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Francis Bacon

74 quotes

Francis Bacon (1561–1626) was an English philosopher, statesman, and essayist who is widely regarded as the father of the scientific method. His *Essays*, covering topics from truth and death to gardens and studies, are masterpieces of concise, penetrating English prose that have been quoted continuously for over four centuries.

“People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.”

— Francis Bacon

Learning

All Quotes by Francis Bacon

“We cannot command Nature except by obeying her.”

— Francis Bacon

Nature

“Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.”

— Francis Bacon

Age

“God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.”

— Francis Bacon

Gardening

“The great end of life is not knowledge but action.”

— Francis Bacon

Great

“Wise men make more opportunities than they find.”

— Francis Bacon

Men

“Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.”

— Francis Bacon

Men

“Age appears to be best in four things old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.”

— Francis Bacon

Age

“But men must know, that in this theatre of man's life it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on.”

— Francis Bacon

God

“Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.”

— Francis Bacon

Nature

“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.”

— Francis Bacon

Wisdom

“A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green.”

— Francis Bacon

Anger

“The momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or evil.”

— Francis Bacon

Art

“Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more a man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.”

— Francis Bacon

Nature

“People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.”

— Francis Bacon

Learning

“Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.”

— Francis Bacon

God

“Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible.”

— Francis Bacon

Truth

“Antiquities are history defaced, or some remnants of history which have casually escaped the shipwreck of time.”

— Francis Bacon

History

“Knowledge and human power are synonymous.”

— Francis Bacon

Knowledge

“Friends are thieves of time.”

— Francis Bacon

Time

“Beauty itself is but the sensible image of the Infinite.”

— Francis Bacon

Beauty