It is a true rule that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque or with an inward and secret contempt.
— Francis Bacon
Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy, but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a prince's part to pardon.
Houses are built to live in, and not to look on: therefore let use be preferred before uniformity.
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.
But men must know, that in this theatre of man's life it is reserved only for God and angels to be lookers on.
Pictures and shapes are but secondary objects and please or displease only in the memory.
Certainly the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried, or childless men.
Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is.
Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so; but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.
Nothing is pleasant that is not spiced with variety.
Science is but an image of the truth.
God hangs the greatest weights upon the smallest wires.
Antiquities are history defaced, or some remnants of history which have casually escaped the shipwreck of time.
Opportunity makes a thief.
Lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance.
Judges ought to be more leaned than witty, more reverent than plausible, and more advised than confident. Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.
Anger is certainly a kind of baseness, as it appears well in the weakness of those subjects in whom it reigns: children, women, old folks, sick folks.
The quarrels and divisions about religion were evils unknown to the heathen. The reason was because the religion of the heathen consisted rather in rites and ceremonies than in any constant belief.
There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little.
It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer way is not much about.
Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.
By indignities men come to dignities.
We are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do.
Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.
Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable.
The fortune which nobody sees makes a person happy and unenvied.
There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that which is lost by not trying.
Riches are a good hand maiden, but a poor mistress.
The genius, wit, and the spirit of a nation are discovered by their proverbs.
The joys of parents are secret, and so are their grieves and fears.
The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.
Studies serve for delight, for ornaments, and for ability.
Knowledge and human power are synonymous.
No body can be healthful without exercise, neither natural body nor politic, and certainly, to a kingdom or estate, a just and honourable war is the true exercise.
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.
It is as hard and severe a thing to be a true politician as to be truly moral.
Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter.
Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.
The desire of excessive power caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge caused men to fall.
A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.
Anger makes dull men witty, but it keeps them poor.
Young people are fitter to invent than to judge; fitter for execution than for counsel; and more fit for new projects than for settled business.
Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set.
What is truth? said jesting Pilate; and would not stay for an answer.
Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more a man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.
Who ever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul.
Many a man's strength is in opposition, and when he faileth, he grows out of use.
Life, an age to the miserable, and a moment to the happy.
Studies perfect nature and are perfected still by experience.
