Notes and Quotes from Poor Richard's Almanac
When I read it: June 2020
Why I read it: Over the years, I’ve seen Benjamin Franklin quoted countless times. And nearly every time, his quote made me pause, think, and reflect. Poor Richard’s Almanac is a collection of Franklin's maxims, rules, and aphorisms. I enjoyed reading them and I’ve included my favorite “wit and wisdom” in these notes.
Go to the amazon listing for details and to read or scroll down for my notes.
Want to get my future notes when I publish them? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter below.
My notes:
About Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), was a diplomat, scientist, writer, inventor, and printer. He was one of the drafters and signers (i.e. Founding Fathers) of the Declaration of Independence. He also founded the original college that became the University of Pennsylvania.
About Poor Richard’s Almanac
Poor Richard's Almanac (sometimes Almanack) was a yearly almanac published by Benjamin Franklin, under the alias of Richard Saunders. The publication appeared from 1732 to 1758. Poor Richard’s Almanac is known today as a repository of Benjamin Franklin’s proverbs, which typically counsel thrift and courtesy, with a dash of cynicism.
Gratitude and happiness
“Content is the philosopher's stone, that turns all it touches into gold.”
“Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion.”
“Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.”
“Blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed.”
“Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.”
“Despair ruins some, Presumption many.”“Write injury in Dust, Benefits in Marble.”
Reputation
Glass, China and Reputation are easily cracked and never well mended.
Wisdom and foolishness
“He that best understands the world, least likes it.”
“Silence is not always a sign of wisdom but babbling is ever a mark of folly.”
“Necessity never made a good bargain.”
“A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.”
“It is ill-manners to silence a fool and cruelty to let him go on.”
“Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.”
“Fools make feasts and wise men eat them.”
“There’s many witty men whose brains can’t fill their bellies.”
“Half wits talk much but say little.”
“Life with fools consists in drinking; with the wise man, living’s thinking.”
“There’s none deceived but he that trusts.”
“None are deceived but they that confide.”
“Reading makes a full Man, Meditation a profound Man, discourse a clear Man.”
“Who knows a fool, must know his brother; For one will recommend another.”
“Learn of the skilful: He that teaches himself, hath a fool for his master.”
“Who is wise? He learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.”
Habits
“Who is strong? He that can conquer his bad habits.”
“Each year one vicious habit rooted out, in time might make the worst man good throughout.”
“Beware of little expenses, a small leak will sink a great ship.”
“Nothing brings more pain than too much pleasure; nothing more bondage than too much liberty.”
“Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure when he is really selling himself a slave to it.”
“Words may show a man’s wit but actions his meaning.”
“Little rogues easily become great ones.”
“Eat to live, and not live to eat.”
“To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.”
“‘Tis easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
”“Tis easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”
“Drink Water, Put the Money in your Pocket, and leave the Dry-bellache in the Punchbowl.”
“Deny Self for Self’s sake.”
“Keep flax from fire, youth from gaming.”
“He that spills the Rum, loses that only; He that drinks it, often loses both that and himself.”
“Hold your council before dinner: the full belly hates Thinking as well as Acting.”
“Neglect mending a small fault, and ‘twill’ soon be a great one.”
Enemies
“The wise man draws more advantage from his enemies than the fool from his friends.”
“Hear no ill of a friend, nor speak any of an enemy.”
“Love your enemies for they tell you your faults.”
“An open foe may prove a curse but a pretended friend is worse.”
“Let all men know thee, but no man know thee thoroughly; men freely ford that see the shallows.”
Emotions and bias
“He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes books.”
“Anger is never without a reason but seldom with a good one.”
“Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.”
“A man in a passion rides a mad horse.”
“Those who are feared are hated.”
“Do good to thy friend to hold him, to thy enemy to gain him.”
“Beware of him that is slow to anger: He is angry for something, and will not be pleased for nothing.”
“If Jack’s in love, he’s no judge of Jill’s Beauty.
Ego and humility
“The proud hate pride – in others.”
“To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”
“Who has deceived thee as often as thyself?”
“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”
“In success be moderate.”
“Humility makes great men twice honourable.”
“Success has ruined many a man.”
“He that won’t be counselled, can’t be helped.”
“The Wise and Brave dares own that he was wrong.”
“It’s common for men to give 6 pretended reasons instead of one real one.”
“If thou hast wit & learning, add to it Wisdom and Modesty.”
“It’s the easiest Thing in the World for a Man to deceive himself.”
“Good Sense is a Thing all need, few have, and none think they lack.”
“Want of Care does us more Damage than Want of Knowledge.”
Hard work and patience
“There are no gains without pains.”
“Be always ashamed to catch thyself idle.”
“If you would not be forgotten As soon as you are dead and rotten, Either write things worth reading Or do things worth writing.”
“The things which hurt, instruct.”
“Great talkers, little doers.”
“Would you live with ease, do what you ought, not what you please.”
“All things are easy to Industry, All things difficult to Sloth.”
“By diligence and patience, the mouse bit in two the cable.”
“Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.”
“Labour in the first place to bring thy Appetite into Subjection to Reason.”
“Make haste slowly.”
“A light purse is a heavy Curse.”
“Speak little, do much.”
“Diligence overcomes difficulties, Sloth makes them.”
Virtue
“The noblest question in the world is What good may I do in it?”
“Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all.”
“Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden but it is forbidden because it is hurtful. Nor is Duty beneficial because it is commanded, but it is commanded, because it’s beneficial.”
“Avoid dishonest Gain: No price Can recompense the Pangs of Vice.”
“Vice knows she’s ugly, so puts on her Mask.”
“Half the truth is often a great lie.”
Relationships
“He that lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas.”
“Lend money to an enemy and you will gain him, to a friend and you will lose him.”
“When there is marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.”
“Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.”
“You can bear your own faults and why not a fault in your wife?
“Visits should be short, like a winters day, Lest you are too troublesome hasten away.”
“Fish and visitors stink in three days.”
“Most people return small favors, acknowledge middling ones, and repay great ones with ingratitude.”
“No better relation than a prudent and faithful friend.”
“If you would keep your secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.”
“A good wife and health is a man’s best wealth.”
“A quarrelsome man has no good neighbors.”
“Don’t throw stones at your neighbors’ if your own windows are glass.”
“He that sells upon trust loses many friends, and always wants money.”
“To whom thy secret thou dost tell, to him thy freedom thou dost sell.”
“‘Tis great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults, greater to tell him his.”
“A true Friend is the best Possession.”
“If you would be loved, love and be loveable.”
“When a friend deals with a friend Let the bargain be clear and well penn’d, That they may continue friends to the end.”
Arguments
“Those who in quarrels interpose, must often wipe a bloody nose.”
“Quarrels never could last long, If on one side only lay the wrong.”
“Wars bring scars.”
“A Pair of good ears will drain dry an hundred tongues.”
Government
“Where there is hunger, law is not regarded; and where law is not regarded, there will be hunger.”
“Laws too gentle are seldom obeyed; too severe, seldom executed.”
Persuasion
“Would you persuade, speak of interest, not of reason.”
Focus
“He that pursues two hares at once, does not catch one and lets the other go.”