Francis Bacon Quotes
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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.
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Lastly, I would address one general admonition to all: that they consider what are the true ends of knowledge, and that they seek it not either for pleasure of the mind, or for contention, or for superiority to others, or for profit, or fame, or power, or any of these inferior things: but for the benefit and use of life; and that they perfect and govern it in charity.
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Nothing is terrible except fear itself.
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The true bounds and limitations, whereby human knowledge is confined and circumscribed,... are three: the first, that we do not so place our felicity in knowledge, as we forget our mortality: the second, that we make application of our knowledge, to give ourselves repose and contentment, and not distates or repining: the third, that we do not presume by the contemplation of Nature to attain to the mysteries of God.
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It is rightly laid down that 'true knowledge is knowledge by causes'. Also the establishment of four causes is not bad: material, formal, efficient and final.
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Be not penny-wise. Riches have wings. Sometimes they fly away of themselves, and sometimes they must be set flying to bring in more.
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It is yet a higher speech of his than the other, 'It is true greatness to have in one the frailty of a man and the security of a god.'
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It has well been said that the arch-flatterer, with whom all petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self.
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Judges ought above all to remember the conclusion of the Roman Twelve Tables :The supreme law of all is the weal [weatlh/ well-being] of the people.
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The lame man who keeps the right road outstrips the runner who takes the wrong one.
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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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I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.
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The winning of honor, is but the revealing of a man's virtue and worth, without disadvantage.
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There ought to be gardens for all months in the year, in which, severally, things of beauty may be then in season.
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Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.
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Friendship maketh daylight in the understanding, out of darkness and confusion of thoughts.
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For first of all we must prepare a Natural and Experimental History, sufficient and good; and this is the foundation of all; for we are not to imagine or suppose, but to discover, what nature does or may be made to do.
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Ne mireris, si vulgus verius loquatur quam honoratiores; quia etiam tutius loquitur.
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Prosperity discovers vice, adversity discovers virtue.
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Deformed persons commonly take revenge on nature.
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Atheism leads a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation: all of which may be guides to an outward moral virtue.
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But the best demonstration by far is experience, if it go not beyond the actual experiment.
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Death is a friend of ours; and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at home.
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To be free minded and cheerfully disposed at hours of meat and sleep and of exercise is one of the best precepts of long lasting.