Francis Bacon

The human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly, distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it.

The mind of man is far from the nature of a clear and equal glass, wherein the beams of things should reflect according to their true incidence; nay, it is rather like an enchanted glass, full of superstition and imposture, if it be not regulated by art and discipline.

The greatest error of all the rest is the mistaking or misplacing of the last or furthest end of knowledge: for men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lucre and profession; but seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift of reason, to the benefit and use of men.

Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true.

The human understanding from its peculiar nature, easily supposes a greater degree of order and equality in things than it really finds.

The mind of man is subject to three diseases; namely, to be too credulous, to be too incredulous, or to be too curious.

For the mind of man is far more disposed to affirm than to deny.

The human understanding is of its own nature prone to suppose the existence of more order and regularity in the world than it finds.

For the mind of man is strangely disposed to give credit to such things as it doth wish were true.

The eye of the understanding is like the eye of the body; it sees all things else, but cannot see itself.

A man that is young in years may be old in hours, if he have lost no time.

For it is a sure rule, that a man were better to be a suitor to the devil, than to a man whose heart is not open.

The less people think, the more they talk.

It is a strange desire, to seek power and to lose liberty.

Suspicions amongst thoughts are like bats amongst birds, they ever fly by twilight.

The greatest trust between man and man is the trust of giving counsel.

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.

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.

Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.

Prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.