Notable Quotes

Minted by Franklin

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The Yale Book of Quotations has named its most memorable quotes of 2007. The winner is “Don’t tase me, bro”–the plea University of Florida student Andrew Meyer made in September, before police removed him from an event featuring Senator John Kerry. (Watch the video.)

Now, “Don’t tase me, bro” may get a million YouTube downloads, but it doesn’t really sum up that many human truths. So, having just spent a day with the notably quotable Benjamin Franklin, we couldn’t resist making our own list–of Franklin favorites with the real ring of truth. Judge for yourself. As old Ben himself once said, “a lie stands on one leg, the truth on two.” (Unless it’s getting tased.)

One-Liners

• “Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”
• “Poverty wants some things, luxury many things,
  avarice all things.”
• “Most people dislike vanity in others,
  whatever share they have of it themselves.”
• “There never was a good war or a bad peace.”
• “He that can compose himself is wiser than he
  that composes books.”
• “Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones.”

Rhymes

• “He that would live in peace and at ease,
  Must not speak all he knows, nor judge all he sees.”
• “If thou dost ill, the joy fades, not the pains;
  If well, the pain doth fade, the joy remains.”
• “If what most men admire, they would despise,
  ‘Twould look as if mankind were growing wise.”
• “Each year one vicious habit rooted out,
  In time might make the worst man good throughout.”

Deep Thoughts

• “Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. At least you will, by such conduct, stand the best chance for such consequences.” (Because, as Ben also said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”)
• “We hear of the conversion of water into wine at the marriage in Cana as of a miracle. But this conversion is, through the goodness of God, made every day before our eyes. Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.”