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
age age-and-aging coming discern
Discern of the coming on of years, and think not to do the same things still; for age will not be defied.
custom magistrate principal
Custom is the principal magistrate of man's life.
cannot discovery greater nature since subtlety suffice
Argumentation cannot suffice for the discovery of new work, since the subtlety of Nature is greater many times than the subtlety of argument.
friends-or-friendship sincere solitude worst
The worst solitude is to be destitute of sincere friendship.
faculties fortunate fortune giving light men number rather scarce seen smaller
The way of fortune is like the milky way in the sky; which is a number of smaller stars, not seen asunder, but giving light together; so it is a number of little and scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and customs, that make men fortunate
man wise
The wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
distribute love proud seek thou
Seek not proud wealth; but such as thou mayest get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and love contentedly
inspired labours port sacred
Sacred and inspired divinity, the sabaoth and port of all men's labours and peregrinations.
conceit except great rest riches
Of great riches there is no real use, except in the distribution; the rest is but conceit
age age-and-aging appears authors best four wine wood
Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
fortune mould responsibility
The mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.
base beasts body certainly creature deny destroy god kin man
They that deny a God destroy man's nobility, for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and if he is not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature
cannot case enemy friend man son speak whereas wife
A man cannot speak to his son but as a father, to his wife but as a husband, to his enemy but upon terms; whereas a friend may speak as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person.
destroy either nature runs therefore water
A man's nature runs either to herbs, or to weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy the other.