Selections from Autobiography: Poor Richard's Almanac, Advice to a Young Tradesman, The Whistle, Necessary Hints to Those that Would be Rich, Motion for Prayers, Selected LettersDoubleday & McClure Company, 1899 - 178 pages |
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Page viii
... advantages of certain modes of conduct which I observed , and of avoiding the errors which were prejudicial to me . If a writer can judge properly of his own work , I fancy , on reading over what is already done , that the book will be ...
... advantages of certain modes of conduct which I observed , and of avoiding the errors which were prejudicial to me . If a writer can judge properly of his own work , I fancy , on reading over what is already done , that the book will be ...
Page 4
... advantages authors have in a second edition to correct some faults of the first . So I might , besides correcting the faults , change some sinister accidents and events of it for others more favorable . But though this were denied , I ...
... advantages authors have in a second edition to correct some faults of the first . So I might , besides correcting the faults , change some sinister accidents and events of it for others more favorable . But though this were denied , I ...
Page 17
... advantage . There was also a book of De Foe's , called an Essay on Projects , and another of Dr. Mather's , called Essays to do Good , which perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that had an influence on some of the principal future events ...
... advantage . There was also a book of De Foe's , called an Essay on Projects , and another of Dr. Mather's , called Essays to do Good , which perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that had an influence on some of the principal future events ...
Page 20
... advantage of my antagonist in correct spell- ing and pointing ( which I ow'd to the printing- house ) , I fell far short in elegance of expression , in method and in perspicuity , of which he con- vinced me by several instances . I saw ...
... advantage of my antagonist in correct spell- ing and pointing ( which I ow'd to the printing- house ) , I fell far short in elegance of expression , in method and in perspicuity , of which he con- vinced me by several instances . I saw ...
Page 22
... advantage in it . My brother and the rest going from the print- ing - house to their meals , I remained there alone , and , despatching presently my light repast , which often was no more than a biscuit or a slice of bread , a handful ...
... advantage in it . My brother and the rest going from the print- ing - house to their meals , I remained there alone , and , despatching presently my light repast , which often was no more than a biscuit or a slice of bread , a handful ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquaintance advantage affairs afterwards Almanac ask'd attend Benjamin Benjamin Franklin BLISS PERRY boat Boston bred brother call'd china bowl Colonel French continu'd desire diligent Ecton employ'd England erally father faults five shillings Franklin Franklin Stove gave George Whitefield give governor habit hand happy heard industry and frugality ingenious keep Keimer knew leisure letter Little Britain liv'd lived lodging London ment never night occasion pamphlet paper perhaps Philadelphia piece pleasure Poor DICK says Poor RICHARD says Poor Richard's Almanac porringer pounds pretty printed printer printing-house propos'd Ralph remember respect Riddlesden sect shillings show'd Sir William Wyndham sometimes soon street suppos'd surpris'd thee thing thou thought thro tion took town turbed uncle Benjamin us'd virtue whistle Whitefield wish'd writing wrote young
Popular passages
Page 139 - Methinks I hear some of you say, Must a man afford himself no leisure? I will tell thee, my friend, what Poor Richard says: 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 140 - And again, Three Removes is as bad as a Fire; and again, Keep thy Shop, and thy Shop will keep thee; and again, If you would have your Business done, go; if not, send. And again, He that by the Plough would thrive. Himself must either hold or drive.
Page 169 - MR. STRAHAN, You are a member of parliament, and one of that majority which has doomed my country to destruction. — You have begun to burn our towns, and murder our people. — Look upon your hands! — They are stained with the blood of your relations ! — You and I were long friends: — You are now my enemy, — and I am • Yours, B. FRANKLIN.
Page 90 - I crossed these columns with thirteen red lines, marking the beginning of each line with the first letter of one of the virtues; on which line, and in its proper column, I might mark by a little black spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed respecting that virtue, upon that day.* FORM OF THE PAGES.
Page 144 - A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees, as Poor Richard says. Perhaps they have had a small estate left them, which they knew not the getting of: they think, It is day, and will never be night; that a little to be spent out of so much is not worth minding; but 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.
Page 163 - Assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights, to illuminate our understandings...
Page 147 - The day comes round before you are aware, and the demand is made before you are prepared to satisfy it ; or, if you bear your debt in mind, the term, which at first seemed so long will, as it lessens, appear extremely short ; time will seem to have added wings to his heels as well as his shoulders. "Those have a short Lent, who owe money to be paid at Easter.
Page 21 - Then I compared my Spectator with the original, discovered some of my faults, and corrected them. But I found I wanted a stock of words, or a readiness in recollecting and using them...
Page 136 - 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. How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep, forgetting that The sleeping Fox catches no Poultry, and that There will be sleeping enough in the Grave, as Poor Richard says.
Page 138 - He that hath a trade, hath an estate ; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honor," as poor Richard says ; but then the trade must be worked at, and the calling well followed, or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes. If we are industrious, we shall never starve ; for, " at the working man's house, hunger looks in, but dares not enter.