Boldness is ever blind, for it sees not dangers and inconveniences whence it is bad in council though good in execution.

Man, being the servant and interpreter of Nature, can do and understand so much and so much only as he has observed in fact or thought of the course of nature; beyond this he neither knows anything nor can do anything.

Images also help me find and realise ideas. I look at hundreds of very different, contrasting images and I pinch details from them, rather like people who eat from other people`s plates.

The Scripture saith, The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God; it is not said, The fool hath thought in his heart; so as he rather saith it, by rote to himself, as that he would have, than that he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded of it....It appeareth in nothing more, that atheism is rather in the lip, than in the heart of man.

The world's a bubble, and the life of man, Less than a span.

Knowledge hath in it somewhat of the serpent, and therefore where it entereth into a man it makes him swell.

I confess that I have as vast contemplative ends, as I have moderate civil ends: for I have taken all knowledge to be my province.