An Investment In Knowledge Pays The

This aphorism appeared in Poor Richard's Almanack for 1758, the final year of Franklin's annual publication. It distills a philosophy Franklin practiced personally — he taught himself five languages, studied science, and pursued self-improvement throughout his life. The almanack, published under the pen name "Richard Saunders," sold roughly 10,000 copies a year and was the most widely read publication in colonial America aside from the Bible.