Francis Bacon Quotes - Page 15

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It has well been said that the arch-flatterer, with whom all petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self.

Francis Bacon

Men, Self, Arches

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Human knowledge and human power meet in one; for where the cause is not known the effect cannot be produced. Nature to be commanded must be obeyed; and that which in contemplation is as the cause is in operation as the rule.

Francis Bacon

Knowledge, Science, Causes

Francis Bacon, Rose-Mary Sargent (1999). “Selected Philosophical Works”, p.90, Hackett Publishing

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Wise sayings are not only for ornament, but for action and business, having a point or edge, whereby knots in business are pierced and discovered.

Francis Bacon

Inspirational, Wise, Ornaments

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Vices of the time; vices of the man.

Francis Bacon

Men, Vices, He Man

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Generally he perceived in men of devout simplicity this opinion: that the secrets of nature were the secrets of God, part of that glory into which man is not to press too boldly.

Francis Bacon

Men, Simplicity, Secret

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Whence we see spiders, flies, or ants entombed and preserved forever in amber, a more than royal tomb.

Francis Bacon

Forever, Spiders, Amber

Francis Bacon, William Rawley (1858). “The Works of Francis Bacon: Translations of the philosophical works”, p.320

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The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent and abundant instances may exist to the contrary, yet it either does not observe them or it despises them, or it gets rid of and rejects them by some distinction, with violent and injurious prejudice, rather than sacrifice the authority of its first conclusions.

Francis Bacon

Sacrifice, Support, Understanding

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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.'

Francis Bacon

Wise, Men, Answers

Essays "Of Marriage and the Single Life" (1625) See Punch 1

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Learning hath his infancy, when it is but beginning and almost childish; then his youth, when it is luxuriant and juvenile; then his strength of years, when it is solid and reduced; and lastly his old age, when it waxeth dry and exhaust.

Francis Bacon

Learning, Years, Age

Francis Bacon (2015). “Bacon's Essays: Top Essays”, p.103, 谷月社

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The rising unto place is laborious, and by pains men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base, and by indignities men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse.

Francis Bacon

Pain, Men, Rising

'Essays' (1625) 'Of Great Place'

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The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion (either as being the received opinion or as being agreeable to itself) draws all things else to support and agree with it. And though there be a greater number and weight of instances to be found on the other side, yet these it either neglects and despises, or else by some distinction sets aside and rejects, in order that by this great and pernicious predetermination the authority of its former conclusions may remain inviolate.

Francis Bacon

Order, Numbers, Support

Francis Bacon, William Rawley (1858). “The Works of Francis Bacon”, p.56

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Man, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much and so much only as he has observed in fact or thought of the course of nature; beyond this he neither knows anything nor can do anything.

Francis Bacon

Nature, Knowledge, Science

Francis Bacon, Rose-Mary Sargent (1999). “Selected Philosophical Works”, p.89, Hackett Publishing

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Philosophers make imaginary laws for imaginary commonwealths, and their discourses are as the stars, which give little light because they are so high.

Francis Bacon

Stars, Philosophy, Light

Francis Bacon (1765). “The works of Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Alban, and Lord High Chancellor of England, in five volumes”, p.186

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Upon a given body to generate and superinduce a new nature or new natures is the work and aim of human power. To discover the Form of a given nature, or its true difference, or its causal nature, or fount of its emanation... this is the work and aim of human knowledge.

Francis Bacon

Knowledge, Differences, Body

Francis Bacon (1855). “The Novum Organon,: Or a True Guide to the Interpretation of Nature”, p.113

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I confess that I have as vast contemplative ends, as I have moderate civil ends: for I have taken all knowledge to be my province.

Francis Bacon

Taken, Knowledge, Science

Francis Bacon, Basil Montagu (1834). “The Works of Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England: A New Edition:”, p.274

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Neither the naked hand nor the understanding left to itself can effect much. It is by instruments and helps that the work is done, which are as much wanted for the understanding as for the hand. And as the instruments of the hand either give motion or guide it, so the instruments of the mind supply either suggestions for the understanding or cautions.

Francis Bacon

Science, Hands, Giving

Francis Bacon (2012). “The Great Instauration”, p.28, Simon and Schuster

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Images also help me find and realise ideas. I look at hundreds of very different, contrasting images and I pinch details from them, rather like people who eat from other people`s plates.

Francis Bacon

Artist, Ideas, People

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It is idle to expect any great advancement in science from the superinducing and engrafting of new things upon old. We must begin anew from the very foundations, unless we would revolve for ever in a circle with mean and contemptible progress.

Francis Bacon

Mean, Science, Circles

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.52

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When any of the four pillars of government-religion, justice, counsel, and treasure-are mainly shaken or weakened, men had need to pray for fair weather.

Francis Bacon

Men, Weather, Justice

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Another argument of hope may be drawn from this-that some of the inventions already known are such as before they were discovered it could hardly have entered any man's head to think of; they would have been simply set aside as impossible. For in conjecturing what may be men set before them the example of what has been, and divine of the new with an imagination preoccupied and colored by the old; which way of forming opinions is very fallacious, for streams that are drawn from the springheads of nature do not always run in the old channels.

Francis Bacon

Running, Men, Thinking

Francis Bacon, Rose-Mary Sargent (1999). “Selected Philosophical Works”, p.134, Hackett Publishing

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But we may go further, and affirm most truly, that it is a mere and miserable solitude to want true friends; without which the world is but a wilderness.

Francis Bacon

True Friend, Real, Solitude

Francis Bacon (2015). “Bacon's Essays: Top Essays”, p.47, 谷月社

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Men in great place are thrice servants: servants of the sovereign or state, servants of fame, and servants of business.

Francis Bacon

Business, Men, Sovereign

'Essays' (1625) 'Of Great Place'

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To conclude, therefore, let no man upon a weak conceit of sobriety or an ill-applied moderation think or maintain that a man can search too far, or be too well studied in the book of God's word, or the book of God's works, divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavor an endless progress or proficience in both; only let men beware that they apply both to charity, and not to swelling; to use, and not to ostentation; and again, that they do not unwisely mingle or confound these learnings together.

Francis Bacon

Philosophy, Book, Men

Francis Bacon (1824). “The Works of Francis Bacon: Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Albans, and Lord High Chancellor of England”, p.11

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... wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity.

Francis Bacon

Family, Children, Discipline

1625 Essays, no.8,'Of Marriage and the Single Life'.

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My praise shall be dedicated to the mind itself. The mind is the man, and the knowledge is the mind. A man is but what he knoweth. The mind is but an accident to knowledge, for knowledge is the double of that which is.

Francis Bacon

Knowledge, Men, Mind

Francis Bacon (1824). “The Works of Francis Bacon: Baron of Verulam, Viscount St. Albans, and Lord High Chancellor of England”, p.123

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Born: January 22, 1561
Died: April 9, 1626
Occupation: Former Lord Chancellor
Cite this Page: Citation

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