Quotes from Benjamin Franklin

En realidad, tal vez ninguna de nuestras pasiones es tan difícil de dominar como el orgullo. Disfrázalo, lucha contra él, golpéalo, ahógalo, mortifícalo tanto como quieras y seguirá vivo, y una y otra vez levantará la cabeza para exhibirse. Puedes verlo con frecuencia en este libro porque, incluso cuando considero haberlo vencido ya, también es factible que exista orgullo en mi humildad

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

Perhaps the history of the errors of mankind, all things considered, is more valuable and interesting than that of their discoveries

You can bear your own faults and why not a fault in your wife?

Who has deceived thee as often as thyself?

contending clients in a suit, he for the proprietaries and I for the Assembly. He would, therefore, sometimes call in a friendly way to advise with me on difficult points, and sometimes, tho' not often, take

In 1736 I lost one of my sons, a fine boy of four years old, by the small-pox, taken in the common way. I long regretted bitterly, and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation. This I mention for the sake of parents who omit that operation, on the supposition that they should never forgive themselves

He that best understands the world, least likes it.

Promises may get thee friends, but non-performance will turn them into enemies.

Most people return small favors, acknowledge middling ones, and repay great ones with ingratitude.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail

he was sensible and sagacious in himself, and attentive to good advice from others, capable of forming judicious plans, and quick and active in carrying them into execution.

Vice knows that she's ugly, so she puts on a mask.

But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man.

For 6£ a year you may have use of 100£, if you are a man of known prudence and honesty. He that spends a groat a-day idly, spends idly above 6£ a year, which is the price of using 100£.

The strictest law sometimes becomes the severest injustice.

He that wastes idly a groat's worth of his time per day one day with another, wastes the privilege of using 100£ each day.

Vanity backbites more than Malice.

sent a pack of hounds and huntsmen on ahead to find the quarry, mounted his chestnut Donets, and whistling to his own leash of borzois,

The constitution] can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.

He that lives upon hopes will die fasting.

Industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them.

Vol. 4: Complete Poems in English, Milton

Surely the church is a place where one day's truce ought to be allowed to the dissensions and animosities of mankind.