Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable.
Francis Bacon Quotations
We found 79 matching quotations.
For there is no question but a just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.
Books must follow sciences, and not sciences books.
If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us.
Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.
Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.
He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.
Read not to contradict and confute, not to believe and take for granted, not to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.
The job of the artist is to deepen the mystery.
The man who fears no truths has nothing to fear from lies.
Death is a friend of ours; and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at home.
Houses are built to live in, not to look on therefore, let use be preferred before uniformity, except where both may be had.
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.
A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth man's minds about to religion.
It is impossible to love and to be wise.
Money is like muck, not good except it be spread.
We read that we ought to forgive our enemies but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends.
Dolendi modus, timendi non item.
(To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none.)
(To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none.)
A prudent question is one half of wisdom.
Nothing is to be feared but fear.
Many secrets of art and nature are thought by the unlearned to be magical.
Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter.
It is as natural to die as to be born and to a little infant, perhaps, the one is as painful as the other.
He of whom many are afraid ought to fear many.
Believe not much them that seem to despise riches, for they despise them that despair of them.
Read not to contradict and confute?nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.
It is as natural to die as to be born; and to a little infant perhaps the one is as painful as the other.
In charity there is no excess.
Universities incline wits to sophistry and affectation.
No pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of Truth.
Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.
There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.
Natural abilities are like natural plants they need pruning by study.
Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.
Man seeketh in society comfort, use and protection.
In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy but in passing it over, he is superior.
Silence is the virtue of fools.
Praise from the common people is generally false, and rather follows the vain that the virtuous.
The worst solitude is to be destitute of sincere friendship.
Laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind.
A good life is a series of joyful meetings and joyful moments.
They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.
Nothing is more damaging to a state than that cunning men pass for wise.
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.
He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils for time is the greatest innovator.
Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study.
Discretion in speech is more than eloquence.
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
There is no great concurrence between learning and wisdom
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
It is a secret both in nature and state, that it is safer to change many things than one.
Seek ye first the good things of the mind, and the rest will either be supplied or its loss will not be felt.
Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to the more ought law to weed it out.
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.
There are times of pure joy when you wish all human life well.
A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.
If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties.
Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason.
If a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics.
A sudden bold and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open.
Death is a friend of ours and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at home.
The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.
Some books are to be tasted, others swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior.
There is little friendship in the world, and least of all between equals.
Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not a sense of humor to console him for what he is.
The world's a bubble and the life of man Less than a span.
Houses are built to live in, not to look on; therefore, let use be preferred before uniformity, except where both may be had.
I have taken all knowledge to by my province.
When a traveller returneth home, let him not leave the countries where he hath travelled altogether behind him.
Never exaggerate your faults. Your friends will attend to that.
We cannot command nature except by obeying her.
Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of his soul. Men must not turn into bees, and kill themselves in stinging others.
God has placed no limits to the exercise of the intellect he has given us, on this side of the grave.
By far the best proof is experience.
Knowledge is power.
(Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est)
(Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est)