If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth writing.
— Poor Richard's Almanack
Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath, active as a physicist, philosopher, statesman and inventor, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He helped draft and signed the Declaration of Independence, and he was the first postmaster general.
Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he became a successful newspaper editor and printer in Philadelphia, publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette at age 23. He grew wealthy from it and from Poor Richard's Almanack, which he wrote under the pseudonym "Richard Saunders." He was the first president of the Academy and College of Philadelphia, which later became the University of Pennsylvania, and he organized the American Philosophical Society. Poor Richard's Almanack and his Autobiography are his most quoted works in our library.
Born in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, he became a successful newspaper editor and printer in Philadelphia, publishing The Pennsylvania Gazette at age 23. He grew wealthy from it and from Poor Richard's Almanack, which he wrote under the pseudonym "Richard Saunders." He was the first president of the Academy and College of Philadelphia, which later became the University of Pennsylvania, and he organized the American Philosophical Society. Poor Richard's Almanack and his Autobiography are his most quoted works in our library.
Most quoted works
- Poor Richard's Almanack 7
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 7
- Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School 3
- The Way to Wealth 3
- Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin 2
Lost Time is never found again.
— Poor Richard's Almanack
Vessels large may venture more, But little boats should keep near shore.
— The Way to Wealth
Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in that.
— Poor Richard's Almanack
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
— Memoirs of the life & writings of Benjamin Franklin
Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.
— Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body, and Early Writings
A man of words and not of deeds, Is like a garden full of weeds.
— Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
— Poor Richard's Almanack
Fools make feasts and wise men eat them.
— Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School
A perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.
— The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
He that lives upon hope will die farting.
— Fart Proudly: Writings of Benjamin Franklin You Never Read in School
He that can have patience can have what he will.
How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!
If you would be remembered, write a book worth the reading or live a life worth the writing about.
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.
He who can have patience can have what he will.
All would live long but none would be old.
A child thinks twenty shillings and twenty years can scarce ever be spent.