Franklin The Autobiography Quotes & Sayings

What I absorbed from autobiographies was not how to be great so much as the littleness of the great. — Miles Franklin

This gave me occasion to observe, that when Men are employ'd they are best contented. For on the Days they work'd they were good-natur'd and chearful; and with the consciousness of having done a good Days work they spent the Evenings jollily; but on the idle Days they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with their Pork, the Bread, and in continual ill-humour. (Autobiography, 1771) — Benjamin Franklin

Indeed, in addition to its lessons of thrift, industry, and prudence, Franklin's autobiography tells us every man should be part of a social group, if not three. He believed that a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals could dramatically leverage each other's success to do things otherwise impossible. — Keith Ferrazzi

My Parents had early given me religious Impressions, and brought me through my Childhood piously in the Dissenting Way. But I was scarce 15 when, after doubting by turns of several Points as I found them disputed in the different Books I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself. Some Books against Deism fell into my Hands; they were said to be the Substance of Sermons preached at Boyle's Lectures. It happened that they wrought an Effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them: For the Arguments of the Deists which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much Stronger than the Refutations. In short I soon became a thorough Deist.
[Part I, p. 45 of autobiography] — Benjamin Franklin

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — Benjamin Franklin