It is the true office of history to represent the events themselves, together with the counsels, and to leave the observations and conclusions thereupon to the liberty and faculty of every man's judgment. |
It was prettily devised of Aesop, "The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise! " |
Knowledge itself is power |
Lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance. |
Like strawberry wives, that laid two or three great strawberries at the mouth of their pot, and all the rest were little ones. |
Mahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him . . . 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.' |
Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true. |
Men fear death, as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other. |
Men on their side must force themselves for a while to by their notions by and begin to familiarize themselves with facts. |
Money makes a good servant, but a bad master. |
My essays . . . come home, to men's business, and bosoms. |
Nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind as body, and it addeth no small reverence to men's manners and actions if they be not altogether open. Therefore set it down: That a habit of secrecy is both politic and moral. |
Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. |
Nature is commanded by obeying her. |
Of great wealth there is no real use, except in its distribution, the rest is just conceit. |