Post: #1

From Wikipedia:

• "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 uncleanliness in body, cloaths, 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."
  

Franklin did not try to work on them all at once. Instead, he would work on one and only one each week "leaving all others to their ordinary chance". While Franklin did not live completely by his virtues and by his own admission, he fell short of them many times, he believed the attempt made him a better man contributing greatly to his success and happiness, which is why in his autobiography, he devoted more pages to this plan than to any other single point; in his autobiography Franklin wrote, "I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Fr...en_Virtues

Post: #2

venery: Sexual indulgence.

Post: #3

And Franklin was notorious for pounding French pussy. So I don't think he got high marks in venery. It looks like he anticipated the systematic self-improvement aspect of game by a few hundred years.

http://www.barracudamagazine.com/ben-franklin.htm

Post: #4

“Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.”

His “health” exception is so big you could drive a truck through it. He has a moderation component “never to dullness, weakness” and the requirement that you don’t hurt someone else. Not bad. Franklin’s autobiography is necessary reading for anyone who wants to improve himself, and he could charm any woman although the historians dispute whether there is any evidence he was a womanizer.

See Myth #2
http://www.nccs.net/newsletter/mar98nl.html

Post: #5

Whether or not it was true that he was a womanizer, the man was still a boss and self created man. Don't really need to tell anyone about all the inventions he had, plus his effect on American history/principles. I think he even stood with England when it came to the Revolutionary war, but I could only imagine how much cojones that would take to do back then.