Francis Bacon

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

Croesus said to Cambyses; That peace was better than war; because in peace the sons did bury their fathers, but in wars the fathers did bury their sons.

Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.

He that hath knowledge spareth his words.

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.

The pencil of the Holy Ghost hath labored more in describing the afflictions of Job than the felicities of Solomon.

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

The stupidity of men always invites the insolence of power.

If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.

You can never really live anyone else’s life, not even your child’s. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you’ve become yourself.

Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be.

If I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior.

We hand folks over to God’s mercy, and show none ourselves.

My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors.

Beauty without expression is boring.

Suspicion is most often useless pain.

It’s a good thing to be foolishly gay once in a while.

In conversation the game is, to say something new with old words. And you shall observe a man of the people picking his way along, step by step, using every time an old boulder, yet never setting his foot on an old place.

Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.

In a battle all you need to make you fight is a little hot blood and the knowledge that it’s more dangerous to lose than to win.

If the desire to kill and the opportunity to kill came always together, who would escape hanging?