12 Francis Bacon Quotes on Virtue

Francis Bacon quotes on virtue

25. Primum quaerite bona animi; caetera aut aderunt, aut non oberunt

26. Silence is the virtue of a fool.

62. Cato said the best way to keep good acts in memory was to refresh them with new.

75. It was a high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics), that 'The good things which belong to prosperity are to be wished, but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired.'

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

79. Virtue is like precious odors - most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed.

83. A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope, to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune.

87. It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous spirit, whom honor amends. For honor is, or should be, the place of virtue and as in nature, things move violently to their place, and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm. All rising to great place is by a winding stair; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man's self, whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed. Use the memory of thy predecessor, fairly and tenderly; for if thou dost not, it is a debt will sure be paid when thou art gone. If thou have colleagues, respect them, and rather call them, when they look not for it, than exclude them, when they have reason to look to be called. Be not too sensible, or too remembering, of thy place in conversation, and private answers to suitors; but let it rather be said, When he sits in place, he is another man.

91. In charity there is no excess.

92. If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them.

125. Virtue is like a rich stone - best plain set.

140. The winning of honor, is but the revealing of a man's virtue and worth, without disadvantage.