Benjamin Franklin Quotes About Virtue

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  A good conscience is a continual Christmas.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Happiness, Christmas, Sarcastic

  Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.92, Barnes & Noble Publishing

• The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Wisdom, Honesty, Integrity

  "Gleanings among the Sheaves, The First Lesson", as quoted in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations, p. 878-82, 1922.

• Be civil to all; serviceable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Life, Relationship, Friends

  Benjamin Franklin (2012). “Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.43, Courier Corporation

• I believe there is one Supreme most perfect being. [...] I believe He is pleased and delights in the happiness of those He has created; and since without virtue man can have no happiness in this world, I firmly believe He delights to see me virtuous.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Believe, Men, Perfect

  "Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion". Book by Benjamin Franklin, 1728.

• Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Years, People, Needs

  Letter to the Abbés Chalut and Arnaud, April 17, 1787.

• Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor liberty to purchase power.

  Benjamin Franklin

  4th Of July, Liberty, Wealth

  Benjamin Franklin (2013). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.17, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

• That there is one God, who made all things. That he governs the world by his providence. That he might be worshipped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to Man. That the Soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Prayer, Men, Soul

  Benjamin Franklin (1869). “Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”, p.233

• In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Struggle, Humility, Passion

  Benjamin Franklin (2008). “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”, p.139, Applewood Books

• To be proud of virtue, is to poison yourself with the Antidote.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Poison, Proud, Virtue

  Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.263, Barnes & Noble Publishing

• Thirteen virtues necessary for true success: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Success, Humility, Order

• Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Freedom, Character, People

  Benjamin Franklin (1840). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.297

• Virtue and Happiness are Mother and Daughter.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Mom, Daughter, Mother

  Benjamin Franklin (2008). “The Way to Wealth and Poor Richard's Almanac”, Nayika Publishing

• A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district; all studied and appreciated as they merit; are the principal support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty.

  Benjamin Franklin

  School, Patriotic, Support

• Much Virtue in Herbs, little in Men.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Men, Littles, Herbs

  Benjamin Franklin (2007). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.97, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

• I think also, that general virtue is more probably to be expected and obtained from the education of youth, than from exhortations of adult persons; bad habits and vices of the mind being, like diseases of the body, more easily prevented than cured. I think moreover, that talents for the education of youth are the gift of God; and that he on whom they are bestowed, whenever a way is opened for use of them, is as strongly called as if he heard a voice from heaven.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Education, Thinking, Voice

  Benjamin Franklin (1838). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Ed., and Many Letters Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.48

• Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue; it is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Wisdom, Men, Bags

  Benjamin Franklin (1839). “Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin”, p.11

• My List of Virtues contain'd at first but twelve: But a Quaker Friend having kindly inform'd me that I was generally thought proud; that my Pride show'd itself frequently in Conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any Point, but was overbearing & rather insolent; of which he convinc'd me by mentioning several Instances; - I determined endeavouring to cure myself ..., and I added Humility to my List, giving an extensive Meaning to the Word.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Humility, Pride, Giving

  Source: edsitement.neh.gov

• Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Wise, Wisdom, 4th Of July

  Benjamin Franklin (1998). “Benjamin Franklin Wit and Wisdom”, p.12, Peter Pauper Press, Inc.

• Indeed the general natural Tendency of Reading good History, must be, to fix in the Minds of Youth deep Impressions of the Beauty and Usefulness of Virtue of all Kinds, Publick Spirit, Fortitude.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Education, Reading, Mind

  Benjamin Franklin (2006). “The Portable Benjamin Franklin”, p.193, Penguin

• Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Happiness, Virtue, Virtuous

  Benjamin Franklin, Henry Stueber, Benjamin Franklin Collection (Library of Congress) (1794). “Works of the late Dr. Benjamin Franklin: consisting of his life, written by himself : together with essays, humourous, moral & literary, chiefly in the manner of the Spectator : in two volumes”

• Idleness is the Dead Sea that swallows all virtues

  Benjamin Franklin

  Sea, Laziness, Virtue

  Benjamin Franklin (2012). “Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.8, Courier Corporation

• I think vital religion has always suffered when orthodoxy is more regarded than virtue. The scriptures assure me that at the last day we shall not be examined on what we thought but what we did.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Religious, Thinking, Religion

  Benjamin Franklin, Jared Sparks (1840). “The Works of Benjamin Franklin: Containing Several Political and Historical Tracts Not Included in Any Former Edition, and Many Letters, Official and Private, Not Hitherto Published; with Notes and a Life of the Author”, p.7

• Virtues, of ...
  Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Justice, Benefits, Virtue

  Benjamin Franklin, Alan Houston (2004). “Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings on Politics, Economics, and Virtue”, p.69, Cambridge University Press

• Vice knows she is ugly, so puts on her mask.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Vices, Ugly, Virtue

  Benjamin Franklin (2004). “Poor Richard's Almanack”, p.133, Barnes & Noble Publishing

• 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.

  Benjamin Franklin

  Character, People, Important

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