Poor Richard Wisdom

On this day (Dec. 28) in 1732, Ben Franklin published the first edition of Poor Richard’s Almanack.

For 25 years, he published the Almanack annually — 10,000 copies per year.

To celebrate the Almanack’s birthday, I’ll share a favorite quote from each edition, starting with the first “1733” edition.

Maybe these can inspire some new year’s resolutions…

1733: “He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.”

1734: “Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.”

1735: “To be humble to Superiors is Duty, to Equals Courtesy, to Inferiors Nobleness.”

1736: “Diligence is the mother of Good-Luck.”

1737: “Well done is better than well said.”

1738: “Drive thy business; let not that drive thee.”

1739: “Trust thy self, and another shall not betray thee.”

1740: “Tricks and trechery are the Practice of Fools, that have not Wit enough to be honest.”

1741: “Quarrels never could last long, If on one side only lay the wrong.”

1742: “To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.”

1743: “How few there are who have courage enough to own their Faults, or resolution enough to mend them!”

1744: “Make haste slowly.”

1745: “‘Tis easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”

1746: “Dost thou love Life? then do not squander Time; for that’s the Stuff Life is made of.”

1747: “A good Example is the best sermon.”

1748: “When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself.”

1749: “Declaiming against Pride, is not always a Sign of Humility.”

1750: “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.”

1751: “Today is Yesterday’s Pupil.”

1752: “The Brave and the Wise can both pity and excuse; when Cowards and Fools shew no Mercy.”

1753: “Sudden Power is apt to be insolent, Sudden Liberty saucy; that behaves best which has grown gradually.”

1754: “Love thy Neighbor; yet don’t pull down your Hedge.”

1755: “Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn.”

1756: “Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.”

1757: “It is Ill-Manners to silence a Fool, and Cruelty to let him go on.”

1758: “To serve the Publick faithfully, and at the same time please it entirely, is impracticable.”