Francis Bacon

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.

Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.

There is a wisdom in this beyond the rules of physic: a man’s own observation what he finds good of and what he finds hurt of is the best physic to preserve health.

Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all of which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, even if religion vanished; but religious superstition dismounts all these and erects an absolute monarchy in the minds of men.

The correlative to loving our neighbors as ourselves is hating ourselves as we hate our neighbors.

Pictures and shapes are but secondary objects and please or displease only in the memory.

Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions.

There can be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence without integrity.

In this world there is always danger for those who are afraid of it.

We shall see but little way if we require to understand what we see. How few things can a man measure with the tape of his understanding! How many greater things might he be seeing in the meanwhile!

The great majority of men are bundles of beginnings.

I don’t like needing anyone for anything.

Learn to say “I don’t know.” If used when appropriate, it will be often.

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

The betrothed and accepted lover has lost the wildest charms of his maiden by her acceptance. She was heaven while he pursued her, but she cannot be heaven if she stoops to one such as he!

A physician’s physiology has much the same relation to his power of healing as a cleric’s divinity has to his power of influencing conduct.

The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity.

Dreams are the touchstones of our characters.

I went to the Bach Choir concert and heard Mozart’s Requiem. I did not rise warmly to it. Then I heard an extract from Parsifal which I disliked very much. If Bach wriggles, Wagner writhes…

Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.

When I am abroad, I always make it a rule to never criticize or attack the government of my own country. I make up for lost time when I come home.