To the generous mind the heaviest debt is that of gratitude, when it is not in our power to repay it.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Slavery is such an atrocious debasement of human nature, that its very extirpation, if not performed with solicitous care, may sometimes open a source of serious evils.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the severe consequences of slavery and cautions that the process of abolishing it must be handled with great care to avoid further problems.
Benjamin Franklin's quote highlights the profound moral degradation caused by slavery and emphasizes the complexity involved in its abolition. He warns that while ending slavery is a crucial and necessary endeavor, if not approached thoughtfully and with meticulous consideration, it could lead to new and significant issues, suggesting that liberation must be managed wisely to ensure true progress and reconciliation in society.
Themes
SlaveryFreedomHuman NatureAbolitionConsequences
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech addressing the importance of freedom, one might quote Franklin to emphasize the responsibility that comes with liberating oppressed groups.
More from Benjamin Franklin
All quotes βHe'll cheat without scruple, who can without fear.
Benjamin FranklinRead
[E]very Man who comes among us, and takes up a piece of Land, becomes a Citizen, and by our Constitution has a Voice in Elections, and a share in the Government of the Country.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Our Constitution is in actual operation; everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Let honesty and industry be thy constant companions, and spend one penny less than thy clear gains; then shall thy pocket begin to thrive; creditors will not insult, nor want oppress, nor hungerness bite, nor nakedness freeze thee
Benjamin FranklinRead
I think that a young state, like a young virgin, should modestly stay at home, and wait the application of suitors for an alliance with her; and not run about offering her amity to all the world; and hazarding their refusal. Our virgin is a jolly one; and tho at present not very rich, will in time be a great fortune, and where she has a favorable predisposition, it seems to me well worth cultivating.
Benjamin FranklinRead
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There were days when you peered into yourself, into the secret places of your heart, and what you saw there made you faint with horror. And then, next day, you didn't know what to make of it,you couldn't interpret the horror you had glimpsed the day before. Yes, you know what evil costs.
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I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man than to take the path that leads to himself.
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Homo sapiens is the species that invents symbols in which to invest passion and authority, then forgets that symbols are inventions.
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A fraudulent intent, however carefully concealed at the outset, will generally, in the end, betray itself.
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From the moment absurdity is recognized, it becomes a passion, the most harrowing of all. But whether or not one can live with one's passions, whether or not one can accept their law, which is to burn the heart they simultaneously exalt - that is the whole question.
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Justice without force is powerless; force without justice is tyrannical.
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