Philadelphia, PA…Our Favorite Founding Father is Ben Franklin. He didn’t just help found our country during the 1776 era.   For two generations before he helped sell concepts of Freedom, Self-Determination & Inalienable rights. From 1733 to 1758 Poor Richards Almanac helped create the unique American identity in a homey, common sense, aspirational way. A few Bits of Wisdom from 1734…

1734
You cannot pluck roses without fear of thorns,
Nor enjoy fair wife without danger of horns.
Without justice, courage is weak.
Would you live with ease,
Do what you ought, not what you please.
Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.
Take this remark from Richard poor and lame,
Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.
What one relishes, nourishes.
No man e’er was glorious, who was not laborious.
All things are easy to Industry,
All things difficult to Sloth.
If you ride a Horse, sit close and tight,
If you ride a Man, sit easy and light.
Don’t think to hunt two hares with one dog.
See Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia (1732), #2782.
Fools multiply folly.
Beauty & Folly are old companions.
Better slip with foot than tongue.
Hope of gain,
lessens pain.
Wedlock, as old Men note, hath likened been,
Unto a publick Crowd or common Rout;
Where those that are without would fain get in,
And those that are within would fain get out.
Grief often treads upon the Heels of Pleasure,
Marry’d in Haste, we oft repent at Leisure;
Some by Experience find these Words misplac’d,
Marry’d at Leisure, they repent in Haste.
Where there’s Marriage without Love,
there will be Love without Marriage.
Be neither silly, nor cunning, but wise.
Neither a Fortress nor a Maidenhead will hold out long
after they begin to parly.
Who pleasure gives,
Shall joy receive.
All things are cheap to the saving, dear to the wasteful.
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
Happy’s the Wooing that’s not long a doing.
Jack Little sow’d little, & little he’ll reap.
Do good to thy Friend to keep him,
to thy enemy to gain him.
A good Man is seldom uneasy, an ill one never easie.
Teach your child to hold his tongue,
he’ll learn fast enough to speak.
Don’t value a man for the Quality he is of,
but for the Qualities he possesses.
As Charms are nonsense, Nonsense is a Charm.
He that cannot obey, cannot command.
An innocent Plowman is more worthy than a vicious Prince.
He that is rich need not live sparingly,
and he that can live sparingly need not be rich.
If you wou’d be reveng’d of your enemy, govern your self.
A wicked Hero will turn his back to an innocent coward.
Laws like to Cobwebs catch small Flies,
Great one break thro’ before your eyes.
An Egg to day is better than a Hen to-morrow.
See Thomas Fuller (physician), Gnomologia (1732), #2916.
Drink Water, Put the Money in your Pocket,
and leave the Dry-bellyach in the Punchbowl.
When ’tis fair be sure to take your Great coat with you.
He does not possess Wealth, it possesses him.
See Thomas Fuller (physician), Gnomologia (1732), #1125.
Necessity has no Law; I know some Attorneys of the name.
Onions can make, ev’n Heirs and Widows weep.
Strange, that he who lives by Shifts,
can seldom shift himself.
As sore places meet most rubs, proud folks
meet most affronts.
The thrifty maxim of the wary Dutch,
is to save all the Money they can touch.
He that waits upon Fortune, is never sure of a Dinner.
A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead
than an ignorant one.
Marry your Son when you will,
but your Daughter when you can.
Avarice and Happiness never saw each other,
how then shou’d they become acquainted.
If you woul’d have Guests merry with your cheer,
Be so your self, or so at least appear.
Reader, farewel, all Happiness attend thee:
May each New Year better and richer find thee.