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
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.
according act commonly custom generally learning men speak
Men commonly think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and imbibed opinions, but generally act according to custom
crowd faces far gallery men perceive solitude talk
Little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth. For a crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures, and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love.
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
answer elder man men wise
He was reputed one of the wise men that made answer to the question, when a man should marry? 'A young man not yet, an elder man not at all
begin force men notions side themselves
Men on their side must force themselves for a while to by their notions by and begin to familiarize themselves with facts.
great men servants sovereign
Men in great place are thrice servants, - servants of the sovereign or state, servants of fame, and servants of business.
believe consider contradict histories men nor weigh
Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, but to weigh and consider . . . Histories make men wise.
histories history logic men natural
Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtile; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.
angels god life men reserved theater
But men must know, that in this theater of man's life it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on
business execution fitter invent men projects settled
Young men are fitter to invent than to judge, fitter for execution than for counsel, and fitter for new projects than for settled business.
petty self whom
The arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self
living
As the births of living creatures, at first, are ill-shapen: so are all Innovations, which are the births of time.
study
I would live to study, and not study to live.