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Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography - Chapter #44

by Miguel on 24/03/10 at 10:48 pm

Miguel shares his 3 takeaways from reading Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography.

0.00 Intro

I LEARNING
1.20 Avid reader
1.40 Study sunday
2.50 Writer

II WEALTH
3.35 A self-made man
4.10 His two keys for wealth
4.45 wealth and virtue

III CHARACTER
5.30 Two keys on character
9.10 The JUNTO

QUOTES:

Virtue was not secured till its practice was turned into a habitude.

Truth, sincerity and integrity are resolutions for felicity.

Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.

So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.

VIRTUES

His list of 13 virtues that he practised throughout his life, one per month, is as follows:

1) Temperance—Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation
2) Silence—Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation
3) Order—let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time
4) Resolution—resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve
5) Frugality—Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing
6) Industry—Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions
7) Sincerity—Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly
8 ) Justice—Wrong non by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty
9) Moderation—Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve
10) Cleanliness—Tolerate no uncleanlisness in body, cloths, or habitation
11) Tranquility—Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable
12) Chastity—Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation
13) Humility—Imitate Jesus and Socrates

“My list of virtues contain’d at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; [...] I determined endeavouring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list.”