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
counsel execution good great unless
In counsel it is good to see dangers; but in execution not to see them unless they be very great
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
book speak counselor
Books speak plain when counselors blanch.
affections cometh counsel light man purer understanding
The light that a man receiveth by counsel from another is drier and purer than that which cometh from his own understanding and judgment, which is ever infused and drenched in his affections and customs.
begins content man shall
In contemplation, if a man begins with certainties he shall end in doubts; but if he be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.
boldness child civil ignorance
In civil business; what first? Boldness; what second, and third? Boldness. And yet boldness is a child of ignorance and baseness.
serve studies
Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.
belief best faithful health mind
The best preservative to keep the mind on health is the faithful admonition of a friend.
cannot covetous man money possess properly thy
If money be not they servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him.
angry feels himself hurt man
No man is angry that feels not himself hurt
dust fly sat tree wheel
It was prettily devised of Aesop, ""The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise!
active further keeps lame latter man obvious road runner swift takes wrong
The lame man who keeps the right road outstrips the runner who takes a wrong one. Nay, it is obvious that the more active and swift the latter is the further he will go astray.
cannot joys nor parents utter
The joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears: they cannot utter the one, nor will they utter the other
english-philosopher joys parents
The joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears.