Benjamin Franklin: quotes, aphorisms and best sayings

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:43

The image of Benjamin Franklin is indelibly imprinted not only in the American soul, but also on the largest currency made by the US Treasury, 100 dollars. It would be difficult to choose a more suitable Founding Father to feature on this bill. Because Franklin is one of America's most famous statesmen, scientist, philosopher, writer, businessman and free thinker.

Few people know, but Benjamin was still the founder and owner of the printing house. It was this entrepreneurial spirit that enabled him not only to become rich, but also to serve his community and create a better world for future generations.

This article features selected quotes and aphorisms by Benjamin Franklin that everyone should read.

Early age

Benjamin Franklin was born January 17, 1706 in Boston, into a large and poor family. His father had 17 children from two different wives. He was raised in the family candle making business owned by his brother. He showed interest in science from an early age. Whilethe factory workers ate their lunch incessantly, young Benjamin read books while chewing raisins.

At an early age, he began to write articles that were published in the New England Coreant newspaper under a pseudonym. Soon he confessed to his father that he had printed them. Instead of being pleased, his father beat him for his insolence. Therefore, at the age of 17, young Benjamin Franklin, whose quotes are now very popular, left the family business and went to Philadelphia.

Publishing success

At the age of 27, Benjamin began publishing Poor Richard's Almanac under the pseudonym Richard Saunders (by the way, throughout his life he published articles under a pseudonym). Over the next 26 years, his publication was highly successful. At its peak, The Almanac sold 10,000 copies a year, making it the undisputed best-seller in colonial America.

"Poor Richard's Almanac" consisted of fun facts, weather forecasts, everyday stories, riddles, secrets of history, poems written by Benjamin Franklin. His quotes and other witty sayings, thanks to which people learned the wisdom of life, are the most read page in the publication.

Scientific achievements

Science experiments were a kind of hobby for Franklin. However, this led to the following discoveries:

- "Franklin oven" - a mechanism for distributing heat throughout the room in the house;

- proof that lighting and electricity are one and the same;

- positive and negative chargeselectricity;

- creating the first flexible urinary catheter;

- the invention of bifocals.

It is important to note that Benjamin Franklin, whose quotes and aphorisms are known all over the world, never patented his inventions, because he created them for the benefit of society.

Famous sayings about money

Franklin became a successful entrepreneur, which gave him the opportunity not only to get rich, but also to serve his people for free. In addition, for five years he served as ambassador to England, challenging tax issues. Therefore, many of his wise sayings were of a financial nature. Let's get acquainted with the best of them. So, Benjamin Franklin - money quotes:

- "A penny saved is a penny earned."

- "Investment in knowledge always gives the best return."

- "It's not shameful to be poor, but you should be ashamed of it."

- "Anyone who thinks money can do anything can be suspected of doing anything for money."

- "It's better to go to bed without dinner than to wake up in debt."

- "If you have things to do tomorrow, do them today."

- "Negligence does more harm than lack of knowledge."

- "Laziness moves so slowly that poverty will soon overtake it."

Benjamin Franklin: Jewish quotes

During the American Revolution, Franklin was already a senior statesman. He showed worthy courage by warning his political "colleagues" about the Jews. It was evenincluded in the 1789 Constitutional Convention and called "the miracle of prophecy".

Let's look at some quotes about Jews:

- "Jews are a threat to this country and their entry should be prohibited by this Constitution."

- "I fully agree with General Washington that we must protect our young nation from the insidious influence of the Jews."

- “For more than 1,700 years, the Jews have mourned their sad fate, which is that they were expelled from their homeland - Palestine. But they immediately found compelling reasons not to return there. Why? Because they're vampires, and vampires don't live among themselves."

- "Unless you exclude them, in less than 200 years our descendants will be working in the fields to provide them (Jews) with a livelihood while they are in counting houses rubbing their hands."

Selected wise sayings

“A symbol of the Renaissance in America,” was the name of Benjamin Franklin, whose quotes are so wise and insightful that they remain popular today:

- “The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”

- "The tragedy of life is that we get old too soon and wisdom too late."

- "Keep your eyes wide open before marriage and half closed after."

- God helps those who helpyourself.”

- "If a person goes to bed early and rises early, he will be he althy, we althy and wise."

- “After all, marriage is the natural state of man. A bachelor is not a complete person. It is like the odd half of a pair of scissors.”

- "Eat to please yourself and dress to please others."

- “Worshiping God is a duty. Listening to and reading sermons can be beneficial.”

Autobiographical quotes

During his long life, Benjamin Franklin, whose quotes are very popular even today, never despaired and achieved his goals. Due to the fact that he gratuitously served for the benefit of his people, he always achieved success and was a happy person. And some of the secrets of a fulfilling life lie in his aphorisms:

- "Reading was the only entertainment I allowed myself."

- "Perhaps there are no other natural passions that are harder to suppress than pride."

- "Let your things have their place, let every part of your business have its time."

- "Don't use harmful deceit, think decently and fairly."

- "Only virtuous people are capable of freedom."

- “I grew up with the belief that truth, sincerity, and honesty in human-to-human relationships are essential to bliss in life.”

- “One of my employees at the publishing house drank all the time, and the other only when he had done all the work.”

And finallyI should add: Benjamin Franklin (whose quote about money became world famous) lived his life in the spirit of a Renaissance man. He was deeply interested in what was going on around him. He excelled in several different areas of human activity. He had a huge impact on the development of electricity and the form of speech that we still use today.