Benjamin Franklin Quotes

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Whether a Commonwealth suffers more by hypocritical pretenders to religion or by the openly profane? The most dangerous hypocrite in a Commonwealth is one who leaves the gospel for the sake of the law. A man compounded of law and gospel is able to cheat a whole country with his religion and then destroy them under color of law.

Benjamin Franklin
Since they are our right, let us be vigilant to preserve them uninfringed, and free from encroachments. If animosities arise, and we should be obliged to resort to party, let each of us range himself on the side which unfurls the ensigns of public good. Faction will then vanish, which, if not timely suppressed, may overturn the balance, the palladium of liberty, and crush us under its ruins.

Benjamin Franklin
Can anything be constant in a world which is eternally changing?

Benjamin Franklin
Kings have long arms, but Misfortune longer: let none think themselves out of her reach.

Benjamin Franklin
Be not niggardly of what costs thee nothing, as courtesy, counsel, & countenance.

Benjamin Franklin
Give me yesterday's bread, this day's flesh, and last year's cider

Benjamin Franklin
He's gone, and forgot nothing but to say farewell to his creditors

Benjamin Franklin
Let honesty be as the breath of thy soul; then shalt thou reach the point of happiness, and independence shall be thy shield and buckler, thy helmet and crown; then shall thy soul walk upright, nor stoop to the silken wretch because he hath riches, nor pocket an abuse because the hand which offers it wears a ring set with diamonds.

Benjamin Franklin
Let our Fathers and Grandfathers be valued for their Goodness, ourselves for our own.

Benjamin Franklin
Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a Colony of Aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of our Anglifying them, and will never adopt our Language or Customs, any more than they can acquire our Complexion...

Benjamin Franklin
My rule, in which I have always found satisfaction, is, never to turn aside in public affairs through views of private interest; but to go straight forward in doing what appears to me right at the time, leaving the consequences with Providence.

Benjamin Franklin
Nor eye in a letter, nor hand in a purse, nor ear in the secret of another.

Benjamin Franklin
Quarrels never could last long, if on one side only lay the wrong.

Benjamin Franklin
The expenses required to prevent a war are much lighter than those that will, if not prevented, be absolutely necessary to maintain it.

Benjamin Franklin
By the word simplicity, is not always meant folly or ignorance; but often, pure and upright Nature, free from artifice, craft or deceitful ornament.

Benjamin Franklin
I was put to the grammar-school at eight years of age, my father intending to devote me, as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the Church.

Benjamin Franklin
Speak with contempt of none, from slave to king, The meanest Bee hath, and will use, a sting.

Benjamin Franklin
A little Religion, and a little Honesty, goes a great way in Courts.

Benjamin Franklin
He gives twice that gives soon, i.e., he will soon be called to give again.

Benjamin Franklin
When you incline to have new clothes, look first well over the old ones, and see if you cannot shift with them another year, either by scouring, mending, or even patching if necessary. Remember, a patch on your coat, and money in your pocket, is better and more creditable, than a writ on your back, and no money to take it off.

Benjamin Franklin
A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees.

Benjamin Franklin
Idleness is the Dead Sea that swallows all virtues. Be active in business, that temptation may miss her aim; the bird that sits is easily shot.

Benjamin Franklin
We may perhaps learn to deprive large masses of their gravity and give them absolute levity, for the sake of easy transport.

Benjamin Franklin
My dear friend, do not imagine that I am vain enough to ascribe our success [Revolution] to any superiority... If it had not been for the justice of our cause, and the consequent interposition of Providence, in which we had faith, we must have been ruined. If I had ever before been an atheist, I should now have been convinced of the being and government of a Deity!

Benjamin Franklin
Since I cannot govern my own tongue, though within my own teeth, how can I hope to govern the tongue of others?

Benjamin Franklin
Get what you can, and what you get hold; 'tis the Stone that will turn all your Lead into Gold.

Benjamin Franklin
I am about courting a girl I have had but little acquaintance with. How shall I come to a knowledge of her faults, and whether she has the virtues I imagine she has? Answer. Commend her among her female acquaintances.

Benjamin Franklin
The good or ill hap of a good or ill life, is the good or ill choice of a good or ill wife.

Benjamin Franklin
Drink does not drown care, but waters it, and makes it grow faster.

Benjamin Franklin
To expect people to be good, to be just, to be temperate, etc., without showing them how they should become so, seems like the ineffectual charity mentioned by the apostle, which consisted in saying to the hungry, the cold and the naked, be ye fed, be ye warmed, be ye clothed, without showing them how they should get food, fire or clothing.

Benjamin Franklin