American polymath, a leading writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher
He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees.
Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.
Half a truth is often a great lie.
As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.
Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste.
At twenty years of age the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.
My elder brothers were all put apprentices to different trades. I was put to the grammar-school at eight years of age, my father intending to devote me, as the tithe of his sons, to the service of the Church.
For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.