Quotes by
Benjamin Franklin |
Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790 , American politician & writer
A polymath and a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the history of physics for his discoveries in electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove.One of the foremost of the Founding Fathers, Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence and was one of its signers, represented the United States in France during the American Revolution, and was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention
He became wealthy publishing yearly, from 1732 to 1758, the Poor Richard's Almanack, which he authored under the pseudonym “Richard Saunders”.
| 55 quotes | 22,284 visits |
Quotations
| • | Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. 63 |
| • | Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. 44 |
| • | He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. 37 |
| • | Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government; when this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. 31 |
| • | A dying man can do nothing easy. (his last words) 27 |
| • | A false friend and a shadow attend only while the sun shines. 26 |
| • | Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. 25 |
| • | Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God. 22 |
| • | Half a truth is often a great lie. 19 |
| • | If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone. 19 |
| • | Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none. 17 |
| • | Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away. 8 |
| • | The only thing that is more expensive than education is ignorance. 7 |
| • | All mankind is divided into three groups: those that are immovable, those that are movable and those that move. 6 |
| • | If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it? 6 |
| • | Life biggest tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. 6 |
| • | It is hard for an empty sack to stand upright. 5 |
| • | Take it from Richard, poor and lame, what’s begun in anger ends in shame. 5 |
| • | There never was a good war or a bad peace. 5 |
| • | Time is money. 5 |
| • | When the well is dry we know the value of water. 5 |
| • | A friend in need is a friend indeed! 4 |
| • | All would live long, but none would be old. 4 |
| • | Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see. 4 |
| • | Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. 4 |
| • | Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. 4 |
| • | Genius without education is like silver in the mine. 4 |
| • | He that lives upon hope will die fasting. 4 |
| • | Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sun-dial in the shade? 4 |
| • | I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character; like those among men who live by sharping and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. 4 |
| • | Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards. 4 |
| • | Love you Neighbor; yet don't pull down your Hedge. 4 |
| • | Most people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they’re 75. 4 |
| • | Never confuse Motion with Action. 4 |
| • | Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. 4 |
| • | Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it. 4 |
| • | Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes. 3 |
| • | A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. 3 |
| • | A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. 3 |
| • | After three days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, and weather rainy. 3 |
| • | Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. 3 |
| • | He is not well bred, that cannot bear ill breeding in others. 3 |
| • | He that lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas. 3 |
| • | He who can have patience can have what he will. 3 |
| • | He who drinks his cider alone, let him catch his horse alone. 3 |
| • | Man is a tool-making animal. 3 |
| • | One today is worth two tomorrows. 3 |
| • | Originality is the art of concealing your sources. 3 |
| • | That which hurts, also instructs. 3 |
| • | To be humble to superiors is a duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness. 3 |
| • | Where there’s marriage without love, there will be love without marriage 3 |
| • | Creditors have better memories than debtors. 3 |
| • | Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. 2 |
| • | Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. 2 |
| • | Read much, but not many books. 2 |
