Francis Bacon Quotes
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The voice of the people has about it something divine: for how otherwise can so many heads agree together as one?
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Be true to thyself, as thou be not false to others.
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To say that a man lieth, is as much to say, as that he is brave towards God, and a coward towards men.
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It is a good point of cunning for a man to shape the answer he would have in his own words and propositions, for it makes the other party stick the less.
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Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.
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O life! An age to the miserable, a moment to the happy.
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If a man's wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores, splitters of hairs.
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Truth comes out of error more readily than out of confusion.
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He who desires solitude is either an animal or a god.
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Man seeketh in society comfort, use and protection.
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In mathematics I can report no deficiency, except it be that men do not sufficiently understand the excellent use of Pure Mathematics.
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There is another ground of hope that must not be omitted. Let men but think over their infinite expenditure of understanding, time, and means on matters and pursuits of far less use and value; whereof, if but a small part were directed to sound and solid studies, there is no difficulty that might not be overcome.
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For friends... do but look upon good Books: they are true friends, that will neither flatter nor dissemble.
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Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is.
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You cannot teach a child to take care of himself unless you will let him try to take care of himself. He will make mistakes and out of these mistakes will come his wisdom.
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A man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it.
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Many a man's strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he grows out of use.
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When I paint I am ageless, I just have the pleasure or the difficulty of painting.
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A just fear of an imminent danger, though be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.
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Take an arrow, and hold it in flame for the space of ten pulses, and when it cometh forth you shall find those parts of the arrow which were on the outsides of the flame more burned, blacked, and turned almost to coal, whereas the midst of the flame will be as if the fire had scarce touched it. This is an instance of great consequence for the discovery of the nature of flame; and sheweth manifestly, that flame burneth more violently towards the sides than in the midst.
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It cannot be that axioms established by argumentation should avail for the discovery of new works, since the subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of argument. But axioms duly and orderly formed from particulars easily discover the way to new particulars, and thus render sciences active.
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Cure the disease and kill the patient.
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One of the fathers saith . . . that old men go to death, and death comes to young men.
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Doctor Johnson said, that in sickness there were three things that were material; the physician, the disease, and the patient: and if any two of these joined, then they get the victory; for, Ne Hercules quidem contra duos [Not even Hercules himself is a match for two]. If the physician and the patient join, then down goes the disease; for then the patient recovers: if the physician and the disease join, that is a strong disease; and the physician mistaking the cure, then down goes the patient: if the patient and the disease join, then down goes the physician; for he is discredited.