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Benjamin Franklin Quotes - Page 47

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A little sturdiness when superiors are much in the wrong sometimes occasions consideration. And there is truth in the old saying that if you make yourself a sheep, the wolves will eat you.

A little sturdiness when superiors are much in the wrong sometimes occasions consideration. And there is truth in the old saying that if you make yourself a sheep, the wolves will eat you.

Benjamin Franklin
Sheep, Littles, Sometimes
Benjamin Franklin (1945). “Autobiographical writings”

What is without us has no connection with happiness, only so far as the preservation of our lives and health depends upon it. . . . Happiness springs immediately from the mind.

Benjamin Franklin
Life, Happiness, Spring

One today is worth two tomorrows. Lost time is never found again. Time is money. Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff that life is made of. You may delay, but time will not.

Benjamin Franklin
Time, Love Life, Two

We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that 'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it' I firmly believe this; by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a by word down to future ages.

Benjamin Franklin
Believe, Writing, House
Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks (1856). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.514

You will see in this my notion of good works, that I am far from expecting to merit heaven by them. By heaven we understand a state of happiness, infinite in degree, and eternal in duration. I can do nothing to deserve such rewards... Even the mixed imperfect pleasures we enjoy in this world, are rather from God's goodness than our merit, how much more such happiness of heaven!

Benjamin Franklin
Heaven, Degrees, World
Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the life and writings of Benjamin Franklin ...”, p.2, Printed for H. Colborn

Some make Conscience of wearing a Hat in the Church, who make none of robbing the Altar.

Benjamin Franklin
Church, Hats, Robbing
Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.233, Barnes & Noble Publishing

We are more thoroughly an enlightened people, with respect to our political interests, than perhaps any other under heaven. Every man among us reads, and is so easy in his circumstances as to have leisure for conversations of improvement and for acquiring information.

Benjamin Franklin
Respect, Men, America
Benjamin Franklin (1840). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin; Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.2

The purpose of money was to purchase one's freedom to pursue that which is useful and interesting.

Benjamin Franklin
Interesting, Purpose, Pursue

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Benjamin Franklin
Get Well Soon, Health, Italian
James C. Humes, Benjamin Franklin (1995). “The wit and wisdom of Benjamin Franklin: a treasury of more than 900 quotations and anecdotes”, Harpercollins

The grand leap of the whale up the Fall of Niagara is esteemed, by all who have seen it, as one of the finest spectacles in nature.

Benjamin Franklin
Nature, Fall, Whales
Letter, The Public Advertiser, 22 May 1765.

People who are willing to give up freedom for the sake of short term security, deserve neither freedom nor security.

Benjamin Franklin
Inspirational, Peace, Giving Up

Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.

Benjamin Franklin
Conquer The World, Giving, Soldier

Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended

Benjamin Franklin
Wisdom, Independence, Conventions

In Truth I found myself incorrigible with respect to Order; and now I am grown old, and my Memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it.

Benjamin Franklin
Memories, Order, Want
Source: edsitement.neh.gov

Kill no more pigeons than you can eat.

Benjamin Franklin
Food, Animal, Pigeons
Benjamin Franklin, Walter Isaacson (2003). “A Benjamin Franklin Reader”, p.171, Simon and Schuster

If the new Universal History were also read, it would give a connected idea of human affairs, so far as it goes, which should be followed by the best modern histories, particularly of our mother country; then of these colonies; which should be accompanied with observations on their rise, increase, use to Great Britain, encouragements and discouragements, the means to make them flourish, and secure their liberties.

Benjamin Franklin
Education, Country, Mother
Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks (1844). “The Life of Benjamin Franklin: Containing the Autobiography, with Notes and a Continuation”, p.574

Conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right and necessary to solicit his assistance for obtaining it.

Benjamin Franklin
Fountain, Obtaining, Conceiving
Source: www.foundingfatherquotes.com

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.

Benjamin Franklin
Ease, Matter, Resistance
Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin, William Duane (1834). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin”, p.258

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.

Benjamin Franklin
Taken, Glasses, Doubt
Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin, William Duane (1834). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin”, p.258

Electrical matter differs from common matter in this, that the parts of the latter mutually attract, those of the former mutually repel each other.

Benjamin Franklin
Matter, Common, Electricity
Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin, William Duane (1834). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin”, p.258

Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. At least, you will by such conduct, stand the best chance for such consequences.

Benjamin Franklin
Chance, Virtuous, Consequence
Source: www.foundingfatherquotes.com

The only time not wasted is wasted time.

Benjamin Franklin
Wasted Time, Only Time

The madness of mobs or the insolence of soldiers, or both, when too near to each other, occasion some mischief.

Benjamin Franklin
Soldier, Revolution, Madness
Benjamin Franklin (1840). “The works of Benjamin Franklin: with notes and a life of the author by J. Sparks”, p.437

If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both.

Benjamin Franklin
Liberty, Ifs, Security

Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility; they think the same of theirs.

Benjamin Franklin
Thinking, Perfection, Savages
Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Louis Ketcham (2003). “The Political Thought of Benjamin Franklin”, p.368, Hackett Publishing

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