Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin

The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion

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Read Advice to a Young Tradesman at the National Archives website

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Advice to a Young Tradesman." The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion. Philadelphia: George Fisher, 1748.

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Franklin, Benjamin. "Advice to a Young Tradesman." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

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Rebellion to Tyrants is obedience to God.

Benjamin Franklin

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Franklin, Benjamin, [published anonymously]. "Bradshaw's Epitaph." Pennsylvania Evening Post. Philadelphia, 14 Dec. 1775.

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Franklin, Benjamin. "Bradshaw's Epitaph." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

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Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor." 11 Nov. 1755. Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives, 1755-1756. Philadelphia, 1756, pp. 19-21.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, 11 Nov. 1755." Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-06-02-0107

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The body of
B. Franklin,
Printer;
Like the cover of an old Book,
Its Contents torn out,
And stript of its lettering and gilding,
Lies here, food for worms.
But the work shall not be wholly lost:
For it will, as he believ’d, appear once more,
In a new & more perfect edition,
Corrected and amended
By the Author.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. Epitaph for himself. 1728.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Epitaph." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

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Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency, but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes!

Benjamin Franklin

Letters of Benjamin Franklin

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Franklin, Benjamin. Letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy. 13 Nov. 1789.

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I am about Courting a Girl I have had but little Acquaintance with; how shall I come to a Knowledge of her Fawlts? and whether she has the Virtues I imagine she has?
Answ. Commend her among her Female Acquaintance.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Miscellaneous Observations." Pennsylvania Gazette. 12 Mar. 1732.

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Franklin, Benjamin. "Miscellaneous Observations, 1732." Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-01-02-0091

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A republic, if you can keep it.

Benjamin Franklin

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Franklin, Benjamin. Response to a question by Mrs. Powel. Constitutional Convention. 18 Sept. 1787, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. Quoted in "'A Republic if you can keep it': Elizabeth Willing Powwel, Benjamin Franklin, and the James McHenry Journal. Library of Congress. Posted 6 Jan. 2022, blogs.loc.gov/manuscripts.

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Human felicity is produc'd not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.

Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Charles W. Elliot. P. F. Collier & Son, Co., 1909.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Autobiography." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005, pt. 3.

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From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books.

Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, edited by Charles W. Elliot. P. F. Collier & Son, Co., 1909.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Autobiography." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005, pt. 1.

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No nation was ever ruined by trade.

Benjamin Franklin

The Annual Register, Or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, For the Year 1779

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Franklin, Benjamin. "Thoughts on Commercial Subjects." The Annual Register, Or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, For the Year 1779. London: J. Dodsley, 1780.

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That if all Printers were determin’d not to print any thing till they were sure it would offend no body, there would be very little printed.

Benjamin Franklin

Read An Apology for Printers at the National Archives website

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Apology for Printers," The Pennsylvania Gazette, 10 June 1731.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "Apology for Printers." Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body and Early Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

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All Property indeed, except the Savage’s temporary Cabin, his Bow, his Matchcoat, and other little Acquisitions absolutely necessary for his Subsistence, seems to me to be the Creature of public Convention. Hence the Public has the Right of Regulating Descents & all other Conveyances of Property, and even of limiting the Quantity & the Uses of it.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. Letter to Robert Morris. 25 Dec. 1783.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin."Paris, 1776-1785: Robert Morris, December 26, 1783." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

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When men are employ'd, they are best content'd; for on the days they worked they were good-natur'd and cheerful, and, with the consciousness of having done a good day's work, they spent the evening jollily; but on our idle days they were mutinous and quarrelsome.

Benjamin Franklin

Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin. Vol. 1, London: Henry Colburn, 1818, pt. 2.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Autobiography." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005, pt. 3.

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There never was a good War, or a bad Peace.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. Letter to Josiah Quincy, Sr. 11 Sept. 1783.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "To Josiah Quincy, Sr., September 11, 1783." Franklin Papers, Yale University, franklinpapers.org/framedVolumes.jsp.

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I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "On the Price of Corn, and Management of the Poor." The London Chronicle, 27 Nov. 1766 - 29 Nov. 1766.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "On the Price of Corn, and Management of the Poor." Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings. Bantam Classic, 2008.

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The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement. Several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired or strengthened by it, so as to become habits, ready on all occasions. For life is a kind of chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effects of prudence or the want of it.

Benjamin Franklin

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Original Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Morals of Chess." The Columbian Magazine, Dec. 1786.

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Current Citation

Franklin, Benjamin. "The Morals of Chess." Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings, edited by J. A. Leo Lemay. Library of America, 2005.

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