Francis Bacon

Philosophy English 1561 – 1626 233 quotes

Father of the scientific method

Most quoted

"Mahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him, and from the top of it offer up his prayers for the observers of his law. The people assembled: Mahomet called the hill to come to him again and again; and at the last took occasion to chide their weakness and slavish disposition."

— from Essays, 1625

"For the mind of man is far from the nature of a clear and equal glass, wherein the beams of things should reflect according to their true incidence; but it is rather like an enchanted glass, full of superstition and imposture, if it be not regulated and corrected by the rules of true philosophy."

— from The Advancement of Learning, 1605

"The true method of experience first lights the candle, and then by means of the candle shows the way; commencing as it does with experience duly ordered and digested, not bungling or erratic, and from it eliciting axioms, and from established axioms again new experiments."

— from Novum Organum, 1620

All quotes by Francis Bacon (233)

It is a great error to take counsel of one's desires.

Essays, or Counsels, Civil and Moral 1625

The best way to represent to life the manifold use of poetry, was to compare it to a vine, which has a double use and effect.

The Advancement of Learning 1605

In order to carry a point, one must have a good deal of brass.

Apophthegms New and Old

It is a great error to take counsel of your fears.

Apophthegms New and Old

For a man to write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers, and frequent the best company.

Of Studies

The inquiry of truth, which is the love-making, or wooing of it, the knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it, and the belief of truth, which is the enjoying of it, is the sovereign good of human nature.

Of Truth

A good name is like a precious ointment; it filleth all round about, and will not easily away; for the odors of ointments are more durable than those of flowers.

Of Goodness, and Goodness of Nature

The desire of power in excess caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge in excess caused man to fall.

Of Goodness, and Goodness of Nature

The remedy is worse than the disease.

Of Innovations

Friendship is a strong and habitual inclination in two persons to promote the good and happiness of one another.

Of Friendship

The greatest works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.

Apophthegms New and Old

I have rather taken all knowledge to be my province.

Letter to Lord Burghley 1592

For a man to be a great statesman, he must be a good man.

Of Empire

The true greatness of kingdoms and estates, and the true means of their increase and advancement, are not to be measured by the extent of their territory, but by the number of their people.

Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates

Money is a great servant, but a bad master.

Of Riches

Truth is a naked and open daylight, that doth not show the masks and mummeries and triumphs of the world half so stately and daintily as candle-lights.

Of Truth

Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes.

Of Adversity

It is a strange desire, to seek power and to lose liberty; or to seek power over others and to lose power over a man's self.

Of Great Place

For myself, I found I was fitted for nothing so well as for the study of truth.

Letter to Lord Burghley

The idols of the tribe have their foundation in human nature itself.

Novum Organum

Contemporaries of Francis Bacon

Other Philosophys born within 50 years of Francis Bacon (1561–1626).