Benjamin Franklin: A BiographyR. Worthington, 1888 - 333 pages |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acquaintance affairs afterwards agent American appointed arrived asked Assembly attention became began Benjamin Benjamin Franklin Boston brother brought called Chatham colonies commissioners Congress course David Hume drew England father favor felt Fort Duquesne France Frank friends gave gentleman give Governor habit hand Indians James Franklin Keimer King letters likewise lived lodge London Lord Lord Chatham Lord Dartmouth Lord Hillsborough Lord Loudoun Massachusetts Assembly matter ment mind Minister ministry never once pamphlet paper Parliament Pennsylvania person petition Phila Philadelphia philosopher Poor Richard porringer Postmaster-General pounds printer printing office promised proposed province province of Pennsylvania Quaker reached ready received sail says Scotland sent soon Stamp Act street style things thought tion told took town trade vessel virtue vote whole wrote young Franklin youth
Popular passages
Page 328 - I have 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.
Page 119 - Here will I hold. If there's a power above us (And that there is, all Nature cries aloud Through all her works), he must delight in virtue ; And that which he delights in must be happy.
Page 10 - At his table he liked to have, as often as he could, some sensible friend or neighbor to converse with, and always took care to start some ingenious or useful topic for discourse, which might tend to improve the minds of his children. By this means he turned our attention to what was good, just, and prudent in the conduct of life...
Page 132 - I therefore filled all the little spaces, that occurred between the remarkable days in the calendar, with proverbial sentences, chiefly such as inculcated industry and frugality as the means of procuring wealth, and thereby securing virtue ; it being more difficult for a man in want to act always honestly, as, to use here one of those proverbs, It is hard for an empty sack to stand upright.
Page 135 - Employ thy Time well, if thou meanest to gain Leisure; and, since thou art not sure of a Minute, throw not away an Hour.
Page 156 - Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that and determined me to give the silver ; and he finished so admirably that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all. At this sermon there was also one of our club who, being of my sentiments respecting the building in Georgia and suspecting a collection might be intended, had by precaution emptied his pockets before he came from home...
Page 136 - For want of a nail, the shoe was lost, For want of a shoe, the horse was lost, For want of a horse, the rider was lost, For want of a rider, the battle was lost.
Page 134 - Key is always bright, as Poor Richard says. But dost thou love Life, then do not squander Time, for that's the stuff Life is made of, as Poor Richard says.
Page 120 - O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom, which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children, as the only return in my power for thy continual favors to me.
Page 137 - Always taking out of the meal-tub, and never putting in, soon comes to the bottom, as Poor Richard says; and then, When the well is dry, they know the worth of water.