Anger is never without Reason, but seldom
with a good One.
A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats.
A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue
you may never get over.
All human situations have their inconveniences. We feel those of
the present but neither see nor feel those of the future; and hence
we often make troublesome changes without amendment, and frequently
for the worse.
All would live long, but none would be old.
An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.
At 20 years of age the will reigns, at 30 the wit, at 40 the judgment.
Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to
one; enemy to none.
Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.
Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.
But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death
and taxes.
Creditors have better memories than debtors.
Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen.
Keep in the sunlight.
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the
stuff life is made of.
Drive thy business or it will drive thee.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and
wise.
Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding
passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright
and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from
their future and crimes from society.
Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to get leisure.
Energy and persistence conquer all things.
Fish and visitors smell in three days.
Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
Glass, china and reputation are easily cracked, and never well
mended.
God heals, and the doctor takes the fees.
Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
He is ill clothed that is bare of virtue.
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.
He that can have patience can have what he will.
He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything
else.
He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be
suspected of doing everything for money.
He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he
knows nor judge all he sees.
Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sun-dial
in the shade?
How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis
easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.
I am in the prime of senility.
If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's
stone.
If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.
If you would know the value of money, go try to borrow some; for
he that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.
If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than
intellect.
If you wouldst live long, live well, for folly and wickedness shorten
life.
If your head is wax, don't walk in the sun.
Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but
far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the
tempting moment.
Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.
Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry, all things easy.
He that rises late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake
his business at night, while laziness travels so slowly that poverty
soon overtakes him.
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.
There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people
more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Think of three Things: whence you came, where you are going, and
to whom you must account.
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.
Well done is better than well said.
Wish not so much to live long as to live well.
You may delay, but time will not.
Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues
1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.
2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself.
Avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order: Let all your things have their places. Let each
part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform
without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself:
i.e. Waste nothing.
6. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something
useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and
justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice: Wrong none, by doing injuries or omitting the
benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries
so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes
or habitation.
11. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring;
Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's
peace or reputation.
12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents
common or unavoidable.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Benjamin Franklin
|
