The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin: Consisting of Essays, Humourous, Moral, and Literary with His LifeJ. and B. Williams, 1839 - 224 pages |
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acquaintance advantage agreeable America appeared Assembly Boston Britain brother citizens colonies Conrad Weiser consequence considerable continued conversation daugh debt dispute employed endeavoured engaged England Europe expense experiments father favour Franklin frequently friends gave give governor hand happy hope hundred inconvenience Indians industry inhabitants Keimer kind labour learned letters liberty Little Britain lived London Madeira wine manner marriage master means ment merchants mind Mussulmen nation nature necessary never obliged observed obtained occasion opinion pain paper Pennsylvania persons Philadelphia philosophers pleasure poor Richard says Poor Richard's Almanac pounds pounds sterling present printer printing procure produced proposed province of Pennsylvania received respect shillings slavery soon stamp act subsistence thing Thomas Penn thought tion took town trade tricity whole wish writing young
Popular passages
Page 17 - Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown proposed as things forgot.
Page 193 - For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others.
Page 122 - The most trifling actions that affect a man's credit are to be regarded. The sound of your hammer at five in the morning, or nine at night, heard by a creditor, makes him easy six months longer; but, if he sees you at a billiard-table, or hears your voice at a tavern, when you should be at work, he sends for his money the next day; demands it, before he can receive it, in a lump.
Page 123 - Beware of thinking all your own that you possess, and of living accordingly. It is a mistake that many people who have credit fall into. To prevent this, keep an exact account, for some time, both of your expenses and your income.
Page 123 - In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words — industry and frugality ; that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both.
Page 194 - On the whole, sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objections to it would, with me, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility, and, to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument.
Page 109 - ... the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth...
Page 109 - I saved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.
Page 113 - ... in which dispute they spent their time, seemingly as regardless of the shortness of life as if they had been sure of living a month. Happy people! thought I, you...
Page 193 - I think a general government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and I believe further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.