Benjamin Franklin Quotes

American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)

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Benjamin Franklin (17 January 1706 – 17 April 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A renowned polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and a diplomatic scientific and novice electricican; he was a major figure in the U.S. Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, for keeping bifocals fog-free, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions. He facilitated many civic organizations, including Philadelphia's fire department and the University of Pennsylvania.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Pen Names: Silence Dogood • Poor Richard • Richard Saunders

Alternative Names: Ben Franklin • The First American • Franklin

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Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

Fish and Visitors stink in 3 days.

Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. At least you will, by such conduct, stand the be.

Joy is not in things, it is in us.

Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.

If you give up your freedom for safety, you don't deserve either one.

He that speaks much, is much mistaken.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!!!

All highly competent people continually search for ways to keep learning, growing, and improving. They do that by asking WHY. After all, the person who knows HOW will always have a job, but the person who knows WHY will always be the boss.

He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.

If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in that.

He that won't be counseled can't be helped.

Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you.

In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.