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Benjamin Franklin Quotes about Desire

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It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.

It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.

Benjamin Franklin
Happiness, Desire, Firsts
Philip Dormer Stanhope Earl of Chesterfield, James Forrester, Hugh Blair, James Fordyce, William Cecil Baron Burghley (1831). “Practical Morality; Or, A Guide to Men and Manners: Consisting of Lord Chesterfield's Advice to His Son. To which is Added, a Supplement Containing Extracts from Various Books, Recommended by Lord Chesterfield to Mr. Stanhope. Together with the Polite Philosopher; Or, An Essay on the Art which Makes a Man Hapopy in Himself, and Agreeable to Others; Dr. Blair's Advice to Youth; Dr. Fordyce on Honour as a Principle; Lord Burghley's Ten Percepts to His Son; Dr. Franklin's Way to Wealth; and Pope's Universal Prayer”, p.175

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
Disappointment, Ambition, Desire
Benjamin Franklin (1839). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin”, p.15

If you desire many things, many things will seem few.

Benjamin Franklin
Desire, Poor Richard, Seems
Benjamin Franklin (2008). “The Way to Wealth and Poor Richard's Almanac”, p.24, Nayika Publishing

Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy. When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more, that your appearance may be all of a piece; but it is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.

Benjamin Franklin
Pride, Desire, Pieces
Benjamin Franklin (1836). “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.100

In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two works, industry and frugality.

Benjamin Franklin
Two, Desire, Way
Benjamin Franklin, William Temple Franklin (1809). “The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin: Political, before the revolution”, p.245

Keep out of the Sight of Feasts and Banquets as much as may be; for 'tis more difficult to refrain good Cheer, when it's present, than from the Desire of it when it is away; the like you may observe in the Objects of all the other Senses.

Benjamin Franklin
Cheer, Sight, Desire
Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.102, Barnes & Noble Publishing

Evil, as evil, can never be chosen; and though evil is often the effect of our own choice, yet we never desire it but under the appearance of an imaginary good.

Benjamin Franklin
Evil, Choices, Desire
Benjamin Franklin, William-Temple Franklin (1818). “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of (the Same), Continued to the Time of His Death by William Temple Franklin. - London, H. Colburn 1818”, p.238

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

Benjamin Franklin
Moving, Desire, Uneasy
Benjamin Franklin (2006). “The Portable Benjamin Franklin”, p.359, Penguin

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