Benjamin Franklin Quotes

O madness to think use of strongest wines And strongest drinks our chief support of health, When God with these forbidden made choice to rear His mighty champion, strong above compare, Whose drink was only from the liquid brook.

Following his doctor's orders, Nikita (Khrushchev) has cut his drinking in half. He's leaving out the water.

Few would venture to deny the advantages of temperance in increasing the efficiency of a nation at war.

There are two reasons for drinking: one is, when you are thirsty, to cure it; the other, when you are not thirsty, to prevent it.

As to the advantages of temperance in the training of the armed forces and of its benefits to the members of the forces themselves, there can be no doubt in the world.

I never drank except a couple sips of wine at Thanksgiving.

I can go eight days without a drink—but who wants to be a camel.

Abstinence from spirituous liquors is the best safeguard of morals and health.

He who drinks too much beer must drink water

The exclusion of wine from the list of refreshments has turned out exceedingly well. There is a great deal of dissipation here [in Washington DC] At the reception of the British Minister, and that of the Mexican Minister, disgraceful things were done by young men, made reckless by too much wine. Hence the necessity of our course is obvious, and is commended in unexpected quarters. Many of the foreign gentlemen speak of it with approval. We shall stick to it.

Mrs. Hayes has been from childhood a total abstainer. I was not a total abstainer when I became President. But the discussions which arose over the change at the President's house soon satisfied me that in this matter, if our example was to be useful, there was no half-way house for me. During the greater part of my term and at least for the last three years, I have been in practice and in theory a total-abstinence man, and I shall continue to be so. All statements inconsistent with the foregoing are without foundation.

I haven't taken into account how much I drink. I do drink a lot when I am on stage anyway. You will see me come back and have sips of water. I haven't taken into account how much.

Cows' milk and soya milk isn't good for me. Almond milk and rice milk is OK. I don't really drink alcohol, either. Maybe wine but only sometimes.

If you are poor, avoid wine as a costly luxury; if you are rich, shun it as a fatal indulgence. Stick to plain water.

I never drink without a thirst, either present or future.

And Noah he often said to his wife when he sat down to dine, "I don't care where the water goes if it doesn't get into the wine."

Father says hot water can be as stimulating as an alcoholic drink and though I never come by one...I can well believe it.

Be temperate in your drinking, remembering that too much wine cannot keep either a secret or a promise.

Sir, I have no objection to a man's drinking wine, if he can do it in moderation. I found myself apt to go to excess in it, and therefore, after having been for some time without it, on account of illness, I thought it better not to return to it. Every man is to judge for himself, according to the effects which he experiences.

I can hardly bring myself to caution you against drinking, because I am persuaded that I am writing to a rational creature, a gentleman, and not to a swine. However, that you may not be insensibly drawn into that beastly custom of even sober drinking and sipping, as the sots call it, I advise you to be of no club whatsoever.

What is better adapted than the festive use of wine in the first place to test and in the second place to train the character of a man, if care be taken in the use of it? What is there cheaper or more innocent?

Wine taken in moderation never does any harm.

Wine has made me bold, but not foolish; has induced me to say silly things, but not do them.

I like the odd glass of wine, a coffee and a cigarette. As you get older you can't see the wrinkles

Half as sober as a judge.