Francis Bacon Quotes
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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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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.
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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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For friends... do but look upon good Books: they are true friends, that will neither flatter nor dissemble.
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He who desires solitude is either an animal or a god.
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He that cometh to seek after knowledge, with a mind to scorn, shall be sure to find matter for his humour, but no matter for his instruction.
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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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Many a man's strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he grows out of use.
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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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There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little.
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A man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it.
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Praise is the reflection of virtue.
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Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.
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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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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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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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He that commands the sea is at great liberty, and may take as much and as little of the war as he will.
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The eye of understanding is like the eye of the sense; for as you may see great objects through small crannies or levels, so you may see great axioms of nature through small and contemptible instances.
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When any of the four pillars of government-religion, justice, counsel, and treasure-are mainly shaken or weakened, men had need to pray for fair weather.
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O life! An age to the miserable, a moment to the happy.
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For the chain of causes cannot by any force be loosed or broken, nor can nature be commanded except by being obeyed.
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Gardening is the purest of human pleasures.
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Journeys at youth are part of the education; but at maturity, are part of the experience.
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The cause and root of nearly all evils in the sciences is this - that while we falsely admire and extol the powers of the human mind we neglect to seek for its true helps.