Talk:Benjamin Franklin
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[edit] Did Franklin Say This?
Commonly attributed to Franklin on the 'net:- "All humanity is divided into three classes: those who are immovable, those who are movable, and those who move!" Is the attribution correct?
Also, the attributed quote here about beer: God made beer because he loves us and wants us to be happy.
I've seen more often as Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
I've never seen anyone able to provide a source for this quotation, however. Any clues? 128.231.88.4 16:34, 17 January 2006 (UTC)
- Well, Franklin was known for drinking a lot. All the revolutionaries were. So, it sounds plausible. I know that's not good enough, but I wouldn't rule it out. --70.33.101.105 20:02, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
- The truth is that Franklin rather loathed beer and those who drank it to excess. Ben preferred the fruit of the vine and in 1779 wrote the following in a letter to André Morellet, a French economist. “Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.” It is easily seen how the quote has been altered. January 22, 2008
- —This unsigned comment is by 170.143.252.33 (talk • contribs) .
- This issue has been addressed, and though Franklin's possible opinions on Beer are not provided, the original quote on wine is, both in the section containing a more extensive quotation of the letter, and in the "Misattributed" section. ~ Kalki 17:36, 22 January 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Hang Separately?
The quotation "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." is in the sourced section but "Stated at the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) meaning that the rebels would either band together as Americans or be hung individually at the gallows." doesn't sound like a source to me. Superm401 08:33, 30 January 2006 (UTC)
- Google news has a newspaper attribution from 1844 [1]
- "Humor Repeats Itself" by Irene Nye, The Classical Journal, Vol. 9, No. 4 (Jan., 1914), pp. 154-164 [2] quotes one signer of the Declaration saying "We must all hang together", with Franklin responding "Yes, or we will all hang seperately". (If you don't have access to JStor, try your local library's web site).--Nowa123 04:46, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] freedom of printing?
Anybody know whether this attributed quote belongs to Franklin? "If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed." Thanks, --85.181.59.74 21:06, 25 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Possible quote?
- When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.
I have seen this attributed to him elsewhere, but not sure of its provenance. Anyone can confirm or deny it? -- 86.145.222.229 00:40, 9 February 2007 (UTC)
- Checking Google news, Google scholar and Google Books for "they can vote themselves money", I could find no attributions to Franklin earlier than 1988. By contrast, "time is money" is attributed to Franklin as early as 1850.[3]--Nowa123 04:46, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] The definition of insanity...
I respectfully suggest that the quote "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting it to come out different" is a misattribution to both Franklin and Einstein. According to Google news archive, the earliest news article attributing the quote to Franklin is from 2004 [4]. The earliest attribution to Einstein is 1998 [5]. By contrast, the earliest Google news article that attributes "time is money" to Franklin is 1849 [6]
The earliest news article in Google's archives that has the quote "The definition of insanity is doing the same...." is 1991 to Zamberletti of the Vikings. He said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing year after year and expecting different results" [7]
The earliest reference to "insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" is 1989 to david boswell [8]
The earliest reference to "the definition of insanity is doing..." is 1986 to Tony Elliott of the New Orleans Saints when he said "the definition of insanity is doing over and over again things that can kill you" [9]
A similar quote is from "Sudden Death" by Rita Mae Brown, from 1983.
Any objection to moving "the definition of insanity..." to misattributions?--Nowa123 04:47, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
- It seems pretty clearly to be a misattribution. ~ Fnord 04:35, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks for your input. If there are no objections by 3/1/07, I'll move it to misattributions.--Nowa123 14:06, 24 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Sourced Misattribution For Liberty / Safety ???
The explanation of "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" concludes that it is very unlikely that Franklin is the author. In my understanding of "sourced"(= Franklin's authorship is proven) the quote should therefore go to misattribution (with the fine explanation). Kevin --89.53.53.171 15:26, 4 March 2007 (UTC)
Bartlett's has the following: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." with a sourced of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, November 11, 1755.—The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, ed. Leonard W. Labaree, vol. 6, p. 242 (1963). I have not tried to verify this source. Rolland --70.192.218.175 15:24, 29 April 2009 (UTC)
[edit] Searchable Sayings from -- and based on -- Poor Richard's Almanac
I enjoyed your excellent article and particularly appreciated the timeline. It seems especially important in a man willing to respond to changing events.
Your website indicates an interest in aphorisms from Poor Richard’s Almanac. My website www.benandverse.com includes many of his prose sayings (along with updates in modern verse for each). There is a search engine and a detailed index.
As part of the “Creative Commons” project, I am offering all the material on my website free of copyright restrictions, provided that any original material is attributed to me. The material may be used for commercial or other purposes without payment.
I hope in this way to help spread Franklin’s good sense to a world that I think needs it.
I want to congratulate your website for its role in this mission.
Sincerely yours,
John D. McCall
PS. Franklin’s famous rhymes are not on my website. For them, I suggest you use you check a search engine -- for “Poor Richard’s Almanac” + 1758 -- and read that year’s preface.
PPS. The website has link from the Franklin Institute and an A+ from the WebEnglishTeacher.
[edit] What about this?
"I will not agree with your words, but fight to the death to allow you to speak them." Is this something Ben said? Thanks! DangerousNerd talk contribs email 20:32, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
- This seems to be a rather poor paraphrase of "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" which has commonly been attributed to Voltaire but was in fact a statement by Evelyn Beatrice Hall indicating what she believed Voltaire's attitude to be. ~ Kalki 21:03, 12 June 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Had to add a revised quote of mine which is spreading like wildfire
"Those who give up their liberty neither deserve liberty nor security." I think it is one which is now widely used everywhere and was not in there.
[edit] other quotes from aphorisms-galore.info are real?
[10] is this <=== real from aphorisms-galore.com i use it for English project, a hope it is real and not a lie by other people, thankyou
