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
books chewed others
Some books are to be tasted; others swallowed; and some to be chewed and digested.
anchors cases decided laws state
Decided cases are the anchors of the law, as laws are of the state
conceit except great rest riches
Of great riches there is no real use, except in the distribution; the rest is but conceit
age age-and-aging appears authors best four wine wood
Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
fortune mould responsibility
The mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.
body curious harp medicine music office poets reduce tune
The poets did well to conjoin Music And Medicine in Apollo: because the office of medicine is but to tune this curious harp of man's body and to reduce it to harmony.
curious harp medicine music office poet poets tune
The poets did well to conjoin music and medicine, because the office of medicine is but to tune the curious harp of man's body.
delight far knowledge nature pleasure
The pleasure and delight of knowledge and learning, it far surpasseth all other in nature
admiration cannot discretion good hold man proportion
It is good discretion not to make too much of any man at the first; because one cannot hold out that proportion
fear few mind miserable state
It is a miserable state of mind to have few things to desire, and many things to fear
divinity humanity poor within
Our humanity were a poor thing were it not for the divinity which stirs within us
admit men open receive reserved shut won
It is nothing won to admit men with an open door, yet to receive them with a shut and reserved countenance.
impossible love wise
It is impossible to love and be wise
histories history logic men natural
Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtile; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.