The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin: Consisting of Essays, Humourous, Moral, and Literary : with His Life |
From inside the book
Page 11
One of my uncles , desirous , like myself , of collecting anecdotes of our family , gave me some notes , from which I have derived many particulars respecting our ancestors . From these I learn , that they had lived in the same village ...
One of my uncles , desirous , like myself , of collecting anecdotes of our family , gave me some notes , from which I have derived many particulars respecting our ancestors . From these I learn , that they had lived in the same village ...
Page 16
The vicinity of the water , however , gave me frequent opportunities of venturing myself both upon and within it , and I soon acquired the art of swimming and of managing a boat . When embark . ed with other children , the helm was ...
The vicinity of the water , however , gave me frequent opportunities of venturing myself both upon and within it , and I soon acquired the art of swimming and of managing a boat . When embark . ed with other children , the helm was ...
Page 24
The offer was instantly embraced , and I soon found that of what he gave me I was able to save half . This was a new fund for the purchase of books ; and other advantages resulted to me from the plan . When my brother and his workmen ...
The offer was instantly embraced , and I soon found that of what he gave me I was able to save half . This was a new fund for the purchase of books ; and other advantages resulted to me from the plan . When my brother and his workmen ...
Page 27
Among his friends he had a number of literary characters , who , as an amusement , wrote short essays for the paper , which gave it reputation , and increased the sale . These gentlemen frequently came to our house .
Among his friends he had a number of literary characters , who , as an amusement , wrote short essays for the paper , which gave it reputation , and increased the sale . These gentlemen frequently came to our house .
Page 28
An article inserted in our paper , upon some political subject which I have now forgotten , gave offence the Assembly . My brother was taken into custody , censured , and ordered into confinement for a month , because ...
An article inserted in our paper , upon some political subject which I have now forgotten , gave offence the Assembly . My brother was taken into custody , censured , and ordered into confinement for a month , because ...
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Common terms and phrases
able advantage America appeared Assembly become body called carried common consequence considerable considered continued desire effect employed engaged England entered equal established Europe expense experiments father Franklin frequently friends gave give given hands hope hundred important improvement industry inhabitants interest kind known labour land late learned less letters liberty live manner master means mind nature necessary never obliged observed obtained occasion offered opinion pass perhaps persons Philadelphia pleasure poor pounds present printing produce proposed quaker reason received remain respect says shillings soon suffered taken thing thought tion took town trade turn whole wish writing young
Popular passages
Page 239 - 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 280 - Thus I consent, sir, to this Constitution, because I expect no better and because I am not sure that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors I sacrifice to the public good. I have never whispered a syllable of them abroad. Within these walls they were born and here they shall die.
Page 280 - It therefore astonishes me, sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does ; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded, like those of the builders of Babel ; and that our states are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another's throats. Thus I consent, sir, to this Constitution, because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best.
Page 237 - 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...
Page 242 - If you would know the Value of Money, go and try to borrow some; for, he that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing; and indeed so does he that lends to such People, when he goes to get it in again.
Page 238 - He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling, hath an office of profit and honor; 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, as Poor Richard says, At the workingman's house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.
Page 143 - When I was a child of seven years old my friends on a holiday filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children, and being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one.
Page 279 - I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them, 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.
Page 280 - 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.
Page 240 - ... for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost...
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Works of Dr. Benjamin Franklin: Consisting of Essays, Humourous, Moral, and Literary : with His Life |
| Author | Benjamin Franklin |
| Illustrated by | David G. Johnson (Engraver) |
| Contributor | Mahlon Day & Co |
| Publisher | Mahlon Day, 1834 |
| Original from | the New York Public Library |
| Digitized | 6 Dec 2006 |
| Length | 290 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |