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
apply expect innovation medicine surely
Surely every medicine is an innovation, and he that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils.
ambition authority move settled violently virtue
As in nature, things move violently to their place and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm.
begin certainty patient shall
If we begin with certainties, we shall end in doubts; but if we begin with doubts, and are patient in them, we shall end in certainties.
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.
cannot certain government hearts hold hopes sign wise
It is a certain sign of a wise government and proceeding that it can hold men's hearts by hopes when it cannot by satisfaction
built houses
Houses are built to live in and not to look on.
create follow good
Set it down to thyself, as well to create good precedents as to follow them.
desires doth mind raise
Poesy was ever thought to have some participation of divineness, because it doth raise and erect the mind by submitting the shews of things to the desires of the mind.
haste saw sir sooner
Sir Amice Pawlet, when he saw too much haste made in any matter, was wont to say, "Stay a while, that we may make an end the sooner
haste lose move nature
Nature is a labyrinth in which the very haste you move with will make you lose your way.
cause evil good heavenly princes
Princes are like to heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration but no rest.
beauty best english-philosopher picture
The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.
charitable foreign leave name next
For my name and memory, I leave it to men's charitable speeches, to foreign nations, and to the next ages.
man nature
Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed. In everything man has accomplished, we have only manipulated nature into doing what it is.