Benjamin Franklin

Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.

Fish and visitors stink in three days.

Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.

Without Freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom;and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.

We are more thoroughly an enlightened people, with respect to our political interests, than perhaps any other under heaven. Every man among us reads, and is so easy in his circumstances as to have leisure for conversations of improvement and for acquiring information.

I should have no objection to go over the same life from its beginning to the end: requesting only the advantage authors have, of correcting in a second edition the faults of the first.

The first mistake in public business is the going into it.

The discontented man finds no easy chair.

Where sense is wanting, everything is wanting.

If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.

Trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease.

The use of money is all the advantage there is in having money.

Many foxes grow gray but few grow good.

Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.

Who had deceived thee so often as thyself?

Observe all men, thyself most.

To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.

Hear reason, or she'll make you feel her.

In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.

Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.

No nation was ever ruined by trade.