Benjamin Franklin People Quotations

It is the eye of other people that ruin us. If I were blind I would want, neither fine clothes, fine houses or fine furniture.

The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.

Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75.

The art of acting consists in keeping people from coughing.

Those disputing, contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory, sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them.

Where there is a free government, and the people make their own laws by their representatives, I see no injustice in their obliging one another to take their own paper money.

Nothing is more important for the public wealth than to form and train youth in wisdom and virtue. Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

People who are wrapped up in themselves make small packages.

In prosperous fortunes be modest and wise, The greatest may fall, and the lowest may rise: But insolent People that fall in disgrace, Are wretched and nobody pities their Case.

Most people return small favors, acknowledge medium ones and repay greater ones - with ingratitude.

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." -The 5000 Year Leap

The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practiced the contrary.

Eat what you like, but dress for other people.

To bear other people's afflictions, everyone has courage and enough to spare.

Interest which blinds some People, enlightens others.

History affords us many instances of the ruin of states, by the prosecution of measures ill suited to the temper and genius of their people. The ordaining of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. ... These measures never fail to create great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and the people oppressed; whence a total separation of affections, interests, political obligations, and all manner of connections, by which the whole state is weakened.

There are three sorts of people in the world: Those who are immovable, people who don't get it, or don't want to do anything about it; there are people who are movable, people who see the need for change and are prepared to listen to it; and there are people who move, people who make things happen.

We must not in the course of public life expect immediate approbation and immediate grateful acknowledgment of our services. But let us persevere through abuse and even injury. The internal satisfaction of a good conscience is always present, and time will do us justice in the minds of the people, even those at present the most prejudiced against us.

Most people die at 25 but are buried at 75.

In free governments the rulers are the servants and the people are their superiors and sovereigns.

It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one tenth part.

All highly competent people continually search for ways to keep learning, growing, and improving. They do that by asking WHY. After all, the person who knows HOW will always have a job, but the person who knows WHY will always be the boss.

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

What is best for people is what they do for themselves.

The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.

Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. ... Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.

People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.

I don't believe in stereotypes. I prefer to hate people on a more personal basis.

When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.

Indeed, when religious people quarrel about religion, or hungry people quarrel about victuals, it looks as if they had not much of either among them.

People are best convinced by things they themselves discover.

You can't tell anyone anything. You have to teach people for them to remember. Let the person experience what you are teaching and they will learn.

People want to catch a buzz. That is why drugs are illegal, yet people still try to get their hands on them no matter what the consequence. Drugs make us happy, they may not be healthy.

The importation of foreigners into a country that has as many inhabitants as the present employments and provisions for subsistence will bear, will be in the end no increase of people, unless the new comers have more industry and frugality than the natives, and then they will provide more subsistence, and increase in the country; but they will gradually eat the natives out. Nor is it necessary to bring in foreigners to fill up any occasional vacancy in a country for such vacancy will soon be filled by natural generation.

A virtuous and industrious people may be cheaply governed.

The world is run by the people who show up.

Why should I give my Readers bad lines of my own when good ones of other People's are so plenty?

To get the bad customs of a country changed and new ones, though better, introduced, it is necessary first to remove the prejudices of the people, enlighten their ignorance, and convince them that their interests will be promoted by the proposed changes; and this is not the work of a day.

A people who chose security over liberty will receive neither nor deserve either.

This [the U.S. Constitution] is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.

To expect people to be good, to be just, to be temperate, etc., without showing them how they should become so, seems like the ineffectual charity mentioned by the apostle, which consisted in saying to the hungry, the cold and the naked, be ye fed, be ye warmed, be ye clothed, without showing them how they should get food, fire or clothing.

If any form of government is capable of making a nation happy, ours I think bids fair now for producing that effect. But after all much depends upon the people who are governed.

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!

Governments having failed the people, the people are entirely justified in assuming for themselves and essential role in government. Where a government takes proper measures to protect the people under its care, such a proceeding might have been thought both unnecessary and unjustifiable: But here it is quite the Reverse.

When the well is dry, people know the worth of water. [so appreciate what you have while you have it]

The King's cheese is half wasted in parings: But no matter, 'tis made of the people's milk.

People who are willing to give up freedom for the sake of short term security, deserve neither freedom nor security.

I have met the enemy, and it is the eyes of other people.

That wise Men have in all Ages thought Government necessary for the Good of Mankind; and, that wise Governments have always thought Religion necessary for the well ordering and well-being of Society, and accordingly have been ever careful to encourage and protect the Ministers of it, paying them the highest publick Honours, that their Doctrines might thereby meet with the greater Respect among the common People.

Like a man travelling in foggy weather, those at some distance before him on the road he sees wrapped up in the fog, as well as those behind him, and also the people in the fields on each side, but near him all appears clear, though in truth he is as much in the fog as any of them.

Most people return small favors, acknowledge medium ones and repay great ones - with ingratitude

Most people return small favors, acknowledge medium ones and repay greater ones - with ingratitude.

He that buys by the penny, maintains not only himself, but other people

Where carcasses are, eagles will gather, And where good laws are, much people flock thither

When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.

It would be thought a hard Government that should tax its People one tenth Part of their Time, to be employed in its Service.

Some punishment seems preparing for a people who are ungratefully abusing the best constitution and the best King any nation was ever blessed with, intent on nothing but luxury, licentiousness, power, places, pensions, and plunder; while the ministry, divided in their counsels, with little regard for each other, worried by perpetual oppositions, in continual apprehension of changes, intent on securing popularity in case they should lose favor, have for some years past had little time or inclination to attend to our small affairs, whose remoteness makes them appear even smaller.

The magistrate should obey the laws, the people should obey the magistrate.