Inspirational Quotes by Benjamin Franklin (American Founding Father, Inventor)

Inspirational Quotations by Benjamin Franklin (American Founding Father, Inventor)

Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) was an American statesman, inventor, diplomat, writer, and scientist. This leading figure in the American struggle for independence was one of the most versatile and talented men in colonial America.

Born in Boston, Franklin apprenticed to his brother, a printer, and began writing anonymously for his brother’s newspaper. He moved to Philadelphia, then to London, and returned to Philadelphia and established himself as a printer. He bought the Pennsylvania Gazette and turned it into one of the American colonies’ significant newspapers. He also wrote and published Poor Richard’s Almanack, an astronomy journal, under the pseudonym Richard Saunders. The Almanack became well known for the witty proverbs and maxims that Franklin included as fillers.

A leading delegate to the Continental Congress, Franklin became its architect. He was the only individual to sign all the three key documents of the new nation: the Declaration of Independence, the treaty with Great Britain that ended the American Revolution, and the U.S. Constitution.

Franklin held various government posts, including that of the deputy paymaster general of the colonies, and emissary to France and Great Britain. Franklin was also involved in many public projects, including founding the American Philosophical Society, a subscription library, and, in 1751, an academy that later became the University of Pennsylvania.

Franklin’s foremost scientific achievements were the formulation of a theory of electricity, which introduced positive and negative electricity, the demonstration of the electrical nature of lightning. His primary inventions were the lightning conductor, the “Franklin stove” (a kind of freestanding cast-iron heater,) and bifocal spectacles.

Franklin was legendary for his lifelong quest for self-improvement, as he thoroughly documented in his Autobiography (1791.)

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Benjamin Franklin

Inspirational Quotes by Benjamin Franklin (American Founding Father, Inventor)

The Sting of a Reproach, is the Truth of it.
—Benjamin Franklin

Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Anger

I was told, continued Egremont, that an impassable gulf divided the Rich from the Poor; I was told that the Privileged and the People formed Two Nations, governed by different laws, influenced by different manners, with no thoughts or sympathies in common; with an innate inability of mutual comprehension.
—Benjamin Franklin

Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hopes will die fasting. There are no gains without pains. He that hath a trade hath an estate, and he that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling followed, or neither the, estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve; for, at the workingman’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter. Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter, for industry pays debts, while idleness and neglect increase them.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Honor

Avarice and Happiness never saw each other, how then shou’d they become acquainted.
—Benjamin Franklin

Fools multiply folly.
—Benjamin Franklin

Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Leadership, Leaders

The things which hurt, instruct.
—Benjamin Franklin

Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. 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
Topics: Leisure, Time

Has not the famous political Fable of the Snake, with two Heads and one Body, some useful Instruction contained in it?. She was going to a Brook to drink, and in her Way was to pass thro a Hedge, a Twig of which opposed her direct Course; one Head chose to go on the right side of the Twig, the other on the left, so that time was spent in the Contest, and, before the Decision was completed, the poor Snake died with thirst.
—Benjamin Franklin

When befriended, remember it; when you befriend, forget it.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Gratitude

Love, and be loved.
—Benjamin Franklin

If you desire many things, many things will seem but a few.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Blessings, Appreciation, Gratitude

Well done is better than well said.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Example, Accomplishment, Doing Your Best, Communication, Procrastination, Action, Doing, Getting Going, Inaction

A little neglect may breed great mischief. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; and for want of a horse, the rider was lost; being overtaken, and slain by the enemy. All for want of care about a horse-shoe nail.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Preparation, Planning, One Step at a Time

Observe all men; thy self most.
—Benjamin Franklin

Sin is not harmful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Sin

Be neither silly, nor cunning, but wise.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Intelligence

Hunger is the best pickle.
—Benjamin Franklin

Haste makes waste.
—Benjamin Franklin

Never complain and never explain.
—Benjamin Franklin

There’s small Revenge in Words, but Words may be greatly revenged.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Revenge, Words

How many observe Christ’s Birth-day! How few, his Precepts! O! ’tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.
—Benjamin Franklin

A word to the wise is enough, and many words won’t fill a bushel.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Words

Fear to do ill, and you need fear naught else.
—Benjamin Franklin

Want of Care does us more Damage than Want of Knowledge.
—Benjamin Franklin

You have despoiled churches. You have threatened every corporation and endowment in the country. You have examined into everybodys affairs. You have criticised every profession and vexed every trade. No one is certain of his property, and nobody knows what duties he may have to perform to-morrow. This is the policy of confiscation as compared with that of concurrent endowment.
—Benjamin Franklin

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

He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Hope, One liners

The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.
—Benjamin Franklin

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

When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself.
—Benjamin Franklin

He that lives upon Hope, dies fasting.
—Benjamin Franklin

Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Education, Genius

If we do not hang together, we will all hang separately.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Cooperation

I am a Conservative to preserve all that is good in our constitution, a Radical to remove all that is bad. I seek to preserve property and to respect order, and I equally decry the appeal to the passions of the many or the prejudices of the few.
—Benjamin Franklin

Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Poverty

Who is strong? He that can conquer his bad Habits.
—Benjamin Franklin

Necessity never made a good bargain.
—Benjamin Franklin
Topics: Necessity

They that won’t be counselled, can’t be helped.
—Benjamin Franklin