BENJAMIN FRANKLIN QUOTES Quicklyfind - Quotes on just about anything!
( - ) , , , , , , , , and Verified "...in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Source: 1789 letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy "Remember that time is money" Source: Advice to a Young Tradesman "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately" Said by many to have been declared at the signing of the . "Know the signs of the sky and you will far the happier be." on weather "I've lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth —That God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, —and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages." In speech to the Constitutional Convention (June 28, 1787) Manuscript notes by Franklin are preserved in the Library of Congress. "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 and 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 effect of prudence, or the want of it. By playing at Chess then, we may learn: 1st, Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and considers the consequences that may attend an action ... 2nd, Circumspection, which surveys the whole Chess-board, or scene of action: - the relation of the several Pieces, and their situations; ... 3rd, Caution, not to make our moves too hastily...." Source: "The Morals of Chess" (article) (1750) "They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Source: Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759) Attributed "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Variant: "He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security" Variant: "If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose both of them" "We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing." "He that lives on hope will die fasting." "There never was a good war or a bad peace." "God made beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy." "A Democracy will vote away its rights." See: list of people by name
Verified "...in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Source: 1789 letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy "Remember that time is money" Source: Advice to a Young Tradesman "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately" Said by many to have been declared at the signing of the . "Know the signs of the sky and you will far the happier be." on weather "I've lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth —That God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, —and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages." In speech to the Constitutional Convention (June 28, 1787) Manuscript notes by Franklin are preserved in the Library of Congress. "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 and 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 effect of prudence, or the want of it. By playing at Chess then, we may learn: 1st, Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and considers the consequences that may attend an action ... 2nd, Circumspection, which surveys the whole Chess-board, or scene of action: - the relation of the several Pieces, and their situations; ... 3rd, Caution, not to make our moves too hastily...." Source: "The Morals of Chess" (article) (1750) "They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Source: Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759) Attributed "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Variant: "He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security" Variant: "If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose both of them" "We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing." "He that lives on hope will die fasting." "There never was a good war or a bad peace." "God made beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy." "A Democracy will vote away its rights." See: list of people by name