FRANCIS BACON QUOTES VI

English philosopher (1561-1626)

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

FRANCIS BACON

Essays

Tags: beauty


There is in man's nature a secret inclination and motion towards love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable, as it is seen sometimes in friars. Nuptial love maketh mankind, friendly love perfecteth it, but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it.

FRANCIS BACON

Essays

Tags: love


The voice of Nature will consent, whether the voice of man do or no.

FRANCIS BACON

The Advancement of Learning

Tags: nature


The real and legitimate goal of the sciences is the endowment of human life with new commodities.

FRANCIS BACON

Novum Organum

Tags: science


The monuments of wit survive the monuments of power.

FRANCIS BACON

Essex's Device

Tags: wit


The human understanding is moved by those things most which strike and enter the mind simultaneously and suddenly, and so fill the imagination; and then it feigns and supposes all other things to be somehow, though it cannot see how, similar to those few things by which it is surrounded.

FRANCIS BACON

Novum Organum

Tags: understanding


The folly of one man, is the fortune of another. For no man prospers so suddenly, as by others' errors.

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Fortune", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: fortune


The example of God, teacheth the lesson truly.

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Goodness and Goodness Of Nature", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: example


The errors of young men, are the ruin of business; but the errors of aged men, amount but to this, that more might have been done, or sooner.

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Youth And Age", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: Men


The consciousness of good intentions, however unsuccessful, affords a joy more real, pure, and agreeable to nature than all the other means that can be furnished, either for obtaining one's desire or quieting the mind.

FRANCIS BACON

"Man's Duty to Society", Physical and Metaphysical Works

Tags: intention


States as great engines move slowly.

FRANCIS BACON

The Advancement of Learning


So we see, in languages, the tongue is more pliant to all expressions and sounds, the joints are more supple, to all feats of activity and motions, in youth than afterwards. For it is true, that late learners cannot so well take the ply; except it be in some minds, that have not suffered themselves to fix, but have kept themselves open, and prepared to receive continual amendment, which is exceeding rare.

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Custom And Education", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: youth


So saith Solomon, Where much is, there are many to consume it; and what hath the owner, but the sight of it with his eyes? The personal fruition in any man, cannot reach to feel great riches: there is a custody of them; or a power of dole, and donative of them; or a fame of them; but no solid use to the owner. Do you not see what feigned prices, are set upon little stones and rarities? and what works of ostentation are undertaken, because there might seem to be some use of great riches?

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Riches", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: fame


So again we find that many of the ancient bishops and fathers of the Church were excellently read and studied in all the learning of this heathen; insomuch that the edict of the Emperor Julianus (whereby it was interdicted unto Christians to be admitted into schools, lectures, or exercises of learning) was esteemed and accounted a more pernicious engine and machination against the Christian Faith than were all the sanguinary prosecutions of his predecessors; neither could the emulation and jealousy of Gregory, the first of that name, Bishop of Rome, ever obtain the opinion of piety or devotion; but contrariwise received the censure of humour, malignity, and pusillanimity, even amongst holy men; in that he designed to obliterate and extinguish the memory of heathen antiquity and authors. But contrariwise it was the Christian Church, which, amidst the inundations of the Scythians on the one side from the north-west, and the Saracens from the east, did preserve in the sacred lap and bosom thereof the precious relics even of heathen learning, which otherwise had been extinguished, as if no such thing had ever been.

FRANCIS BACON

The Advancement of Learning

Tags: church


Since there must be borrowing and lending, and men are so hard of heart as they will not lend freely, usury must be permitted.

FRANCIS BACON

Essays

Tags: lending


Seek the good of other men, but be not in bondage to their faces or fancies; for that is but facility, or softness; which taketh an honest mind prisoner.

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Goodness and Goodness Of Nature", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: Men


Riches are for spending.

FRANCIS BACON

Essays

Tags: money


Riches are a good handmaid, but the worst mistress.

FRANCIS BACON

De Augmentis Scientiarum

Tags: wealth


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

FRANCIS BACON

Essays

Tags: revenge


Reduce things to the first institution, and observe wherein, and how, they have degenerate; but yet ask counsel of both times; of the ancient time, what is best; and of the latter time, what is fittest.

FRANCIS BACON

"Of Great Place", The Essays or Counsels, Civil and Moral

Tags: time