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On this day in 1732, Benjamin Franklin first published Poor Richard’s Almanack

December 19, 2022

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 19 of December, repeating indefinitely

On this day in 1732, Benjamin Franklin first published Poor Richard’s Almanack under the pseudonym of Richard Saunders. The best-selling almanac contained a calendar and weather predictions (as expected), but also entertained readers with humor pieces, proverbs, poems, and more.

Some of Poor Richard’s proverbs included:

“No gains without pains.” “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” “To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.”

Did you know? The almanac was so popular during its 25-year run that Napoleon ordered its translation into Italian.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac, familiar to many Americans today, commemorates Franklin’s almanac with a picture of him on its cover.

Benjamin Franklin, David Martin, 1767

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Date:
December 19, 2022
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