Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban PC KCwas an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, jurist, orator, and author. He served both as Attorney General and as Lord Chancellor of England. After his death, he remained extremely influential through his works, especially as philosophical advocate and practitioner of the scientific method during the scientific revolution...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth21 January 1561
birth nobility industry
Nobility of birth commonly abateth industry.
truth sovereign human-nature
Truth ... is the sovereign good of human nature.
wise men imagination
Generally, youth is like the first cogitations, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts, as well as in ages. And yet the invention of young men, is more lively than that of old; and imaginations stream into their minds better, and, as it were, more divinely.
horse mean men
Young men, in the conduct and manage of actions, embrace more than they can hold; stir more than they can quiet; fly to the end, without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue some few principles, which they have chanced upon absurdly; care not to innovate, which draws unknown inconveniences; use extreme remedies at first; and, that which doubleth all errors, will not acknowledge or retract them; like an unready horse, that will neither stop nor turn.
lying taken men
Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the price of a diamond or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights. A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure. Doth any man doubt that, if there were taken out of men's minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves?
sticks calumny
Hurl your calumnies boldly; something is sure to stick.
time business people
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.
forgiveness revenge men
This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge keeps his wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.
nature garden firsts
God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.
truth needs fiction
Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible.
rivers light fame
Fame is like a river, that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid.
friendship real solitude
The worst solitude is to have no real friendships.
hands mistress riches
Riches are a good hand maiden, but a poor mistress.
love men secret
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.