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About this quote

What does it mean?
Bacon bequeaths his soul to God, his body to obscurity, and his memory to the charity of others and future generations.
In plain terms
Give your soul to God, bury your body simply, and let others decide your legacy.
What can you take from it?
Leave your legacy to others and the future, not yourself.

Where it applies

  • end of life
  • writing wills
  • historical reflection

Putting it to work

  • focusing on soul
  • avoiding vanity

Questions to consider

  • How do you want to be remembered?
  • What matters more: life or legacy?

Another view

Some may feel actively preserving one's legacy is more important.

More from Francis Bacon

  1. Audacter calumniare, semper aliquid haeret.

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  2. We have also sound houses, where we practice and demonstrate all sounds and their generation. We have harmonies which you have not, of quarter sounds and lesse…

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  3. Riches are a good handmaid, but the worst mistress.

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