Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

Quotes

• Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will learn at no other.

• For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.

• Games lubricate the body and the mind.

• Half a truth is often a great lie.

• He does not possess wealth; it possesses him.

• He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.

• He that lives upon hope will die fasting.

• He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees.

• How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.

• I guess I don't so much mind being old, as I mind being fat and old.

• I saw few die of hunger; of eating, a hundred thousand.

• I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper. Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up.

• If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it from him.

• If you would be loved, love and be lovable.

• In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.

• It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness and I pronounce it as certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.

• It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.

• Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.

• Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.

• Life's Tragedy is that we get old to soon and wise too late.