Ben Franklin's thoughts on shaving

[Shmu]

Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. Thus, if you teach a poor young man to shave himself, and keep his razor in order, you may contribute more to the happiness of his life than in giving him a thousand guineas. This sum may be soon spent, the regret only remaining of having foolishly consumed it; but in the other case, he escapes the frequent vexation of waiting for barbers, and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive breaths, and dull razors; he shaves when most convenient to him, and enjoys daily the pleasure of its being done with a good instrument. -From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

(I stole this from an AoM article)

 

[California Cajun]

I guess we can hold Ben responsible for the electric razor.

 

[Brownbear]

I guess we can hold Ben responsible for the electric razor.

Nope, electrolysis.

 

[primo]

Sage advise, I suppose.

 

[Debrushman]

More words of wisdom, spoken by a brilliant man. One of America's finest examples of a good citizen. Words well spoken.

 

[Ptroiani]

Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. Thus, if you teach a poor young man to shave himself, and keep his razor in order, you may contribute more to the happiness of his life than in giving him a thousand guineas. This sum may be soon spent, the regret only remaining of having foolishly consumed it; but in the other case, he escapes the frequent vexation of waiting for barbers, and of their sometimes dirty fingers, offensive breaths, and dull razors; he shaves when most convenient to him, and enjoys daily the pleasure of its being done with a good instrument. -From The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

(I stole this from an AoM article)

+1

 

[KeithTheSnake]

What a great patriot. His son, however, was a disappointment to him. I have a hard time imagining Franklin teaching his son to shave.

 

[David in Boston]

Saw a TV program about Franklin years ago and a historian had an interesting observation of Ben.

He said the man was a genius but never let on that he was one.

 

[Shmu]

Saw a TV program about Franklin years ago and a historian had an interesting observation of Ben.

He said the man was a genius but never let on that he was one.

He was definitely a true gentleman.

 

[David in Boston]

He was definitely a true gentleman.

And one hell of a Lady's Man.

 

[VBH37118]

[QUOTE="David in Boston, post: 3887055, member: 1000
And one hell of a Lady's Man.
[/QUOTE]
He was a strong Advocate for cold water shaving, which I Believe works better for me.

 

[GaryTha]

Nice resurrection.

 

[VBH37118]

Thanks, I went back to cold water shaving after reading an Article which he claimed worked better.

 

[aussie]

Words of wisdom from a brother Mason.

 

[VBH37118]

Well put.

 

[Atlantic59]

Thanks, I went back to cold water shaving after reading an Article which he claimed worked better.

He also liked to read or write in the nude with the window open to take his "air baths". He believe bathing in cold water was too much of a shock to the body, so --

I have found it much more agreeable to my constitution to bathe in another element, I mean cold air,” he wrote in a letter. “With this view I rise early almost every morning, and sit in my chamber without any clothes whatever, half an hour or an hour, according to the season, either reading or writing.”

He did not say what the neighbors might have thought about this habit.