Benjamin Franklin

“This gave me occasion to observe, that when Men are employ'd they are best contented. For on the Days they work'd they were good-natur'd and chearful; and with the consciousness of having done a good Days work they spent the Evenings jollily; but on the idle Days they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with their Pork, the Bread, and in continual ill-humour. (Autobiography, 1771)”

“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 now and then peek out and show itself.”

“Ignorance leads men into a party, and shame keeps them from getting out again.”

“the eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us. if all but myself were blind, I should want neither fine clothes, fine houses, nor fine furniture. ”

“In all your Amours you should prefer old Women to young ones. You call this a Paradox, and demand my Reasons. They are these:1. Because as they have more Knowledge of the World and their Minds are better stor’d with Observations, their Conversation is more improving and more lastingly agreable.2. Because when Women cease to be handsome, they study to be good. To maintain their Influence over Men, they supply the Diminution of Beauty by an Augmentation of Utility. They learn to do a 1000 Services small and great, and are the most tender and useful of all Friends when you are sick. Thus they continue amiable. And hence there is hardly such a thing to be found as an old Woman who is not a good Woman.3. Because there is no hazard of Children, which irregularly produc’d may be attended with much Inconvenience.4. Because thro’ more Experience, they are more prudent and discreet in conducting an Intrigue to prevent Suspicion. The Commerce with them is therefore safer with regard to your Reputation. And with regard to theirs, if the Affair should happen to be known, considerate People might be rather inclin’d to excuse an old Woman who would kindly take care of a young Man, form his Manners by her good Counsels, and prevent his ruining his Health and Fortune among mercenary Prostitutes.5. Because in every Animal that walks upright, the Deficiency of the Fluids that fill the Muscles appears first in the highest Part: The Face first grows lank and wrinkled; then the Neck; then the Breast and Arms; the lower Parts continuing to the last as plump as ever: So that covering all above with a Basket, and regarding only what is below the Girdle, it is impossible of two Women to know an old from a young one. And as in the dark all Cats are grey, the Pleasure of corporal Enjoyment with an old Woman is at least equal, and frequently superior, every Knack being by Practice capable of Improvement.6. Because the Sin is less. The debauching a Virgin may be her Ruin, and make her for Life unhappy.7. Because the Compunction is less. The having made a young Girl miserable may give you frequent bitter Reflections; none of which can attend the making an old Woman happy.8thly and Lastly They are so grateful!!”

“If Jack's in love, he's no judge of Jill's beauty.”

“Old boys have their playthings as well as young ones; the difference is only in the price.”

“To be proud of virtue, is to poison yourself with the Antidote.”

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

“After three days men grow weary, of a wench, a guest, and weather rainy.”

“Somebody, it seemed, gave it out that I loved ladies; and then everybody presented me their ladies (or the ladies presented themselves) to be embraced, that is to have their necks kissed...The French ladies had a thousand other ways of rendering themselves agreeable by their various attentions and civilities, and their sensible conversation. Tis a delightful people to live with.”

“If you would be loved, love, and be loveable.”

“Where there’s marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.”

“Fools make feasts and wise men eat them.”

“Serving God is doing good to man, but praying is thought an easier service and therefore more generally chosen.”

“Melakukan yang terbaik lebih baik daripada mengucapkan yang terbaik”

“You desire to know something of my Religion. It is the first time I have been questioned upon it: But I do not take your Curiosity amiss, and shall endeavour in a few Words to gratify it... I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some Doubts as to his [Jesus'] divinity; tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and I think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an Opportunity of knowing the Truth with less Trouble.[Letter to Ezra Stiles, March 9, 1790]”

“I am in the prime of senility.”

“There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self.”

“Many people die at twenty five and aren't buried until they are seventy five.”

“Haste makes waste.”

“Tis a great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults; greater to tell him his.”

“Persons of good sense, I have since observed, seldom fall into disputation, except lawyers, university men, and men of all sorts that have been bred at Edinburgh.”

“Would you live with ease,Do what you ought, and not what you please.”

“We are not so sensible of the greatest Health as of the least Sickness.”

“If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins.”

“Ohne Gedankenfreiheit gibt es keine Weisheit. Und ohne Redefreiheit keine öffentliche Freiheit.”

“Write to Please Yourself.When You write to Please OthersYou end up Pleasing No one.”

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”

“Never leave till tomorrow that which you can do today.”

“Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one”

“Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”

“A good example is the best sermon.”

“Liberality is not giving much, but giving wisely.”

“Jika anda ingin dicintai seseorang, cintailah dia dan bersikaplah agar layak dicintai.”

“Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.”

“It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.”

“If you desire many things, many things will seem few.”

“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.”

“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”

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

“He that speaks much, is much mistaken.”

“He that displays too often his wife and his wallet is in danger of having both of them borrowed.”

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

“Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.”

“When nature gave us tears, She gave us leave to weep.”

“Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.”

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria.”

“Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.”

“Without Freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom;and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.”