Benjamin Franklin Quotes

Let us again clothe ourselves with these proved and sterling virtues - honesty, truthfulness, chastity, sobriety, temperance, industry, and thrift; let us discard all covetousness and greed.

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.

Be sweet, be good, and honest always.

So many things--nay every real thing--is good if only it will be humble and ordinate.

Exercise humility and restraint.

Temperance is the nurse of chastity.

Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.

Modesty, that perennial flower planted instinctively in the human breast, blooms therein only as continence guards and virtue keeps.

I try to be very modest with what I do. I'm not a frivolous spender.

Humility is not something that comes naturally. But it is a cardinal virtue that should be pursued more than any other.

There are no better cosmetics than a severe temperance and purity, modesty and humility, a gracious temper and calmness of spirit; and there is no true beauty without the signatures of these graces in the very countenance.

The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.

Moderation has been called a virtue to limit the ambition of great men, and to console undistinguished people for their want of fortune and their lack of merit.

To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.

The heart is great which shows moderation in the midst of prosperity.

Don't worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward.

There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.

Modesty is the color of virtue.

Moderation is the silken string running through the pearl chain of all virtues.

The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.

You come before me this morning with clean hands and clean collars. I want you to have clean tongues, clean manners, clean morals and clean characters.

Industry, thrift and self-control are not sought because they create wealth, but because they create character.

Here's a rule I recommend: Never practice two vices at once.

Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.