Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklinwas one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A renowned polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions. He facilitated many civic organizations, including...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth17 January 1706
CityBoston, MA
CountryUnited States of America
It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
Ambition has its disappointments to sour us, but never the good fortune to satisfy us. Its appetite grows keener by indulgence and all we can gratify it with at present serves but the more to inflame its insatiable desires.
If you desire many things, many things will seem few.
It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.
In short, the way to wealth, if you desire it, is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two works, industry and frugality.
...till we are uneasy in Rest, we can have no Desire to move, and without Desire of moving there can be no voluntary Motion.
Pride is as loud a beggar as want, and a great deal more saucy. When you have bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more, that your appearance may be all of a piece; but it is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
Evil, as evil, can never be chosen; and though evil is often the effect of our own choice, yet we never desire it but under the appearance of an imaginary good.
Keep out of the Sight of Feasts and Banquets as much as may be; for 'tis more difficult to refrain good Cheer, when it's present, than from the Desire of it when it is away; the like you may observe in the Objects of all the other Senses.
Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.
If you desire many things, many things will seem but a few
When a man and a woman die, as poets sung, His heart's the last part moves, her last, the tongue
The school looks very good. The uniforms are a good thing. It will be easy for my wife. She won't have to fight about clothes.
It would be thought a hard Government that should tax its People one tenth Part of their Time, to be employed in its Service.