Ben franklin autobiography aphorisms of hippocrates
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Leisure is time for doing something useful, and this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never, for a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Plough deep, while Sluggards sleep; And you shall have Corn, to sell and to keep.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Better is a little with content than much with contention.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom, but Babbling is ever a Mark of Folly.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
You may give a Man an Office, but you cannot give him Discretion.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Experience keeps a dear school; but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in that; for it is true, we may give advice, but we cannot give conduct.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Dost thou love life?
Before Franklin can become a great man he needs to learn from other great men. He does, of course, elide some of the errata of which he was guilty, but overall he honestly depicts the things he regrets. Its author is now one to emulate: the ideal, archetypal self-made man. Second, it is, to use common parlance, a sort of "humble-brag." Franklin is worthy of everything Vaughn says, but it is still amusing that Franklin includes this letter.
How few, his Precepts! It was first published as a poor French translation of an unrevised edition of the manuscript, and then as a heavily-editorialized and inaccurate English edition by Franklin’s son, William Temple Franklin. He commits himself fully to his endeavors, even if the work that is required is arduous and/or monotonous. I bought it, read it over and over, and was much delighted with it.
After the war, the taxes levied on colonists to pay for the British debt, as well as the command that they not settle beyond the Appalachians (the Proclamation of 1763, actually passed to preclude further conflict with Indians), made the colonists start to see that their rights were being violated. His methods for self-mastery are worth taking a serious look at if you’re interested in getting better at anything in life.
His comments on it are quite illuminating in terms of what he most values in life: wealth. Here Franklin explains in his usual rational and plain fashion his methodical, systematic approach to the virtues. The term is from printing, which makes sense given his occupation and the conflation of life and writing. It is orderly and lucid, with the virtues building upon each other.
I had never before seen any of them. It was the third.
In 1868 John Bigelow purchased the original copy of the autobiography and published the first accurate edition, which is what subsequent publications, including this one, are based on.
Though incomplete, this autobiography is a highly readable and fascinating insight into the legendary life of the man some people call the “First American.”
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Quotes
“[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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The Wit & Wisdom of Benjamin Franklin: The Best 100 Maxims from “Poor Richard’s Almanack”
It is the 305th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, American inventor, journalist, printer, diplomat, author, and founding father.
At age 27, Benjamin Franklin began publishing “Poor Richard’s Almanack” under the pseudonym “Richard Saunders.”
Published annually for the next 26 years, the Almanack became widely successful.
He parleys these traits into influential relationships with prominent men. The most famous of these maxims include, “Well done is better than well said,” “Haste makes waste,” and the oft misquoted “A penny saved is twopence dear.”
Benjamin Franklin sourced a good number of his maxims in the “Poor Richard’s Almanack” from Native American traditions, common legends and superstitions of his day, public speeches, and works of other published authors.
Maxims from Benjamin Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanack”
Fools multiply folly.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
The noblest question in the world is, What Good may I do in it?
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Pay what you owe, and you’ll know what’s your own.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
An ounce of wit that is bought, is worth a pound that is taught.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Hunger is the best pickle.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Reading makes a full Man, Meditation a profound Man,|discourse a clear Man.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
Fear to do ill, and you need fear naught else.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
A quarrelsome Man has no good Neighbors.
—Benjamin Franklin(American Political leader)
If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality, since lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough always proves little enough.
First, he is willing to take direction and constructive criticism.