Francis Bacon Quotes About Wit

Quotes about: Wit

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

  Francis Bacon

  Science, Math, Men

  Francis Bacon, Basil Montagu (1821). “A critique of Bacon's "Novum Organum," by Basil Montagu, extracted from the Retrospective Review, 1821. Few MS. notes”, p.285

• If a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again.

  Francis Bacon

  Math, Men, Littles

  Francis Bacon, Basil Montagu (1821). “A critique of Bacon's "Novum Organum," by Basil Montagu, extracted from the Retrospective Review, 1821. Few MS. notes”, p.285

• The monuments of wit survive the monuments of power.

  Francis Bacon

  Science, Power, Wit

  Francis Bacon, Basil Montagu (1841). “The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England”, p.534

• There are many wise men that have secret hearts and transparent countenances.

  Francis Bacon

  Wise, Heart, Men

  Francis Bacon, Thomas MARKBY (1857). “The Essays ... Revised ... by Thomas Markby ... Second Edition”, p.49

• Men ought to find the difference between saltiness and bitterness. Certainly, he that hath a satirical vein, as he maketh others afraid of his wit, so he had need be afraid of others' memory.

  Francis Bacon

  Memories, Humor, Men

  Francis Bacon (1962). “Works”

• If a man's wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores, splitters of hairs.

  Francis Bacon

  Science, Men, Hair

  Francis Bacon, William Rawley (1858). “The Works of Francis Bacon: Literary and professional works”, p.498

• Reading maketh a full man; and writing an axact man. And, therefore, if a man write little, he need have a present wit; and if he read little, he need have much cunning to seem to know which he doth not.

  Francis Bacon

  Reading, Writing, Men

• The genius, wit, and the spirit of a nation are discovered by their proverbs.

  Francis Bacon

  Genius, Spirit, Wit

• We see then how far the monuments of wit and learning are more durable than the monuments of power, or of the hands. For have not the verses of Homer continued twenty-five hundred years or more, without the loss of a syllable or letter; during which time infinite palaces, temples, castles, cities have been decayed and demolished?

  Francis Bacon

  Wisdom, Loss, Hands

  Francis Bacon (2012). “The Advancement of Learning”, p.61, Modern Library

• But the greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lucre and profession; and seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift of reason, to the benefit and use of men.

  Francis Bacon

  Knowledge, Science, Men

  Francis Bacon (1765). “The works of Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Alban, and Lord High Chancellor of England, in five volumes”, p.81

• But the images of men's wits and knowledges remain in books, exempted from the wrong of time, and capable of perpetual renovation.

  Francis Bacon

  Book, Men, Renovation

  Francis Bacon, Robert Leslie Ellis, William Rawley (1861). “The philosophical works of Francis Bacon, with prefaces and notes by the late Robert Leslie Ellis, together with English translations of the principal Latin pieces”, p.318

• The images of mens wits and knowledge remain in books. They generate still, and cast their seeds in the minds of others, provoking and causing infinite actions and opinions in succeeding ages

  Francis Bacon

  Christian, Book, Knowledge

  Francis Bacon, Rose-Mary Sargent (1999). “Selected Philosophical Works”, p.47, Hackett Publishing

• When a doubt is once received, men labour rather how to keep it a doubt still, than how to solve it; and accordingly bend their wits.

  Francis Bacon

  Men, Doubt, Wit

  Francis Bacon, Robert Leslie Ellis, William Rawley (1861). “The philosophical works of Francis Bacon, with prefaces and notes by the late Robert Leslie Ellis, together with English translations of the principal Latin pieces”, p.364

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