Francis Bacon

The poets did well to conjoin music and medicine, because the office of medicine is but to tune the curious harp of man’s body.

Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.

Atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of man.

There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.

Fortune is like the market, where, many times, if you can stay a little, the price will fall.

Discern of the coming on of years, and think not to do the same things still; for age will not be defied.

Nature has made up her mind that what cannot defend itself shall not be defended.

Act, if you like, but you do it at your peril. Men’s actions are too strong for them. Show me a man who has acted and who has not been the victim and slave of his action.

A wicked fellow is the most pious when he takes to it. He’ll beat you all at piety.

It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them.

It is no great art to say something briefly when, like Tacitus, one has something to say; when one has nothing to say, however, and none the less writes a whole book and makes truth into a liar – that I call an achievement.

From a worldly point of view, there is no mistake so great as that of being always right.

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large mattertis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.

The sons of Judah have to choose that God may again choose them. The divine principle of our race is action, choice, resolved memory.

Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn’t have the power to say yes.

You will have bad times, but they will always wake you up to the stuff you weren’t paying attention to.

Every burned book enlightens the world.

The public is a ferocious beast; one must either chain it or flee from it.

You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success – or are they holding you back?

Do what we can, summer will have its flies.

Let the stoics say what they please, we do not eat for the good of living, but because the meat is savory and the appetite is keen.