Quotations by Franklin, Benjamin
Leisure is Time for doing something useful; this Leisure the diligent Man will obtain but the lazy Man never.
In short, we can judge by nothing but Appearances, and they are very apt to deceive us. Some put on a gay chearful Outside, and appear to the World perfectly at Ease, tho’ even then, some inward Sting, some secret Pain imbitters all their Joys, and makes the Balance even: Others appear continually dejected and full of Sorrow; but even Grief itself is sometimes pleasant, and Tears are not always without their Sweetness: Besides, Some take a Satisfaction in being thought unhappy, (as others take a Pride in being thought humble,) these will paint their Misfortunes to others in the strongest Colours, and leave no Means unus’d to make you think them thoroughly miserable; so great a Pleasure it is to them to be pitied; Others retain the Form and outside Shew of Sorrow, long after the Thing itself, with its Cause, is remov’d from the Mind; it is a Habit they have acquir’d and cannot leave.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
“A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity” (1725)
(Source)
I believe long habits of virtue have a sensible effect on the countenance.
You philosophers are sages in your maxims, and fools in your conduct.
Morality or Virtue is the end, faith only a Means to obtain that end: And if the end be obtained, it is no matter by what means.
The body of Benjamin Franklin, Printer (like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding), lies here, food for worms; but the work shall not be lost, for it will (as he believed) appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the author.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
“Epitaph on Himself” (1778)
Variant words (and format):The body of
B. Franklin
Printer
Like the cover of an old book,
its contents torn out,
and stripped of its lettering and gilding,
lies here, food for worms.
But the work shall not be wholly lost;
for it will, as he believed, appear once more,
in a new and more perfect edition
corrected and amended
by the Author.
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.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
“On True Happiness,” The Pennsylvania Gazette (20 Nov 1735)
(Source)
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
“Reply to the Governor,” Pennsylvania Assembly (11 Nov 1755)
Also given as, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (cited Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759))
Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.
Hear reason, or she’ll make you feel her.
He who multiplies riches multiplies cares.
Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.
If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves.
There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government.
I haven’t failed, I’ve found ten thousand ways that don’t work.
The learned fool writes his nonsense in better language than the unlearned, but still ’tis nonsense.
You may delay, but Time will not.
We must all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
Carelessness does more harm than a want of knowledge.
Fake quotes will ruin the Internet.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
(Spurious)
Frequently attributed to Franklin, but not found in his writing (and the word "lunch" dates only back to the 1820s). The phrase is only found in sources dating back to the early 1990s, e.g.,
- "Democracy is like two wolves and a lamb deciding on what they want for dinner." [Shelby Foote in Ken Burns, Civil War (1990)]
- "Democracy has been described as four wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch." [Los Angeles Times (25 Nov 1990)]
- "Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote." [Marvin Simkin, Los Angeles Times (1992)]
- "Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner." [James Bovard, Lost Rights, "Conclusion" (1994)]
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.
A perfect character might be attended with the inconveniences of being envied and hated; … a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in contenance.
Were it offered to my choice, I should have no objection to a repetition of the same life from its beginning, only asking the advantages authors have in a second edition to correct some faults in the first.
I had been religiously educated as a Presbyterian; and tho’ some of the Dogmas of that Persuasion, such as the Eternal Decrees of God, Election, Reprobation, &c. appear’d to me unintelligible, others doubtful, & I early absented myself from the Public Assemblies of the Sect, Sunday being my Studying-Day, I never was without some religious Principles; I never doubted, for instance, the Existence of the Deity, that he made the World, & govern’d it by his Providence; that the most acceptable Service of God was the doing Good to Man; that our Souls are immortal; and that all Crime will be punished & Virtue rewarded either here or hereafter; these I esteem’d the Essentials of every Religion, and being to be found in all the Religions we had in our Country I respected them all, tho’ with different degrees of Respect as I found them more or less mix’d with other Articles which without any Tendency to inspire, promote or confirm Morality, serv’d principally to divide us & make us unfriendly to one another.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Autobiography, Part 2 (1785)
(Source)
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn.
Old Boys have their Playthings as well as young Ones; the Difference is only in the Price.
Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom, but Babbling is ever a Mark of Folly.
‘Tis easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
Up, Sluggard, and waste not life;
in the grave will be sleeping enough.
A good example is the best sermon.
It is Ill-manners to silence a fool, and Cruelty to let him go on.
Many a little makes a mickle. Beware of small expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
Do good to thy friend to keep him, to thy enemy to gain him.
Contentment makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.
Who has deceived thee so oft as thyself?
Children and Princes will quarrel for Trifles.
Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.
Take this remark from Richard poor and lame,
Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.
He that can have patience can have what he will.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1736)
Full text.
Admiration is the Daughter of Ignorance.
Honest Men often go to Law for their Right; when Wise Men would sit down with the Wrong, supposing the first Loss least. In some Countries the Course of the Courts is so tedious, and the Expence so high, that the Remedy, Justice, is worse than, Injustice, the Disease. In my Travels I once saw a Sign call’d The Two Men at Law; One of them was painted on one Side, in a melancholy Posture, all in Rags, with this Scroll, I have lost my Cause. The other was drawn capering for Joy, on the other Side, with these Words, I have gain’d my Suit; but he was stark naked.
Many a long dispute among Divines may be thus abridg’d, It is so; It is not so. It is so; It is not so.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1743)
(Source)
A little well-gotten will do us more good,
Than lordships and scepters by Rapine and Blood.Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1743)
Full text.
How many observe Christ’s Birth-day! How few, his Precepts! O! ’tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1743)
(Source)
The World is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet every one has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the Affairs of his neighbour.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1743)
Full text.
Men differ daily, about things which are subject to Sense, is it likely then they should agree about things invisible.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1743)
Full text.
Beware, beware! he’ll cheat ‘ithout scruple, who can without fear.
Tart words make no friends; a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar.
Why then should I give my Readers bad Lines of my own, when good Ones of other People’s are so plenty? ‘Tis methinks a poor Excuse for the bad Entertainment of Guests, that the Food we set before them, tho’ coarse and ordinary, is of one’s own Raising, off one’s own Plantation, &c. when there is Plenty of what is ten times better, to be had in the Market. — On the contrary, I assure ye, my Friends, that I have procur’d the best I could for ye, and much Good may’t do ye.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1747)
(Source)
On his borrowing of maxims and aphorisms of others for his almanac.
He is not well-bred, that cannot bear Ill-Breeding in others.
Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
It is easier to suppress the first Desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1751)
(Source)
Included in his summary piece, "The Way to Wealth" (1757).
He that is of Opinion Money will do every Thing, may well be suspected of doing every Thing for Money.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1753)
See also Halifax.
Be at War with your Vices, at Peace with your Neighbours, and let every New-Year find you a better Man.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1755)
More information on this quotation here.
Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.
Act uprightly, and despise Calumny; Dirt may stick to a Mud Wall, but not to polish’d Marble.
The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.
Thou canst not joke an Enemy into a Friend; but thou may’st a Friend into an Enemy.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (Apr 1739)
(Source)
Most People return small Favors, acknowledge middling ones, and repay great ones with Ingratitude.
You may delay, but Time will not.
Necessity never made a good bargain.
Observe all men; thy self most.
If you would keep your Secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.
Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
‘Tis a great Confidence in a Friend to tell him your Faults, greater to tell him his.
The noblest question in the world is,
What Good may I do in it?
Experience keeps a dear school, yet Fools will learn in no other.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (Dec 1743)
(Source)
Franklin quotes Poor Richard as well in The Way to Wealth (1758).
More discussion of this quotation, and an image of the original page: Experience Keeps a Dear School; Yet Fools Will Learn In No Other – Quote Investigator.
Success has ruined many a man.
Tell me my Faults, and mend your own.
Setting too good an Example is a Kind of Slander seldom forgiven.
If you would be loved, love and be lovable.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (Feb 1755)
Earlier given, "If you'd be beloved, make yourself amiable." (Nov 1744). See Ovid.
Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.
Who has deceiv’d thee so oft as thy self?
A Man without a Wife is but half a Man.
Distrust and caution are the parents of security.
Sloth and Silence are a Fool’s Virtues.
Three may keep a Secret if two of them are dead.
Sloth (like Rust) consumes faster than Labor wears:
the used Key is always bright.
Anger is never without a Reason,
But seldom with a good One.
Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended;
but that Tomorrow never comes.
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
Nothing but Money
Is sweeter than Honey.
Good Sense is Thing all need, few have,
and none think they lack.
Mankind are very odd Creatures: One Half censure what they practice, the other half practice what they censure; the rest always say and do as they ought.
Calamity and Prosperity are the Touchstones of Integrity.
When Reason preaches, if you won’t hear her, she’ll box your Ears.
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
Where there’s Marriage without Love, there will be Love without Marriage.
Well done is better than well said.
If you’d be not forgotten
As soon as you are dead and rotten,
Either write things worth reading,
or do things worth the writing.
If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins.
The honest Man takes Pains, and then enjoys Pleasures;
the Knave takes Pleasure, and then suffers Pains.
Work as if you were to live 100 years; pray as if you were to die tomorrow.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (May 1757)
(Source)
A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.
None but the well-bred man knows how to confess a fault, or acknowledge himself in error.
A Mob’s a Monster; Heads enough, but no Brains.
Not to oversee Workmen, is to leave them your Purse open.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher
Poor Richard’s Almanack (Nov 1751)
(Source)
Diligence overcomes Difficulties; Sloth makes them.
Happiness depends more on the inward Disposition of Mind than on the outward Circumstances.
A soft Tongue may strike hard.
Most fools think they are only ignorant.
Nine men in ten are suicides.
Hide not your Talents, they for Use were made.
What’s a Sun-Dial in the Shade?