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
cannot reads sleeping thoughts
We cannot too often think there is a never sleeping eye, which reads the heart, and registers our thoughts
cannot pack
There be that can pack the cards, and yet cannot play well.
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.
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.
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.
cannot joys nor parents utter
The joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears: they cannot utter the one, nor will they utter the other
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
admiration cannot discretion good hold man proportion
It is good discretion not to make too much of any man at the first; because one cannot hold out that proportion
admit men open receive reserved shut won
It is nothing won to admit men with an open door, yet to receive them with a shut and reserved countenance.
divinity humanity poor within
Our humanity were a poor thing were it not for the divinity which stirs within us
books-and-reading fragments passages private records recover save somewhat time
Out of monuments, names, words, proverbs, traditions, private records and evidences, fragments of stories, passages of books, and the like, we do save and recover somewhat from the deluge of time
strength
Many a man's strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he groweth out of use
man true
Man prefers to think what he prefers to be true
study
I would live to study, and not study to live.