Francis Bacon idézet

oldal 9

„Egyes könyveket megízlelünk, másokat lenyelünk, de nagyon kevés az olyan, amelyet megrágunk és megemésztünk.”

„Ha az ember bizonyossággal kezd, akkor kételyekkel végez; de ha megelégszik azzal, ha kételyekkel kezd, akkor bizonyossággal végez.”

„A bölcs ember a lehetőségeit megteremti, és nem megtalálja.”

„A remény egy jó reggeli, de rossz vacsora.”

„Az óvatos kérdés a bölcsesség egyik fele.”

„A tudomány minden nyomorúságának egyetlen alapvető oka van: oktalanul csodáljuk az emberi elme erejét, de nem igyekszünk hatékony segédeszközökkel a segítségére sietni.”

„Tanításunkban csupán egyetlen, igen egyszerű módokhoz folyamodunk: visszavezetni a tényekhez, a tények sorozatához és rendjéhez az embereket, és rávenni őket, hogy szabaduljanak meg egy időre a fogalmaktól, és szokjanak lassan össze a valósággal.”

„A természet fortélyossága lépten-nyomon kijátssza az érzékek és az értelem fortélyosságát, úgyhogy bolond időtöltés volna mind a sok szép elmélkedés, emberi okoskodás, vitatkozás, ha nem akadna, aki felhivja erre a figyelmet.”

„A temészetet szolgáló és magyarázó ember annyit tehet és foghat fel, amennyit a természet rendjéből a dolgokra vagy elméjére vonatkozóan megfigyelhet: ennél többet nem tudhat és nem tehet.”

„A fény terjesztésének két módja van: gyertyának lenni vagy tükörnek, amely visszatükrözi a gyertya fényét.”

„A barátság a barátok meglátogatásával nő, de főleg azzal, ha ritkán látogatjuk meg őket.”

„A csend az alvás, amely táplálja a bölcsességet.”

“What then remains but that we still should cry
Not to be born, or, being born, to die?”

“Riches are for spending.”

“Of Unity Of Religion”

“Envy never makes holiday. ”

“Discretion in speech is more than eloquence. ”

“They that deny a God destroy a man’s nobility, for certainly man is of kin to the beasts by his body; and if he be not of kin to God by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature.”

“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.”

“Neither did the dispensation of God vary in the times after our Saviour came into the world; for our Saviour himself did first show His power to subdue ignorance, by His conference with the priests and doctors of the law, before He showed His power to subdue nature by His miracles.”

“To seek to extinguish anger utterly, is but a bravery of the Stoics. We have better oracles.”

“I cannot call riches better than the baggage of virtue. The Roman word is better, impedimenta. For as the baggage is to an army, so is riches to virtue. It cannot be spared, nor left behind, but it hindereth the march; yea, and the care of it, sometimes loseth or disturbeth the victory.”

“This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal, and do well.... vindictive persons live the life of witches; who, as they are mischievous, so end they infortunate...”

“Some, when they take revenge, are desirous, the party should know, whence it cometh. This is the more generous. For the delight seemeth to be, not so much in doing the hurt, as in making the party repent. But base and crafty cowards, are like the arrow that flieth in the dark.”

“Kings have to deal with their neighbors, their wives, their children, their prelates or clergy, their nobles, their second-nobles or gentlemen, their merchants, their commons, and their men of war; and from all these arise dangers, if care and circumspection be not used.”

“The difficulties in princes' business are many and great; but the greatest difficulty, is often in their own mind.”

“The poets make Fame a monster. They describe her in part finely and elegantly, and in part gravely and sententiously. They say, look how many feathers she hath, so many eyes she hath underneath; so many tongues; so many voices; she pricks up so many ears.”

“Let not judges also be ignorant of their own right, as to think there is not left to them, as a principal part of their office, a wise use and application of laws.”

“Judges ought above all to remember the conclusion of the Roman Twelve Tables.”

“An ancient clerk, skilful in precedents, wary in proceeding, and understanding in the business of the court, is an excellent finger of a court; and doth many times point the way to the judge himself.”

“The place of justice is an hallowed place; and therefore not only the bench, but the foot-place; and precincts and purprise thereof, ought to be preserved without scandal and corruption.”

“The parts of a judge in hearing, are four: to direct the evidence; to moderate length, repetition, or impertinency of speech; to recapitulate, select, and collate the material points, of that which hath been said; and to give the rule or sentence.”

“In causes of life and death, judges ought (as far as the law permitteth) in justice to remember mercy; and to cast a severe eye upon the example, but a merciful eye upon the person.”

“Judges must beware of hard constructions, and strained inferences; for there is no worse torture, than the torture of laws.”

“The principal duty of a judge, is to suppress force and fraud; whereof force is the more pernicious, when it is open, and fraud, when it is close and disguised. Add thereto contentious suits, which ought to be spewed out, as the surfeit of courts.”

“In all negotiations of difficulty, a man may not look to sow and reap at once; but must prepare business, and so ripen it by degrees.”

“He that seeketh victory over his nature, let him not set himself too great, nor too small tasks; for the first will make him dejected by often failings; and the second will make him a small proceeder, though by often prevailings.”

“Nature is often hidden; sometimes overcome; seldom extinguished. Force, maketh nature more violent in the return; doctrine and discourse, maketh nature less importune; but custom only doth alter and subdue nature.”

“These things are but toys, to come amongst such serious observations.”

“Some have certain common places, and themes, wherein they are good and want variety; which kind of poverty is for the most part tedious, and when it is once perceived, ridiculous.”

“Some, in their discourse, desire rather commendation of wit, in being able to hold all arguments, than of judgment, in discerning what is true; as if it were a praise, to know what might be said, and not, what should be thought.”