Men on their side must force themselves for a while to lay their notions by and begin to familiarize themselves with facts. – Francis Bacon
In contemplation, if a man begins with certainties he shall end in doubts; but if he be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. – Francis Bacon
Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it. – Francis Bacon
Suspicion amongst thoughts are like bats amongst birds, they never fly by twilight. – Francis Bacon
There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little, and therefore men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more, and not keep their suspicions in smother. – Francis Bacon
If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties. – Francis Bacon
Suspicions that the mind, of itself, gathers, are but buzzes; but suspicions that are artificially nourished and put into mens heads by the tales and whisperings of others, have stings. – Francis Bacon
They are ill discoverers that think there is no land when they see nothing but sea. – Francis Bacon
Speech of yourself ought to be seldom and well chosen. – Francis Bacon
That things are changed, and that nothing really perishes, and that the sum of matter remains exactly the same, is sufficiently certain. – Francis Bacon
Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable. – Francis Bacon
Pictures and shapes are but secondary objects and please or displease only in the memory. – Francis Bacon
He that gives good advice builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example builds with both. – Francis Bacon
There is as much difference between the counsel that a friend giveth, and that a man giveth himself, as there is between the counsel of a friend and of a flatterer. For there is no such flatterer as is a mans self. – Francis Bacon
Many a mans strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he grows out of use. – Francis Bacon
If a mans wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics. – Francis Bacon
It is a strange desire, to seek power, and to lose liberty or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a mans self. – Francis Bacon
Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more a mans nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. – Francis Bacon
A little philosophy inclineth mans mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth mens minds about to religion. – Francis Bacon
A bachelors life is a fine breakfast, a flat lunch, and a miserable dinner. – Francis Bacon
