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
caused curious delight fruitful labour large leave natural rich speak time wander
When you wander, as you often delight to do, you wander indeed, and give never such satisfaction as the curious time requires. This is not caused by any natural defect, but first for want of election, when you, having a large and fruitful mind, should not so much labour what to speak as to find what to leave unspoken. Rich soils are often to be weeded.
cannot certain government hearts hold hopes sign wise
It is a certain sign of a wise government and proceeding that it can hold men's hearts by hopes when it cannot by satisfaction
base beasts body certainly creature deny destroy god kin man
They that deny a God destroy man's nobility, for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and if he is not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature
cannot case enemy friend man son speak whereas wife
A man cannot speak to his son but as a father, to his wife but as a husband, to his enemy but upon terms; whereas a friend may speak as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person.
destroy either nature runs therefore water
A man's nature runs either to herbs, or to weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy the other.
heal keeps man otherwise revenge wounds
A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well
atheism heart life man rather
Atheism is rather in the life than in the heart of man
ancient ask both counsel latter time
Ask a counsel of both times-of the ancient time what is best, and of the latter time what is fittest
doth lay man open question surprise unexpected
A sudden, bold, and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open
ambition authority move settled violently virtue
As in nature, things move violently to their place and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm.
business execution fitter invent men projects settled
Young men are fitter to invent than to judge, fitter for execution than for counsel, and fitter for new projects than for settled business.
delivered delivering disjointed distinct doth free knowledge leave man several turn wit
This delivering of knowledge in distinct and disjointed aphorisms doth leave the wit of man more free to turn and toss, and to make use of that which is so delivered to more several purposes and applications
crowd faces gallery pictures
A crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures
innocent pope portrait study
Study After Velasquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X,