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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.

“When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.”

— Francis Bacon

Great

All Quotes by Francis Bacon

“The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.”

— Francis Bacon

Nature

“Many a man's strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he grows out of use.”

— Francis Bacon

Strength

“He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils for time is the greatest innovator.”

— Francis Bacon

Change

“Friendship increases in visiting friends, but in visiting them seldom.”

— Francis Bacon

Friendship

“Acorns were good until bread was found.”

— Francis Bacon

Good

“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

“Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not a sense of humor to console him for what he is.”

— Francis Bacon

Humor

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

— Francis Bacon

Art

“If a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics.”

— Francis Bacon

Science

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

— Francis Bacon

Anger

“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

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

— Francis Bacon

Nature

“Truth is a good dog but always beware of barking too close to the heels of an error, lest you get your brains kicked out.”

— Francis Bacon

Truth

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

— Francis Bacon

Gardening

“Friends are thieves of time.”

— Francis Bacon

Time

“Small amounts of philosophy lead to atheism, but larger amounts bring us back to God.”

— Francis Bacon

God

“God hangs the greatest weights upon the smallest wires.”

— Francis Bacon

God

“It is a strange desire, to seek power, and to lose liberty or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man's self.”

— Francis Bacon

Power

“Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.”

— Francis Bacon

Wisdom

“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education in the elder, a part of experience.”

— Francis Bacon

Education