Francis Bacon Quotes
-
A just fear of an imminent danger, though be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.
-
In charity there is no excess.
-
I've had photographs taken for portraits because I very much prefer working from the photographs than from models... I couldn't attempt to do a portrait from photographs of somebody I didn't know.
-
Truth is a naked and open daylight, that doth not shew the masks and mummeries and triumphs of the world, half so stately and daintily as candlelights.
-
Praise is the reflection of virtue.
-
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
-
He that commands the sea is at great liberty, and may take as much and as little of the war as he will.
-
The less people speak of their greatness, the more we think of it.
-
Believe not much them that seem to despise riches, for they despise them that despair of them.
-
Because the acts or events of true history have not that magnitude which satisfieth the mind of man, poesy feigneth acts and events greater and more heroical.
-
Beware of sudden change, in any great point of diet, and, if necessity inforce it, fit the rest to it. For it is a secret both in nature and state, that it is safer to change many things, than one.
-
Very few people have a natural feeling for painting, and so, of course, they naturally think that painting is an expression of the artist's mood. But it rarely is. Very often he may be in greatest despair and be painting his happiest paintings.
-
Some men covet knowledge out of a natural curiosity and inquisitive temper; some to entertain the mind with variety and delight; some for ornament and reputation; some for victory and contention; many for lucre and a livelihood; and but few for employing the Divine gift of reason to the use and benefit of mankind.
-
Sir Amice Pawlet, when he saw too much haste made in any matter, was wont to say. 'Stay a while, that we may make an end the sooner.'
-
Reading maketh a full man; and writing an axact man. And, therefore, if a man write little, he need have a present wit; and if he read little, he need have much cunning to seem to know which he doth not.
-
As you work, the mood grows on you. There are certain images which suddenly get hold of me and I really want to do them. But it's true to say that the excitement and possibilities are in the working and obviously can only come in the working.
-
It hath been an opinion that the French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are; but howsoever it be between nations, certainly it is so between man and man.
-
Who ever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul.
-
The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.
-
The voice of the people has about it something divine: for how otherwise can so many heads agree together as one?
-
Friendship maketh daylight in the understanding, out of darkness and confusion of thoughts.
-
Nothing is terrible except fear itself.
-
Aristotle… a mere bond-servant to his logic, thereby rendering it contentious and well nigh useless.
-
Men suppose their reason has command over their words; still it happens that words in return exercise authority on reason.