Francis Bacon

A sudden bold and unexpected question does many times surprise a man and lay him open.

Nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind as body, and it addeth no small reverence to men’s manners and actions if they be not altogether open. Therefore set it down: That a habit of secrecy is both politic and moral.

The desire of excessive power caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge caused men to fall.

Small amounts of philosophy lead to atheism, but larger amounts bring us back to God.

Knowledge is power.

Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set.

Though analogy is often misleading, it is the least misleading thing we have.

We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character.

Money and time are the heaviest burdens of life, and the unhappiest of all mortals are those who have more of either than they know how to use.

We love to overlook the boundaries which we do not wish to pass.

Heaven is the work of the best and kindest men and women. Hell is the work of prigs, pedants and professional truth-tellers. The world is an attempt to make the best of Heaven and Hell.

Culture is one thing and varnish is another.

I at least have so much to do in unraveling certain human lots, and seeing how they were woven and interwoven, that all the light I can command must be concentrated on this particular web, and not dispersed over that tempting range of relevancies called the universe.

A Judge may be a farmer; but he is not to geld his own pigs. A Judge may play a little at cards for his own amusement; but he is not to play at marbles, or chuck farthing in the Piazza.

Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.

Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.

People of great position are servants times three, servants of their country, servants of fame, and servants of business.

Revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny: they have only shifted it to another shoulder.

You have to choose between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability of the honesty and intelligence of the members of the Government. And, with due respect for these gentlemen, I advise you, as long as the Capitalist system lasts, to vote for gold.

The rich man is always sold to the institution which makes him rich. Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue.

It’s all that the young can do for the old, to shock them and keep them up to date.