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Francis Bacon Quotes

Former Lord Chancellor

Francis Bacon, a renowned philosopher, politician, and writer, served as the Lord Chancellor of England. He is best known for his profound philosophical thoughts and extensive literary works, which have had a lasting impact on the world.

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Famous Francis Bacon Quotes

“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.”

“Always let losers have their words.”

People Loser

Book:The Works of Francis Bacon

Source: The Works of Francis Bacon

“Judges ought above all to remember the conclusion of the Roman Twelve Tables :The supreme law of all is the weal [weatlh/ well-being] of the people.”

People Wells Remember Law Judging Ought Tables Supreme Conclusion Well Being Twelve

Author:Francis Bacon

“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 when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said, 'If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill.'”

People Ifs Believe Made Said Stills Law Belief Prayer Offers Hills Again And Again Observers

Author:Francis Bacon

“Do not wonder if the common people speak more truly than those above them: they speak more safely.”

People Ifs Speak Common Wonder Revolution

Author:Francis Bacon

“The master of superstition, is the people; and in all superstition, wise men follow fools; and arguments are fitted to practice, in a reversed order.”

People Men Order Practice Wise Masters Fool Argument Statistics Superstitions

Book:The Works of Francis Bacon

Source: The Works of Francis Bacon

“Jesus would have been one of the best photographers that ever existed. He was always looking at the beauty of people souls. In fact Jesus was constantly making pictures of God in people's life by looking at their souls and exposing them to his light.”

People Has Beens Soul Facts Light Jesus Photography Photographer Exposing

Author:Francis Bacon

“Images also help me find and realise ideas. I look at hundreds of very different, contrasting images and I pinch details from them, rather like people who eat from other people`s plates.”

People Looks Ideas Different Helping Artist Details Help Me Realising Plates

Author:Francis Bacon

“I feel that I am much freer if I'm on my own, but I'm sure that there are a lot of painters who would perhaps be even more inventive if they had people round them... I find that if I am on my own I can allow the paint to dictate to me. So the images that I'm putting down on the canvas dictate the thing to me and it gradually builds up and comes along.”

People Ifs Feels I Can My Own Paint Rounds Painter Canvas

Author:Francis Bacon

“The dignity of this end of endowment of man's life with new commodity appeareth by the estimation that antiquity made of such as guided thereunto ; for whereas founders of states, lawgivers, extirpators of tyrants, fathers of the people, were honoured but with the titles of demigods, inventors ere ever consecrated among the gods themselves.”

People Men Made Ends States Father Dignity Titles Tyrants Founders Commodity Inventor Antiquity Endowment Estimation Demigods

Author:Francis Bacon

“Nay, number itself in armies importeth not much, where the people is of weak courage; for, as Virgil saith, It never troubles the wolf how many the sheep be.”

People Numbers Trouble Weak Army Sheep

Book:Essays

Source: Essays

“The voice of the people has about it something divine: for how otherwise can so many heads agree together as one?”

People Together Voice Divine Agree Together As One

Author:Francis Bacon

“I don't think people are born artists; I think it comes from a mixture of your surroundings, the people you meet, and luck.”

People Thinking Artist Born Luck Surroundings Mixtures

Author:Francis Bacon

“Very few people have a natural feeling for painting, and so, of course, they naturally think that painting is an expression of the artist's mood. But it rarely is. Very often he may be in greatest despair and be painting his happiest paintings.”

People Thinking May Feelings Artist Courses Natural Emotion Painting Expression Despair Mood Natural Feelings

Author:Francis Bacon

“If my people look as if they're in a dreadful fix, it's because I can't get them out of a technical dilemma.”

People Ifs Looks I Can Dilemma Because I Can Portraiture

Book:Francis Bacon: portraits and heads

Source: Francis Bacon: portraits and heads

“Praise from the common people is generally false, and rather follows the vain than the virtuous.”

People Common Praise Vain Virtuous

Author:Francis Bacon

“People prefer to believe what they want to be true.”

People Want Believe Being True

Author:Francis Bacon

“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.”

People Young Time Business Youth Judging Fit Projects Invention Execution Be Young New Projects Youth Life

Author:Francis Bacon

“People have discovered that they can fool the devil; but they can't fool the neighbors.”

People Funny Fool Devil Neighbor Neighbors And Friends

Author:Francis Bacon

“People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.”

People Thinking Inspirational Speak Opinion Learning Customs Inclination

Author:Francis Bacon

“The less people speak of their greatness, the more we think of it.”

People Thinking Inspirational Speak Greatness Dealing With People

Author:Francis Bacon

“The only really interesting thing is what happens between two people in a room.”

People Two Happens Interesting Rooms Interesting Things Really Interesting

Author:Francis Bacon

“Great art is always a way of concentrating, reinventing what is called fact, what we know of our existence- a reconcentration… tearing away the veils, the attitudes people acquire of their time and earlier time. Really good artists tear down those veils”

People Knows Way Art Facts Artist Existence Attitude Tears Art Is Acquire Veils Great Art Concentrating Good Artist Reinventing

Book:Francis Bacon: The Papal Portraits of 1953

Source: Francis Bacon: The Papal Portraits of 1953