Francis Bacon quotes

Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible.

Antiquities are history defaced, or some remnants of history which have casually escaped the shipwreck of time.

There is a wisdom in this beyond the rules of physic: a man's own observation what he finds good of and what he finds hurt of is the best physic to preserve health.

Science is but an image of the truth.

He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.

The quarrels and divisions about religion were evils unknown to the heathen. The reason was because the religion of the heathen consisted rather in rites and ceremonies than in any constant belief.

Friendship increases in visiting friends, but in visiting them seldom.

Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly.

There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.

Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; adversity not without many comforts and hopes.

The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.

Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.

Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.

Anger is certainly a kind of baseness, as it appears well in the weakness of those subjects in whom it reigns: children, women, old folks, sick folks.

Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more a man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.

The way of fortune is like the milkyway in the sky; which is a number of small stars, not seen asunder, but giving light together: so it is a number of little and scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and customs, that make men fortunate.

No body can be healthful without exercise, neither natural body nor politic, and certainly, to a kingdom or estate, a just and honourable war is the true exercise.

Life, an age to the miserable, and a moment to the happy.

Next to religion, let your care be to promote justice.

By indignities men come to dignities.

Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.

Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried, or childless men.

God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.

Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.

God hangs the greatest weights upon the smallest wires.

A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.

But men must know, that in this theatre of man's life it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on.

Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.

Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor.

Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.

If a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics.

There is a wisdom in this beyond the rules of physic: a man's own observation what he finds good of and what he finds hurt of is the best physic to preserve health.

People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.

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.

Young people are fitter to invent than to judge; fitter for execution than for counsel; and more fit for new projects than for settled business.

A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.

The desire of excessive power caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge caused men to fall.

Many a man's strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he grows out of use.

I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.

The worst men often give the best advice.

Acorns were good until bread was found.

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.

A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.

Friends are thieves of time.

The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.

Beauty itself is but the sensible image of the Infinite.

The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.

What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer.

Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is.

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.

Knowledge is power.

We cannot command Nature except by obeying her.

Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is.

Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor.

Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.

It is a strange desire, to seek power, and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self.

God has placed no limits to the exercise of the intellect he has given us, on this side of the grave.

Fashion is only the attempt to realize art in living forms and social intercourse.

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.

It is impossible to love and to be wise.

Studies perfect nature and are perfected still by experience.

The worst men often give the best advice.

No body can be healthful without exercise, neither natural body nor politic, and certainly, to a kingdom or estate, a just and honourable war is the true exercise.

I do not believe that any man fears to be dead, but only the stroke of death.

Science is but an image of the truth.

Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.

The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.

A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.

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.

The great end of life is not knowledge but action.

God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.

There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.

Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.

He that hath knowledge spareth his words.

They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.

Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.

The momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or evil.

The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.

Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.

Wise men make more opportunities than they find.

Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.

Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.

Wise men make more opportunities than they find.

Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished.

Knowledge and human power are synonymous.

Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set.

Knowledge and human power are synonymous.

Money is like manure, of very little use except it be spread.