Without industry and frugality, nothing will do; with them, everything.

After getting the first hundred pounds, it is more easy to get the second.

That as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours, and this we should do freely and generously.

I am the laziest man in the world. I invented all those things to save myself from toil.

Idle hands are the devil's playthings.

The worst wheel of the cart makes the most noise.

This gave me occasion to observe, that when Men are employ'd they are best contented. For on the Days they work'd they were good-natur'd and chearful; and with the consciousness of having done a good Days work they spent the Evenings jollily; but on the idle Days they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with their Pork, the Bread, and in continual ill-humour. (Autobiography, 1771)