Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack
Unavailable
Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack
Unavailable
Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack
Ebook63 pages34 minutes

Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this ebook

First published in 1732 by Benjamin Franklin when he was just 26, Poor Richard's Almanack was issued annually for the next 25 years. Extremely popular with readers of the day, the Almanack was a fascinating compilation of weather predictions, recipes, jokes, and delightful aphorisms — many representing Franklin's common-sense philosophy, and others, proverbs from the past.
This handy little volume presents hundreds of these charming maxims, carefully selected from a number of Franklin's "almanacks." Arranged in nearly 30 categories (eating and drinking; men, women, and marriage; friendships; money and frugality; religion; professions and occupations, etc.), they include such familiar phrases as:
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
Haste makes waste.
Love your Neighbour; yet don't pulldown your Hedge.
He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.
Hunger never saw bad bread.
He's a Fool that makes his Doctor his Heir.
He that has not got a Wife, is not yet a compleat Man.
An ideal sourcebook for writers, public speakers, and students, this practical and entertaining little book will also delight general readers with its rich store of time-honored folk wisdom.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 29, 2012
ISBN9780486110738
Unavailable
Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack
Author

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was a founding father of the United States of America. He was a printer, publisher, author, inventor, scientist, and diplomat. Franklin is known for signing and drafting the Declaration of Independence, representing America during the American Revolution, and making significant contributions to science.

Read more from Benjamin Franklin

Related to Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack

Related ebooks

Quotations For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack

Rating: 4.083334166666667 out of 5 stars
4/5

12 ratings1 review

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book includes hundreds of quotes from Poor Richard's Almanack, published annually by Benjamin Franklin and lasting some 25 years. Franklin admitted that he had "borrowed" some of the maxims, but the Almanack seems to have created many a household saying. It is always interesting to find one of the sources of "folk wisdom" and familiar sayings for which we take the origin for granted. I have been using La Rochefoucauld's Maxims for some time as a prompt for my daily journalling, and as I near the end of his maxims, I anticipate substituting Franklin's maxims once I am done with La Rochefoucauld. What is surprising about Franklin's maxims is the sheer breadth of topics - and of course, this volume is but a few of the best from the many issues of the Almanack. Some have a Christian bent, for example: When you taste Honey, remember Gall.Some recall Arabic sayings:Fish and visitors stink after three days.Others consider the "no contest" between science and religion:The way to see by Faith is to shut the Eye of Reason; The Morning Daylight appears plainer when you put out your CandleAnd even some leadership lessons:He that cannot obey, cannot command.This work is part of the Dover Thrift Series and I have others including Oscar Wilde and Abraham Lincoln to read. While technically not a "book", I find such lists of maxims easiest to digest if one reads through the list first, and then takes each in turn as a trigger for reflection. One of the most interesting quotes makes me wonder whether Franklin's self-teaching (minus the social capital of those who win the birth lottery) had similar limitations to my own:Write with the learned, pronounce with the vulgar.I found the after-effects of these maxims long lasting. There is so much in such a short book. That Franklin thought long and hard about his personal philosophy is obvious. If I were to sum up this philosophy in one maxim, it would be this:A long Life may not be good enough, but a good life is long enough.The strangest thing for me was that I read this while taking a break from reading St Teresa's Interior Castle. That much folk wisdom emanates from St Teresa's masterpiece is obvious, albeit more readily digestible when written by Poor Richard.