The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Quotes by Benjamin Franklin (2024)

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“He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“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.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. 2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. 3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. 4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. 5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing. 6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions. 7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you...”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations get corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“The names of virtues, with their precepts, were:
1.Temperance. Eat not do dullness; drink not to elevation.
2.Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3.Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4.Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5.Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6.Industry. Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7.Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8.Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9.Moderation. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10.Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloths, or habitation.
11.Tranquillity. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12.Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13.Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and happier man than I otherwise should have been had I not attempted it; as those who aim at perfect writing by imitating the engraved copies, their hand is mended by the endevour, and is tolerable while it continues fair and legible”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps thro' fear of being thought to have but little.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“there was great difference between persons and, discretion did not always accompany years nor was youth always with out it”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“Men should be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos'd as things forgot;”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“... the Existence of Deity, that he made the World, and govern'd it by his Providence; that the most acceptable Service of God was the doing Good to Man; that our Souls are immortal; and that all Crime will be punished and Virtue rewarded either here or hereafter...”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“How much more than necessary do we spend in sleep, forgetting that the sleeping fox catches no poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the grave, as Poor Richard says.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“[I retained] only the Habit of expressing my self in Terms of modest Diffidence, never using when I advance any thing that may possibly be disputed, the Words 'Certainly, 'undoubtedly', or any others that I give the Air of Positiveness to an Opinion; but rather say 'I conceive', or 'I apprehend a Thing to be so or so', 'It appears to me', or 'I should think it so or so for such & such Reasons', or 'I imagine' it to be so or so, or 'it is so' if I am not mistaken.—This Habit I believe has been of great Advantage to me, when I have had occasion to inculcate my Opinions and persuade Men into Measures that I have been from time to time engag'd in promoting.—And as the chief Ends of Conversation are to inform, or to be informed, to please or to persuade, I wish well meaning sensible Men would not lessen their Power of doing Good by a Positive assuming Manner that seldom fails to disgust, tends to create Opposition, and to defeat every one of those purposes for which Speech was given to us, to wit, giving or receiving Information or Pleasure: For if you would inform, a positive dogmatical Manner in advancing your Sentiments, may provoke Contradiction & prevent a candid Attention.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“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, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“Human felicity is produc'd not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“I grew convinc'd that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life;”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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“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 see it perhaps often in this History. For even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my Humility.”
― Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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