Francis Bacon

"There are four classes of idols which beset the human mind."

"Craft must have clothes, but truth loves to go naked."

"He that gives himself to be a religion let him never expect to be wise."

"The moment a man ceases to dream, he ceases to live."

"Creativity is the greatest rebellion in existence."

"Money is like muck, not good except it be spread."

"A sudden bold and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man and lay him open."

"Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true."

"The jaws of power are always open to devour, and her arm is always stretched out, if possible, to destroy the unfortunate."

"Knowledge of science is the medium between brutality and humanity."

"The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion draws all things else to support and agree with it."

"A man's own observation, what he finds good of and what he finds hurt of, is the best physic to preserve health."

"Patience is the support of weakness; impatience is the ruin of strength."

"If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties."

"He who understands nature walks with God."

"Truth is like a torch, the more it's shook the more it shines."

"The greatest vicissitude of things amongst men is the vicissitude of sects and religions."

"Kindness is the language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

"Severity breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth hate."

"The contemplation of things as they are, without error or confusion, is in itself a nobler thing than a whole harvest of invention."

"Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil."

"Nature is the art of God."

"A man that seeketh precise truth must not choose an easy, creeping way."

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."

"History is the light of truth."

"Affection is a chemical thing."

"There is in human nature generally more of the fool than of the wise."

"Much more is attained by civil insinuation than by violent assault."

"The corruption of the best is the worst of corruptions."

"Ignorance of causes disposeth the mind to admiration, and admiration is the seed of philosophy."