Career

I should have mentioned before, that, in the autumn of the preceding year, I had form'd most of my ingenious acquaintance into a club of mutual…

I mention this industry the more particularly and the more freely, tho' it seems to be talking in my own praise, that those of my posterity, who…

I perceive that I am apt to speak in the singular number, though our partnership still continu'd; the reason may be that, in fact, the whole…

Their example was follow'd by many, and our number went on growing continually. This was one of the first good effects of my having learnt a little…

But now another difficulty came upon me which I had never the least reason to expect. Mr. Meredith's father, who was to have paid for our…

As soon as he was gone, I recurr'd to my two friends; and because I would not give an unkind preference to either, I took half of what each had…

Our debates possess'd me so fully of the subject, that I wrote and printed an anonymous pamphlet on it, entitled "The Nature and Necessity of a Paper…

The utility of this currency became by time and experience so evident as never afterwards to be much disputed; so that it grew soon to fifty-five…

I soon after obtain'd, thro' my friend Hamilton, the printing of the Newcastle paper money, another profitable jobb as I then thought it; small…

I now open'd a little stationer's shop. I had in it blanks of all sorts, the correctest that ever appear'd among us, being assisted in that by my…

There remained now no competitor with me at Philadelphia but the old one, Bradford; who was rich and easy, did a little printing now and then by…

And now I set on foot my first project of a public nature, that for a subscription library. I drew up the proposals, got them put into form by our…

When we were about to sign the above-mentioned articles, which were to be binding upon us, our heirs, etc., for fifty years, Mr. Brockden, the…

Tho' I seldom attended any public worship, I had still an opinion of its propriety, and of its utility when rightly conducted, and I regularly paid…

But it so happened that my intention of writing and publishing this comment was never fulfilled. I did, indeed, from time to time, put down short…

In this piece it was my design to explain and enforce this doctrine, that vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden…

And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for…

I mention this affair chiefly for the sake of recommending that branch of education for our young females, as likely to be of more use to them and…

I have already mention'd that I had only one year's instruction in a Latin school, and that when very young, after which I neglected that language…

My first promotion was my being chosen, in 1736, clerk of the General Assembly. The choice was made that year without opposition; but the year…

On the whole, I proposed as a more effectual watch, the hiring of proper men to serve constantly in that business; and as a more equitable way of…

My business was now continually augmenting, and my circumstances growing daily easier, my newspaper having become very profitable, as being for a…

When the company separated, and the papers were collected, we found above twelve hundred hands; and, other copies being dispersed in the country, the…

My being many years in the Assembly, the majority of which were constantly Quakers, gave me frequent opportunities of seeing the embarrassment…

It was in allusion to this fact that, when in our fire company we feared the success of our proposal in favour of the lottery, and I had said to my…

An ironmonger in London however, assuming a good deal of my pamphlet, and working it up into his own, and making some small changes in the machine,…

Peace being concluded, and the association business therefore at an end, I turn'd my thoughts again to the affair of establishing an academy. The…

In 1751, Dr. Thomas Bond, a particular friend of mine, conceived the idea of establishing a hospital in Philadelphia (a very beneficent design, which…

At length he came to me with the compliment that he found there was no such thing as carrying a public-spirited project through without my being…

I have since had doubts of the practicability of the latter part of this proposal, on account of the narrowness of some streets, and the difficulty…

The business of the postoffice occasion'd my taking a journey this year to New England, where the College of Cambridge, of their own motion,…

By this plan the general government was to be administered by a president-general, appointed and supported by the crown, and a grand council was to…

The Board of Trade therefore did not approve of it, nor recommend it for the approbation of his majesty; but another scheme was form'd, supposed to…

"I apprehended that the progress of British soldiers through these counties on such an occasion, especially considering the temper they are in, and…

I received of the general about eight hundred pounds, to be disbursed in advance-money to the waggon owners, etc.; but that sum being insufficient, I…

In their first march, too, from their landing till they got beyond the settlements, they had plundered and stripped the inhabitants, totally…

As soon as the loss of the waggons and horses was generally known, all the owners came upon me for the valuation which I had given bond to pay. Their…

It was the beginning of January when we set out upon this business of building forts. I sent one detachment toward the Minisink, with instructions to…

The next day being fair, we continu'd our march, and arriv'd at the desolated Gnadenhut. There was a saw-mill near, round which were left several…

This gave me occasion to observe, that, when men are employ'd, they are best content'd; for on the days they worked they were good-natur'd and…

This silly affair, however, greatly increased his rancour against me, which was before not a little, on account of my conduct in the Assembly…

Notwithstanding the continual wrangle between the governor and the House, in which I, as a member, had so large a share, there still subsisted a…

In 1746, being at Boston, I met there with a Dr. Spence, who was lately arrived from Scotland, and show'd me some electric experiments. They were…

What gave my book the more sudden and general celebrity, was the success of one of its proposed experiments, made by Messrs. Dalibard and De Lor at…

Shirley was, I believe, sincerely glad of being relieved from so burdensome a charge as the conduct of an army must be to a man unacquainted with…

I mention'd, but without effect, the great and unexpected expense I had been put to by being detain'd so long at New York, as a reason for my…

Our captain of the paquet had boasted much, before we sailed, of the swiftness of his ship; unfortunately, when we came to sea, she proved the…

Even in the simple operation of sailing when at sea, I have often observ'd different judgments in the officers who commanded the successive watches,…

The Assembly looked into my entering into the first part of the engagement, as an essential service to the Province, since it secured the credit of…

And the models have to come from multiple disciplines—because all the wisdom of the world is not to be found in one little academic department.

Every person is going to have a circle of competence. And it's going to be very hard to advance that circle.

So what makes sense for the investor is different from what makes sense for the manager. And, as usual in human affairs, what determines the behavior…

The safest way to try and get what you want is to try and deserve what you want.

I’m not entitled to have an opinion on this subject unless I can state the arguments against my position better than the people do who are supporting…