Quote collection
1.4K quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"I think with you, that nothing is of more importance for the public weal, than to form and train up youth in wisdom and virtue. Wise and good men are in my opinion, the strength of the state; more so than riches or arms."
"That it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer, is a Maxim that has been long and generally approved."
"God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice, either here or hereafter."
"Lawyers, Preachers, and Tomtits Eggs, there are more of them hatch'd than come to perfection."
"To the haranguers of the populace among the ancients, succeed among the moderns your writers of political pamphlets and news-papers, and your coffee-house talkers."
"And as to the Cares, they are chiefly what attend the bringing up of Children; and I would ask any Man who has experienced it, if they are not the most delightful Cares in the World; and if from that Particular alone, he does not find the Bliss of a double State much greater, instead of being less than he expected."
"When religion is good, it will take care of itself. When it is not able to take care of itself, and God does not see fit to take care of it, so that it has to appeal to the civil power for support, it is evidence to my mind that its cause is a bad one."
"Slavery is ...an atrocious debasement of human nature."
"A policy of life insurance is the cheapest and safest mode of making a certain provision for one's family."
"I've striven my whole life for humility, but if I'd ever achieved it, I'd probably be pretty damn proud of that."
"That wise Men have in all Ages thought Government necessary for the Good of Mankind; and, that wise Governments have always thought Religion necessary for the well ordering and well-being of Society, and accordingly have been ever careful to encourage and protect the Ministers of it, paying them the highest publick Honours, that their Doctrines might thereby meet with the greater Respect among the common People."
"It is very imprudent to deprive America of any of her privileges. If her commerce and friendship are of any importance to you, they are to be had on no other terms than leaving her in the full enjoyment of her rights."
"Those who prefer security to liberty deserve neither."
"Twas Noah who first planted the vine And mended his morals by drinking its wine."
"There was great difference in persons; and discretion did not always accompany years, nor was youth always without it."
"Perhaps I'm too saucy or provoking?"
"O powerful goodness! Bountiful Father! Merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolution to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me."
"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)"
"You have on hand those things that you need if you have but the wit and wisdom to use them."
"From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books."