All rising to a great place is by a winding stair.
We see then how far the monuments of wit and learning are more durable than the monuments of power, or of the hands. For have not some books continued twenty-five hundred years or more, without the lo...
We are much beholden to Machiavelli and others, that write what men do, and not what they ought to do . For it is not possible to join serpentine wisdom with the columbine innocency, except men know e...
The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.
The worst solitude is to be destitute of sincere friendship.
As the births of living creatures at first are ill-shapen so are all innovations which are the births of time.
Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust and old authors to read.
Knowledge itself is power
A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.
The desire of excessive power caused the angels to fall the desire of knowledge caused men to fall.
Atheism is rather in the lip than in the heart of Man.
They are happy men whose natures sort with their vocations.
The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.
Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.
Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.
Wise men make more opportunities than they find.
He that gives good advice, builds with one hand he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the...
It is left only to God and to the angels to be lookers on.
He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils.
There is a difference between happiness and wisdom: he that thinks himself the happiest man is really so but he that thinks himself the wisest is generally the greatest fool.