Francis Bacon, 1561 - 1626
Oil on canvas by John Vanderbank, ca. 1731, from an original by an unkown artist, ca. 1618
Born: 22 January 1561, London, England
Died: 9 April 1626, Highgate, England
Educated at home due to ill health, Bacon entered Trinity College, Cambridge at age twelve. Three years later he entered Gray's Inn, then the largest of the four "Inns of Court" from which all barristers in England and Wales come. He spent three years on the continent, mostly in France, studying language, law, and statecraft while performing occasional diplomatic tasks. His father died in 1579, prompting his return to England. He took his first seat in Parliament in 1584, serving three ridings over the years, became Queen's Counsel in 1596. After James I came to power, he was named Attorney General in 1613, Lord Chancellor in 1618. His career ended in disgrace over charges of corruption, he provided a written confession to all twenty-three counts, but it is unclear whether this was the truth or the means to protect the king from further inquiries. He wrote extensively on philosophy and science, what we now call the "scientific method" was first advanced in his Novum Organum. The theory has been advanced at various times that Bacon is the actual author of the plays attributed to William Shakespeare, even during their lifetimes. He may be one of the small group of scientists killed by their own experiments, he died of pneumonia shortly after experimenting with preserving meat by packing an eviscerated foul in snow; the argument is that the experimenter spent too much time at the same temperature as the experiment.
Biography from Wikipedia and Luminarium
Additional quotes from Wikiquote. Wikiquote entries are often "sourced" and may include items longer than those included here, particularly for poets, lyricists, and dramatists.
Francis Bacon quotes:
Quotes found : 134 — (15 per page, this is page 1 of 9) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
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- A bachelor's life is a fine breakfast, a flat lunch, and a miserable dinner.
Francis Bacon - A good name is like a precious ointment; it filleth all around about, and will not easily away; for the odors of ointments are more durable than those of flowers.
Francis Bacon - A just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.
Francis Bacon - A little philosophy inclineth men's minds to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds to religion.
Francis Bacon - A man cannot speak to his son but as a father, to his wife but as a husband, to his enemy but upon terms; whereas a friend may speak as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person.
Francis Bacon - A prudent question is one half of wisdom.
Francis Bacon - A sudden bold and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open.
Francis Bacon - A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
Francis Bacon - All good moral philosophy is but the handmaid to religion.
Francis Bacon - Alonso of Aragon was wont to say in commendation of age, that age appears to be best in four things: old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
Francis Bacon - Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor.
Francis Bacon - As the births of living creatures at first are ill-shapen, so are all Innovations, which are the births of time.
Francis Bacon - Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation, all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not; but superstition dismounts all these, and erects an absolute monarchy in the minds of men
Francis Bacon - Base and crafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark.
Francis Bacon - Be so true to thyself as thou be not false to others.
Francis Bacon
Quotes found : 134 — (15 per page, this is page 1 of 9) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
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