Francis Bacon

All colors will agree in the dark.

This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge keeps his wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.

Truth is so hard to tell, it sometimes needs fiction to make it plausible.

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

Of great wealth there is no real use, except in its distribution, the rest is just conceit.

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

Great feelings will often take the aspect of error, and great faith the aspect of illusion.

Half a man’s wisdom goes with his courage.

So far is it from being true that men are naturally equal, that no two people can be half an hour together, but one shall acquire an evident superiority over the other.

There is a hush over all Europe, nay, over all the world. Alas! it is the hush of suspense, and in many lands it is the hush of fear. Listen! No, listen carefully, I think I hear somethingyes, there it was quite clear. Dont you hear it? It is the tramp of armies crunching the gravel of the paradegrounds, splashing through rain-soaked fields, the tramp of two million German soldiers and more than a million Italiansgoing on maneuversyes, only on maneuvers!

Nothing in life is more liberating than to fight for a cause larger than yourself, something that encompasses you but is not defined by your existence alone.

Nature has given women so much power that the law has very wisely given them little.

My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, Sir, I am your most humble servant. You are not his most humble servant. You may say, These are bad times; it is a melancholy thing to be reserved to such times. You don’t mind the times … You may talk in this manner; it is a mode of talking in Society; but don’t think foolishly.

Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat. For my part, I mind my belly very studiously, and very carefully; for I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly, will hardly mind anything else.

No man was ever great by imitation.

There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.

All I want to do is change the world.

Poets, like friends to whom you are in debt, you hate.

How real is any of the past, being every moment revalued to make the present possible.

He that thinks he can afford to be negligent is not far from being poor.

He who distinguishes the true savor of his food can never be a glutton; he who does not cannot be otherwise.