Quotes

Here are some of Chris's favorite sayings from "Poor Richard's Almanac".

On love:

• Where there is marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.
• He that falls in love with himself shall have no rivals.
• Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.

On friendship:

• Tart words make no friends; a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar.
• A true friend is the best possession.
• The loss of friends is the tax a man pays for living long, himself. I find it is a heavy one.

On religion:

• Serving God is doing good to Man, but praying is thought an easier service and therefore more generally chosen.
• A good example is the best sermon.
• Many have quarreled about religion that have never practiced it.
• None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing.

On wellness:

• To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.
• In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.
• Eat to live, and not live to eat.

On war and diplomacy:

• There never was a good war or a bad peace.
• Those who in quarrels interpose must often wipe a bloody nose.
• We learn by chess that if you have incautiously put your men into a bad or dangerous position, you cannot obtain your enemy’s permission to withdraw your troops, but must suffer the consequences of your rashness.
• We also learn [by playing chess] the habit of not being discouraged by present bad appearances in the state of our affairs, the habit of hoping for a favorable change, and that of persevering in our resources.