George Washington had a similar list, more geared towards social deportment than morals per se. So did others, but I'm too lazy to go track them down.
Seems to have been a habit of the time to write those aspirations down. Not a bad idea, actually.
Posted on 07/07/2008 6:39:57 AM PDT by Loud Mime
Benjamin Franklin’s Thirteen Virtues
1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and 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 none, by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. 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.
12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Monty Python had the ideal title for a game: "Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time"
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‘Mime
These were obviously just aspirational on Ben's part.
Especially No. 11.
Good thing he didn't take himself seriously, or he would have been a much less interesting man.
I think Ben fell short at the chastity virtue more than once...
And #1 as well. Ben loved his food and drink.
Somewhere I read that he felt his old age carried the blessing of chastity....or was that Plato, or Aristotle?
Bugs me when liberals try to claim Ben as their own.
“God gave us beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy.” -Benjamin Franklin
bump
George Washington had a similar list, more geared towards social deportment than morals per se. So did others, but I'm too lazy to go track them down.
Seems to have been a habit of the time to write those aspirations down. Not a bad idea, actually.
Indeed. In his autobiography he relates how he carried a little chart wherein he marked down the number of times he failed at each of the virtues on a daily basis. He found that by noting and reflecting on his failings each day he was better able to strive for moral perfection. Strive for. No achieve. He was wise enough not to expect to be able to manage that.
or you could just follow the ten commandments and save the 3 extra steps
George Washington’s list (110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation): http://www.foundationsmag.com/civility.html
Sometimes I'm afraid that Charles Kingsley was right!
Number 11 jumped out at me too!
I have a wonderful old plate with a windmill farm scene, and the words, “DR. FRANKLIN’S MAXIM’S He who saves not as he gets may keep his nose all of his life to the grindstone & die not with a groat”. And “A fat kitchen makes a lean will. If you be rich think of saving”.
Oh, that our young people would get this message! :)
During Franklin's era, the favorite epithet was "bastard" because more often than not it was true. It was the Golden Age of Illegitimacy. Franklin was a man of his era who had pious intentions of changing his mode of behavior, but who was very much a part of his time.
Age may have made Ben chaste. Fortunately, they didn't have Viagra in those days.
Charles I was a notable exception (mostly - he had one illegitimate daughter before his marriage).
The Victorian era simply spread a thin veneer of middle-class respectability over business as usual. The Prince of Wales, and most everybody else above the rank of baronet, kept right on drinking and wenching, and it has continued more or less unabated to the present day.
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