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Franklin, Benjamin

"The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin"

e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd 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 extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much
as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths,
or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents
common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring,
never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's
peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues,
I judg'd it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting
the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I
should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on,
till I should have gone thro' the thirteen; and, as the previous
acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others,
I arrang'd them with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first,
as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is
so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard
maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits,
and the force of perpetual temptations.


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