subject to the calls of that society even to the last farthing.

Dally not with other folk's spouses or money.

Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion.

The wise and the brave dares own that he was wrong.

I know as well as thee that I am no poet born It is a trade, I never learnt nor indeed could learn If I make verses-'tis in spite Of nature and my stars I write.

The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.

Seek virtue and of that posest, to Providence resign the rest.

Neglect kills injuries, revenge increases them.

Grace thou thy house and let not that grace thee.

He that resolves to mend hereafter, resolves not to mend now.

What's a Sun-Dial in the shade?

If all but myself were blind, I should want neither a fine house nor fine furniture.

A lonely man on a rainy night who cannot read.

He that drinks fast, pays slow. Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. There can't be good living where there is not good drinking.

an enormous proportion of property vested in a few individuals is dangerous to the rights, and destructive of the common happiness of mankind, and, therefore, every free state hath a right by its laws to discourage the possession of such property.

Quarrels never could last long, if on one side only lay the wrong.

Don't halloo until you're out of the wood.

Nor eye in a letter, nor hand in a purse, nor ear in the secret of another.

Anger warms the invention, but overheats the oven.

Philosophy as well as foppery often changes fashion.

That the vegetable creation should restore the air which is spoiled by the animal part of it, looks like a rational system, and seems to be of a piece with the rest.

Increase in me that wisdom Which discovers my truest interest, Strengthen my resolution To perform that which wisdom dictates.