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Home  »  The World’s Wit and Humor  »  Aphorisms

The World’s Wit and Humor: An Encyclopedia in 15 Volumes. 1906.

Francis Bacon (1561–1626)

Aphorisms

From the “Essays

ALL colours will agree in the dark.

This is certain, that a man that studieth revenge keepeth his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.

Whosoever esteemeth too much of an amourous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom.

Money is like muck: not good except it be spread.

Princes are like to heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, and no rest.

Old men object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon.

To take advice of some few friends is ever honourable; for lookers-on many times see more than gamesters.

Suspicions that the mind of itself gathers are but buzzes; but suspicions that are artificially nourished and put into men’s heads by the tales and whisperings of others, have stings.

Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man. And therefore, if man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning to seem to know that which he doth not.