Benjamin Franklin Quotes

510 Sourced Quotes

That the vegetable creation should restore the air which is spoiled by the animal part of it, looks like a rational system, and seems to be of a piece with the rest.

Benjamin Franklin
There never was a good war or a bad peace.

Benjamin Franklin
In New England they once thought blackbirds useless, and mischievous to the corn. They made efforts to destroy them. The consequence was, the blackbirds were diminished; but a kind of worm, which devoured their grass, and which the blackbirds used to feed on, increased prodigiously; then, finding their loss in grass much greater than their saving in corn, they wished again for their blackbirds.

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

Benjamin Franklin
Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.

Benjamin Franklin
When you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests and their selfish views.

Benjamin Franklin
Governor Thomas was so pleas'd with the Construction of this Stove, as describ'd in it, that he offer'd to give me a Patent for the sole Vending of them for a Term of Years; but I declin'd it from a Principle which has ever weigh'd with me on such Occasions, viz. That as we enjoy great Advantages from the Inventions of Others, we should be glad of an Opportunity to serve others by any Invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.

Benjamin Franklin
That Quantity that is sufficient, the Stomach can perfectly concoct and digest, and it sufficeth the due Nourishment of the Body.

Benjamin Franklin
To be proud of virtue, is to poison yourself with the Antidote.

Benjamin Franklin
Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped.

Benjamin Franklin
The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.

Benjamin Franklin
Poverty, Poetry, and new Titles of Honor, make Men ridiculous

Benjamin Franklin
Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.

Benjamin Franklin
Indeed I scarce ever heard or saw the introductory Words, Without Vanity I may say, etc. but some vain thing immediately follow'd. Most People dislike Vanity in others whatever Share they have of it themselves, but I give it fair Quarter wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of Good to the Possessor and to others that are within his Sphere of Action: And therefore in many Cases it would not be quite absurd if a Man were to thank God for his Vanity among the other Comforts of Life.

Benjamin Franklin
All philosophical Experiments that let Light into the Nature of Things, tend to increase the Power of Man over Matter, and multiply the Conveniences of Pleasure of Life.

Benjamin Franklin
On being asked 'have we got a republic or a monarchy?':
A republic, if you can keep it.

Benjamin Franklin
The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions, for life is a kind of chess.

Benjamin Franklin
In every animal that walks upright, the deficiency of the Fluids that fill the Muscles appears first in the highest Part: The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the neck; then the breast and arms; the lower parts continuing to the last as plump as ever; so that covering all above with a basket, and regarding only what is below the girdle, it is impossible of two women to know an old from a young one.

Benjamin Franklin
An infallible Remedy for the Tooth-ach, viz Wash the Root of an aching Tooth, in Elder Vinegar, and let it dry half an hour in the Sun; after which it will never ach more; Probatum est.

Benjamin Franklin
Historians relate not so much what is done as what they would have believed.

Benjamin Franklin
'Tis true there is much to be done,... but stick to it steadily, and you will see great effects, for constant dropping wears away stones... and little strokes fell great oaks, as Poor Richard says....

Benjamin Franklin
Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.

Benjamin Franklin
Thou can'st not joke an enemy into a friend,
but thou may'st a friend into an enemy.

Benjamin Franklin
It's the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself.

Benjamin Franklin
I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion about the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.

Benjamin Franklin