Francis Bacon Quotes

A bachelor's life is a fine breakfast, a flat lunch, and a miserable dinner.
Francis Bacon

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

A man must make his opportunity, as oft as find it.
Francis Bacon

A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.
Francis Bacon

A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.
Francis Bacon

A sudden bold and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open.
Francis Bacon

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
Francis Bacon

Acorns were good until bread was found.
Francis Bacon

All rising to great place is by a winding stair.
Francis Bacon

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

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

As the births of living creatures are at first ill-shapen, so are all innovations, which are the births of time.
Francis Bacon

Beauty itself is but the sensible image of the Infinite.
Francis Bacon

Boldness is ever blind, for it sees not dangers and inconveniences whence it is bad in council though good in execution.
Francis Bacon

Books will speak plain when counsellors blanch.
Francis Bacon

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

By indignities men come to dignities.
Francis Bacon

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

Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter.
Francis Bacon

Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable.
Francis Bacon

Cure the disease and kill the patient.
Francis Bacon

Discretion of speech is more than eloquence, and to speak agreeably to him with whom we deal is more than to speak in good words, or in good order.
Francis Bacon

Fame is like a river, that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid.
Francis Bacon

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

For my name and memory I leave to men's charitable speeches, and to foreign nations and the next ages.
Francis Bacon

Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason.
Francis Bacon

Fortune is like the market, where, many times, if you can stay a little, the price will fall.
Francis Bacon

Friends are thieves of time.
Francis Bacon

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

God hangs the greatest weights upon the smallest wires.
Francis Bacon

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

God's first creature, which was light.
Francis Bacon

Good fame is like fire; when you have kindled you may easily preserve it; but if you extinguish it, you will not easily kindle it again.
Francis Bacon

He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.
Francis Bacon

He that hath knowledge spareth his words.
Francis Bacon

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

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

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

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

I had rather believe all the Fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a Mind.
Francis Bacon

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

If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world.
Francis Bacon

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.
Francis Bacon

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

If thou would'st have that stream of hard-earn'd knowledge, of Wisdom heaven-born, remain sweet running waters, thou should'st not leave it to become a stagnant pond.
Francis Bacon

If we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us.
Francis Bacon

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

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Francis Bacon

In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior.
Francis Bacon

It is as natural to die as to be born; and to a little infant, perhaps, the one is as painful as the other.
Francis Bacon

It is impossible to love and to be wise.
Francis Bacon

It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer way is not much about.
Francis Bacon

It is natural to die as to be born.
Francis Bacon

It was prettily devised of Aesop, "The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise! "
Francis Bacon

Judges must beware of hard constructions and strained inferences, for there is no worse torture than that of laws.
Francis Bacon

Judges ought to be more leaned than witty, more reverent than plausible, and more advised than confident. Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.
Francis Bacon

Knowledge and human power are synonymous.
Francis Bacon

Knowledge is power.
Francis Bacon

Lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance.
Francis Bacon

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

Little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth. For a crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures, and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.
Francis Bacon

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

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.
Francis Bacon

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

Money is like muck, not good except it be spread.
Francis Bacon

Nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind as body, and it addeth no small reverence to men's manners and actions if they be not altogether open. Therefore set it down: That a habit of secrecy is both politic and moral.
Francis Bacon

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.
Francis Bacon

Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished.
Francis Bacon

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
Francis Bacon

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

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

Nothing is pleasant that is not spiced with variety.
Francis Bacon

Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of the Deity; and without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.
Francis Bacon

Oh! death will find me long before I tire of watching you.
Francis Bacon

Opportunity makes a thief.
Francis Bacon

People have discovered that they can fool the devil; but they can't fool the neighbors.
Francis Bacon

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

Pictures and shapes are but secondary objects and please or displease only in the memory.
Francis Bacon

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

Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New.
Francis Bacon

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