Ben Franklin Developed a List of 13 Virtues That He Lived His Life By

Today I found out that Benjamin Franklin through extensive study of the world’s major religions and various moral codes came up with a list of thirteen main virtues that he felt every person should strive to live their life by. As such, he himself attempted to always live by this code and developed charts with wich he charted his progress from day to day to make sure that he was constantly improving towards this end. Starting with one of the virtues and plotting his progress on it until he mastered that; then moving on to the next; and so on until he mastered them all. He ordered them specifically as shown below as some of them naturally lend towards others; so by sticking to this order, he felt it made it easier to achieve the whole.

This code is as follows:

Temperance: Eat not to Dullness, drink not to elevation
Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling Conversation
Order: Let all your Things have their Places. Let each Part of your Business have its Time
Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality: Make no Expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste Nothing
Industry: Lose no Time. Be always employ’d in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary Actions
Sincerity: Use no hurtful Deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak; speak accordingly.
Justice: Wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the Benefits that are your Duty.
Moderation: Avoid Extremes. Forbear resenting Injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Cleanliness: Tolerate no Uncleanness in Body, Clothes, or Habitation
Tranquility: Be not disturbed at Trifles, or at Accidents common or unavoidable.
Chastity: Rarely use Venery but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dullness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another’s Peace or Reputation.
Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.