Silence is the virtue of fools.

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.

Hope is a good breakfast, but it is a bad supper.

The desire of excessive power caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge caused men to fall.

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.

It is not what men eat but what they digest that makes them strong; not what we gain but what we save that makes us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; not what we preach but what we practice that makes us Christians.

In charity there is no excess.

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.

In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior.

For there is no question but a just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.

Knowledge is power. (Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est).

Man seeketh in society comfort, use and protection.

The job of the artist is to deepen the mystery.

Seek ye first the good things of the mind, and the rest will either be supplied or its loss will not be felt.

Houses are built to live in, not to look on; therefore, let use be preferred before uniformity, except where both may be had.

A prudent question is one half of wisdom.

Men fear death as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased by tales, so is the other.

Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study.

The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.

Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of his soul. Men must not turn into bees, and kill themselves in stinging others.

Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.

They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.

A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, But depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion.

I have taken all knowledge to be my province.

People usually think according to their inclinations, speak according to their learning and ingrained opinions, but generally act according to custom.

There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

Death is a friend of ours; and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at home.

Praise from the common people is generally false, and rather follows the vain than the virtuous.

Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to the more ought law to weed it out.

Books must follow sciences, and not sciences books.

God has placed no limits to the exercise of the intellect he has given us, on this side of the grave.

Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.

Discretion in speech is more than eloquence.

Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.

Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable.

By far the best proof is experience.

He of whom many are afraid ought to fear many.

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

Knowledge is power.

There is no great concurrence between learning and wisdom.

Read not to contradict and confute, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.

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.

Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.

Science is but an image of the truth.

The worst solitude is to be destitute of sincere friendship.

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.

Dolendi modus, timendi non item. (To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none.)

Read not to contradict and confute, not to believe and take for granted, not to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.