Franklin's Autobiography |
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Popular passages
Page 84 - Seest thou a man diligent in his calling, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men...
Page 201 - Blessing of Heaven; and therefore ask that Blessing humbly, and be not uncharitable to those that at present seem to want it, but comfort and help them. Remember Job suffered, and was afterwards prosperous. And now to conclude, Experience keeps a dear School, but Fools will learn in no other...
Page 87 - It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time ; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other.
Page 201 - A little neglect may breed great mischief; adding, 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...
Page 15 - I took some of the tales and turned them into verse; and, after a time, when I had pretty well forgotten the prose, turned them back again. I also sometimes jumbled my collections of hints into confusion, and after some weeks endeavored to reduce them into the best order before I began to form the full sentences and complete the paper.
Page 199 - 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 99 - And to this habit (after my character of integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or alterations in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I became a member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet I generally carried my points.
Page 88 - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation. 3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. 4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. 5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; ie, waste nothing.
Page 199 - Lost Time is never found again; and what we call Time enough, always proves little enough: Let us then up and be doing, and doing to the Purpose; so by Diligence shall we do more with less Perplexity. Sloth makes all Things difficult, but Industry all easy...
Page 18 - ... present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error. And by such a manner, you can seldom hope to recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose concurrence you desire.
Bibliographic information
| Title | Franklin's Autobiography English readings for schools English readings for schools. General editor: W. L. Cross |
| Author | Benjamin Franklin |
| Editor | Frank Woodworth Pine |
| Publisher | Henry Holt, 1912 |
| Original from | Harvard University |
| Digitized | 14 Mar 2007 |
| Length | 231 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |