Benjamin Franklin

Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.

Franklin told of something which had happened at Lancaster in Pennsylvania at a treaty between the Six Nations and Virginia in 1744. The Virginia commissioners offered to take six Indian boys and educate them at the college in Williamsburg. The Indians, after politely waiting till the next day, declined the offer. Their young men who had gone to college in the northern provinces had come back "bad runners, ignorant of every means of living in the woods, unable to bear either cold or hunger, knew neither how to build a cabin, take a deer, or kill an enemy, spoke our languages imperfectly, were therefore neither fit for warriors, hunters, or counselors; they were totally good for nothing." But the Indians would take a dozen Virginia boys and educate them properly in the forest.

Our friend and we were invited aboard on a party of pleasure, which is to last forever. His chair was ready first, and he has gone before us. We could not all conveniently start together; and why should you and I be grieved at this, since we are soon to follow, and know where to find him.

Our Constitution is in actual operation; everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.

In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Diligence is the mother of good luck.

There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means - either may do - the result is the same and it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier.

Do good to your friends to keep them, to your enemies to win them.

Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day.