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
childless noblest works
The noblest works and foundations have proceeded from childless men.
clear critics desires earnestly hostile human instead nature push rather retaining using victories win worker
If any human being earnestly desires to push on to new discoveries instead of just retaining and using the old; to win victories over Nature as a worker rather than over hostile critics as a disputant; to attain, in fact, clear and demonstrative know
nice science new-work
Moreover, the works already known are due to chance and experiment rather than to sciences; for the sciences we now possess are merely systems for the nice ordering and setting forth of things already invented; not methods of invention or directions for new works.
work want excitement
As you work, the mood grows on you. There are certain images which suddenly get hold of me and I really want to do them. But it's true to say that the excitement and possibilities are in the working and obviously can only come in the working.
science discovery new-work
It cannot be that axioms established by argumentation should avail for the discovery of new works, since the subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of argument. But axioms duly and orderly formed from particulars easily discover the way to new particulars, and thus render sciences active.
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
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.