Benjamin Franklin

Women and wine, game and deceit, make the wealth small, and the want great

If you teach a poor young man to shave himself, and keep his razor in order, you may contribute more to the happiness of his life than in giving him a thousand guineas. This sum may be soon spent, the regret only remaining of having foolishly consumed it; but in the other case, he escapes the frequent vexation of waiting for barbers, and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive breaths, and dull razors.

What science can there be more noble, more excellent, more useful for men, more admirably high and demonstrative, than this of mathematics?

[It was] the poverty caused by the bad influence of the English bankers on the Parliament which has caused in the colonies hatred of the English and . . . the Revolutionary War.

Marry above thy match and you will get a master.

The most exquisite folly is made of wisdom spun too fine.

Experience is the best teacher, but a fool will learn from no other.

Take the money in your wallet and invest it in your mind. And in return, your mind will fill up your wallet!

People who are willing to give up freedom for the sake of short term security, deserve neither freedom nor security.

And where is the Prince who can afford to so cover his country with troops for its defense, as that ten thousand men descending from the clouds, might not in many places do an infinite deal of mischief, before a force could be brought together to repel them?

A Republic, if you can keep it.

There are lazy minds as well as lazy bodies.

You can not pluck roses without fear of thorns, Nor enjoy a fair wife without danger of horns.

'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. . . .

Nothing is so tiresome to one's self, as well as so odious to others, as disguise and affectation.

I grew convinced that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life, and I formed written resolutions . . . to practice them ever while I lived.

Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones.

It is foolish to lay out money for the purchase of repentance.

Lend money to an enemy, and thou will gain him, to a friend and thou will lose him.

Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.

He's a fool that makes his doctor his heir.