Francis Bacon quotes

“Small amounts of philosophy lead to atheism, but larger amounts bring us back to God.”

— Francis Bacon

“The worst men often give the best advice.”

— Francis Bacon

“Wise men make more opportunities than they find.”

— Francis Bacon

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

— Francis Bacon

“Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason.”

— 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

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”

— Francis Bacon

“Truth is the daughter of time, not of authority.”

— Francis Bacon

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

— Francis Bacon

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

— 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

“It is natural to die as to be born.”

— Francis Bacon

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

— Francis Bacon

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

— 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

“Opportunity makes a thief.”

— Francis Bacon

“The correlative to loving our neighbors as ourselves is hating ourselves as we hate our neighbors.”

— Francis Bacon

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

— Francis Bacon

“The great end of life is not knowledge but action.”

— Francis Bacon

“Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.”

— Francis Bacon

“Riches are a good hand maiden, but a poor mistress.”

— Francis Bacon

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

— Francis Bacon

“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.”

— Francis Bacon

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

— Francis Bacon

“People have discovered that they can fool the devil; but they can't fool the neighbors.”

— 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

“Nature is often hidden, sometimes overcome, seldom extinguished.”

— 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

“Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.”

— Francis Bacon