Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin | eBook

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Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack

By BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, KATHY CASEY

Dover Publications, Inc.

CHAPTER 1

AGING AND YOUTH

An old young man will be a young old man.

* * *

Youth is pert and positive, Age modest and doubting: So Ears of Corn when young and light, stand bold upright, but hang their Heads when weighty, full, and ripe.

* * *

All would live long, but none would be old.

* * *

At 20 years of age the Will reigns; at 30 the Wit; at 40 the Judgment.

ANGER, REVENGE, FORGIVENESS

If Passion drives, Let Reason hold the Reins.

* * *

Take heed of the Vinegar of sweet Wine, and the Anger of Good-nature.

Are you angry that others disappoint you? remember you cannot depend upon yourself.

* * *

A Man in a Passion rides a mad Horse.

* * *

Anger warms the Invention, but overheats the Oven.

* * *

It is better to take many injuries, than to give one.

* * *

Neglect kills Injuries, Revenge increases them.

* * *

If you would be reveng'd of your enemy, govern yourself.

* * *

Anger is never without a Reason, but seldom with a good One.

* * *

He is a Governor that governs his Passions, and he a Servant that serves them.

* * *

Doing an Injury puts you below your Enemy; Revenging one makes you but even with him; Forgiving it sets you above him.

* * *

The end of Passion is the beginning of Repentance.

* * *

Anger and Folly walk cheek by-jole; Repentance treads on both their Heels.

* * *

Take this remark from Richard poor and lame, Whate'er's begun in anger ends in shame.

CLEVERNESS AND CRAFTINESS

Cunning proceeds from Want of Capacity.

* * *

Many Foxes grow grey, but few grow good.

* * *

Craft must be at charge for clothes, but Truth can go naked.

You may be too cunning for One, but not for All.

CONTENTMENT AND DISCONTENTMENT

Content makes poor men rich; Discontent makes rich Men poor.

* * *

The discontented Man finds no easy Chair.

* * *

When you taste Honey, remember Gall.

* * *

Better is a little with content than much with contention.

* * *

He that's content, hath enough; He that complains, hath too much.

* * *

Wealth and Content are not always Bed-fellows.

A wise Man will desire no more, than what he may get justly, use soberly, distribute chearfully, and leave contentedly.

* * *

The Poor have little, Beggars none; the Rich too much, enough not one.

* * *

Content is the Philosopher's Stone, that turns all it touches into Gold.

* * *

Discontented Minds, and Fevers of the Body are not to be cured by changing Beds or Businesses.

* * *

Content and Riches seldom meet together, Riches take thou, contentment I had rather.

* * *

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

* * *

Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion.

If Man could have Half his Wishes, he would double his Troubles.

* * *

CONTENTMENT! Parent of Delight,
So much a Stranger to our Sight,
Say, Goddess, in what happy Place
Mortals behold thy blooming Face;
Thy gracious Auspices impart,
And for thy Temple chuse my Heart.
They whom thou deignest to inspire,
Thy Science learn, to bound Desire;
By happy Alchymy of Mind
They turn to Pleasure all they find.
Unmov'd when the rude Tempest blows,
Without an Opiate they repose;
And, cover'd by your Shield, defy
The whizzing Shafts that round them fly;
Nor, meddling with the Gods Affairs,
Concern themselves with distant Cares;
But place their Bliss in mental Rest,
And feast upon the Good possest.

DECEIT AND TRUST

There's none deceived, but he that trusts.

* * *

In the Affairs of this World Men are saved, not by Faith, but by the Want of it.

None are deceived but they that confide.

* * *

He that sells upon trust, loses many friends, and always wants money.

DILIGENCE AND SLOTH

The sleeping Fox catches no poultry.

* * *

Diligence overcomes Difficulties, Sloth makes them.

* * *

Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.

* * *

Plough deep while Sluggards sleep; and you shall have Corn to sell and to keep.

* * *

Laziness travels so slowly that Poverty soon overtakes him.

* * *

Be always ashamed to catch thyself idle.

Idleness is the Dead Sea, that swallows all Virtues.

* * *

No man e'er was glorious, who was not laborious.

* * *

The idle Man is the Devil's Hireling; whose Livery is Rags, whose Diet and Wages are Famine and Diseases.

* * *

Trouble springs from Idleness; Toil from Ease.

* * *

God helps them that help themselves.

* * *

Diligence is the mother of good luck.

EATING AND DRINKING

Dine with little, sup with less: Do better still: sleep supperless.

* * *

Tim moderate fare and abstinence much prizes, In publick, but in private gormandizes.

A full Belly is the Mother of all Evil.

* * *

Eat to live; live not to eat.

* * *

A fat kitchin, a lean Will.

* * *

Sleep without Supping, and you'll rise without owing for it.

* * *

If it were not for the Belly, the Back might wear Gold.

* * *

When the Wine enters, out goes the Truth.

* * *

To lengthen thy Life, lessen thy Meals.

* * *

Hot things, sharp things, sweet things, cold things All rot the teeth, and make them look like old things.

* * *

Eat few suppers, and you'll need few Medicines.

He that drinks fast, pays slow.

* * *

Nothing more like a Fool, than a drunken Man.

* * *

Cheese and salt meat should be sparingly eat.

* * *

Many Dishes, many Diseases.

* * *

Never spare the Parson's wine, nor the Baker's pudding.

* * *

He that would travel much, should eat little.

* * *

Drink Water, Put the Money in your Pocket, and leave the Dry-bellyach in the Punchbowl.

* * *

A full Belly makes a dull Brain.

* * *

He that never eats too much, will never be lazy.

Drink does not drown Care, but waters it, and makes it grow faster.

* * *

Hunger never saw bad bread.

* * *

What one relishes, nourishes.

FOLLY

Experience keeps a dear school, yet Fools will learn in no other.

* * *

He that spills the Rum loses that only; He that drinks it, often loses both that and himself.

* * *

To-morrow I'll reform, the fool does say; To-day itself's too late;—the wise did yesterday.

* * *

If evils come not, then our fears are vain; And if they do, fear but augments the pain.

* * *

They who have nothing to be troubled at, will be troubled at nothing.

A learned Blockhead is a greater Blockhead than an ignorant one.

* * *

He that resolves to mend hereafter, resolves not to mend now.

* * *

Fools need Advice most, but wise Men only are the better for it.

* * *

He's a Fool that makes his Doctor his Heir.

* * *

The learned Fool writes his Nonsense in better Language than the unlearned; but still 'tis Nonsense.

* * *

Is there anything men take more pains about than to make themselves unhappy?

* * *

To whom thy secret thou dost tell, to him thy freedom thou dost sell.

The first Degree of Folly, is to conceit one's self wise; the second to profess it; the third to despise Counsel.

* * *

He that pursues two hares at once, does not catch one and lets t'other go.

* * *

Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom, but Babbling is ever a Folly.

* * *

A little Neglect may breed great Mischief: For want of a Nail the Shoe is lost; for want of a Shoe the Horse is lost; for want of a Horse the Rider is lost.

* * *

There are no fools so troublesome as those that have wit.

* * *

It is Ill-Manners to silence a Fool, and Cruelty to let him go on.

* * *

Sloth and silence are a fool's virtues.

FRIENDSHIP

No better relation than a prudent and faithful friend.

* * *

Be slow in chusing a Friend, slower in changing.

* * *

A Brother may not be a Friend, but a Friend will always be a Brother.

* * *

Friendship cannot live with Ceremony, nor without Civility.

* * *

There are three faithful friends—an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.

* * *

Thou canst not joke an Enemy into a Friend; but thou may'st a Friend into an Enemy.

* * *

Friendship increases by visiting Friends, but by visiting seldom.

'Tis great Confidence in a Friend to tell him your Faults, greater to tell him his.

* * *

A false Friend and a Shadow attend only while the Sun shines.

* * *

When befriended, remember it: When you befriend, forget it.

* * *

When a Friend deals with a Friend, let the bargain be clear and well penn'd, that they may continue Friends to the End.

* * *

The same man cannot be both Friend and Flatterer.

* * *

A true Friend is the best Possession.

GOOD CONSCIENCE

A quiet Conscience sleeps in Thunder, but Rest and Guilt live far asunder.

Keep Conscience clear, then never fear.

* * *

If thou injurest Conscience, it will have its Revenge on thee.

* * *

E're you remark another's Sin,

Bid your own Conscience look within.

* * *

The nearest way to come at glory, is to do that for conscience which we do for glory.

GREED, MISERLINESS

Ambition often spends foolishly what Avarice had wickedly collected.

* * *

Wish a miser a long life, and you wish him no good.

* * *

If your Riches are yours, why don't you take them with you to t'other World?

Poverty wants some things, Luxury many things, Avarice all things.

* * *

He does not possess Wealth, it possesses him.

* * *

Avarice and Happiness never saw each other, how then shou'd they become acquainted.

* * *

Tell a miser he's rich, and a woman she's old, you'll get no money of one, nor kindness of t'other.

HAPPINESS

Enjoy the present hour, be mindful of the past; And neither fear nor wish the approaches of the last.

* * *

Virtue & Happiness are Mother & Daughter.

* * *

Who pleasure gives, Shall joy receive.

Love, and be loved.

HONESTY AND DISHONESTY

Half the Truth is often a great Lie.

* * *

The honest Man takes Pains, and then enjoys Pleasures; the Knave takes Pleasure, and then suffers Pains.

* * *

Avoid dishonest Gain: No price Can recompence the Pangs of Vice.

* * *

'Tis hard (but glorious) to be poor and honest: An empty Sack can hardly stand upright; but if it does, 'tis a stout one!

* * *

Men take more pains to mask than mend. Bad Gains are truly Losses.

* * *

What pains our Justice takes his faults to hide, With half that pains sure he might cure 'em quite.

An honest Man will receive neither Money nor Praise, that is not his Due.

MEN, WOMEN, AND MARRIAGE

One good Husband is worth two good Wives; for the scarcer things are, the more they're valued.

* * *

He that goes far to marry, will either deceive or be deceived.

* * *

Let thy maid-servant be faithful, strong, and homely.

* * *

He that has not got a Wife, is not yet a compleat Man.

* * *

Marry above thy match, and thou 'lt get a master.

* * *

You can bear your own Faults, and why not a Fault in your Wife.

Grief often treads upon the heels of pleasure,

Marry'd in haste, we oft repent at leisure;

Some by experience find these words misplaced,

Marry'd at leisure, they repent in haste.

Wedlock, as old men note, hath likened been

Unto a public crowd or common rout;

Where those that are without would fain get in,

And those that are within, would fain get out.

* * *

A good wife lost, is God's gift lost.

* * *

He that takes a wife takes Care.

* * *

A house without woman and firelight, is like a body without soul or sprite.

* * *

Where there's Marriage without Love, there will be Love without Marriage.

* * *

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

* * *

The good or ill hap of a good or ill life, is the good or ill choice of a good or ill wife.

The proof of gold is fire, the proof of woman, gold; the proof of man, a woman.

* * *

Ne'er take a wife till thou hast a house (& a fire) to put her in.

* * *

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

* * *

A good Wife & Health, is a Man's best Wealth.

* * *

You cannot pluck roses without fear of thorns, Nor enjoy a fair wife without danger of horns.

MONEY AND FRUGALITY

He that speaks ill of the Mare, will buy her.

* * *

He that can travel well afoot, keeps a good horse.

* * *

Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.

If you'd know the Value of Money, go and borrow some.

* * *

Necessity never made a good bargain.

* * *

A penny saved is two pence clear. A pin a-day is a groat a-year. Save and have.

* * *

Pay what you owe, and what you're worth you'll know.

* * *

'Tis against some Mens Principle to pay Interest, and seems against others Interest to pay the Principal.

* * *

He that is rich need not live sparingly, and he that can live sparingly need not be rich.

* * *

Great spenders are bad lenders.

* * *

If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone.

Bargaining has neither friends nor relations.

* * *

Spare and have is better than spends and crave.

* * *

Beware of little Expenses: a small Leak will sink a great Ship.

* * *

He that is of Opinion Money will do every Thing may well be suspected of doing every Thing for Money.

* * *

Many have been ruin'd by buying good penny-worths.

* * *

Ask and have, is sometimes dear buying.

* * *

Idleness is the greatest Prodigality.

* * *

Buy what thou hast no need of, and e'er long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.

* * *

Creditors have better memories than debtors.

Rather go to bed supperless than run in debt for a breakfast.

* * *

For Age and Want save while you may; No morning Sun lasts a whole Day.

* * *

All things are cheap to the saving, dear to the wasteful.

* * *

The Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days and times.

* * *

Money & Man a mutual Friendship show: Man makes false Money, Money makes Man so.

* * *

Every little makes a mickle.

* * *

The use of money is all the advantage there is in having money.

* * *

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£.

* * *

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.

* * *

He that idly loses 5s. worth of time, loses 5s., and might as prudently throw 5s. into the river. He that loses 5s. not only loses that sum, but all the other advantages that might be made by turning it in dealing, which by the time a young man becomes old, amounts to a comfortable bag of money.

PRIDE, VANITY

He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.

* * *

Pride dines upon Vanity, sups on Contempt.

* * *

A flatterer never seems absurd: The flatter'd always takes his word.

* * *

Pride gets into the Coach, and Shame mounts behind.

Great Pride and Meanness sure are near ally'd; Or thin Partitions do their Bounds divide.

* * *

Declaiming against Pride, is not always a Sign of Humility.

* * *

Vanity backbites more than Malice.

* * *

Fond Pride of Dress is sure an empty Curse; E're Fancy you consult, consult your Purse.

* * *

As Pride increases, Fortune declines.

* * *

Vain-glory flowereth, but beareth no Fruit.

* * *

Pride is as loud a Beggar as Want, and a great deal more saucy.

* * *

The Proud hate Pride—in others.

* * *

As sore places meet most rubs, proud folks meet most affronts.

To be proud of Knowledge, is to be blind with Light.

* * *

Pride breakfasted with Plenty, dined with Poverty, supped with Infamy.

PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

A country man between two lawyers, is like a fish between two cats.

* * *

A good lawyer, a bad neighbour.

* * *

Sound, & sound Doctrine, may pass through a Ram's Horn, and a Preacher, without straightening the one, or amending the other.

* * *

Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.

* * *

He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines.

* * *

There's more old drunkards, than old doctors.

God heals, and the Doctor takes the fees.

* * *

He that has a Trade has an Office of Profit and Honour.

PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS

Prosperity discovers Vice, Adversity, Virtue.

* * *

Many a Man would have been worse, if his Estate had been better.

* * *

He that would catch Fish, must venture his Bait.

* * *

A Change of Fortune hurts a wise Man no more than a Change of the Moon.

* * *

Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.

* * *

Success has ruin'd many a Man.

Industry, Perseverance, & Frugality, make Fortune yield.

* * *

No gains without pains.

* * *

He that pays for Work before it's done, has but a pennyworth for twopence.

* * *

He that can have patience can have what he will.

* * *

In success, be moderate.

* * *

When Prosperity was well mounted, she let go the Bridle, and soon came tumbling out of the Saddle.

* * *

He who multiplies Riches multiplies Cares.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, KATHY CASEY. Copyright © 1999 Dover Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
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Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack

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