Francis Bacon Quotes
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Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtile; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.
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The stage is more beholding to love than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief, sometimes like a Siren, sometimes like a Fury.
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Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.
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The remedy is worse than the disease.
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What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer.
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Nuptial love makes mankind; friendly love perfects it; but wanton love corrupts and debases it.
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Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy, but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a prince's part to pardon.
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The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion (either as being the received opinion or as being agreeable to itself) draws all things else to support and agree with it. And though there be a greater number and weight of instances to be found on the other side, yet these it either neglects and despises, or else by some distinction sets aside and rejects, in order that by this great and pernicious predetermination the authority of its former conclusions may remain inviolate.
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To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament is affection; to make judgment wholly by their rules is the humor of a scholar.
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Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.
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He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers [zeros], is the decay of the whole age.
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There are four classes of Idols which beset men's minds. To these for distinction's sake I have assigned names - calling the first class, Idols of the Tribe; the second, Idols of the Cave; the third, Idols of the Market-Place; the fourth, Idols of the Theater.
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The folly of one man is the fortune of another.
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Base and crafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark.
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There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.
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A man who contemplates revenge keeps his wounds green.
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Acorns were good until bread was found.
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Costly followers are not to be liked; lest while a man maketh his train longer, he make his wings shorter.
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The Scripture saith, The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God; it is not said, The fool hath thought in his heart; so as he rather saith it, by rote to himself, as that he would have, than that he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded of it....It appeareth in nothing more, that atheism is rather in the lip, than in the heart of man.
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Wounds cannot be cured without searching.
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Nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind as body, and it addeth no small reverence to men's manners and actions if they be not altogether open. Therefore set it down: That a habit of secrecy is both politic and moral.
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Medical men do not know the drugs they use, nor their prices.
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Knowledge is a rich storehouse for the glory of the Creator and the relief of man's estate.
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Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.