Salomon saith, There is no new thing upon the earth. So that as Plato had an imagination, that all knowledge was but remembrance; so Salomon giveth his sentence, that all novelty is but oblivion.
Francis BaconRead
Seek ye first the good things of the mind, and the rest will either be supplied or its loss will not be felt.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prioritize intellectual and moral development, and other needs will follow naturally.
This quote by Francis Bacon emphasizes the importance of valuing knowledge and mental well-being above all else. When one focuses on cultivating a good mind—filled with virtue, learning, and wisdom—the material and external concerns of life often fall into place. It suggests that true fulfillment comes from inner richness rather than external possessions.
Themes
MindKnowledgeWisdomGood ThingsIntellectualFulfillment
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to inspire students to pursue knowledge.
More from Francis Bacon
All quotes →Nothing doth more hurt in a state than that cunning men pass for wise.
Francis BaconRead
Truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion.
Francis BaconRead
Great art is always a way of concentrating, reinventing what is called fact, what we know of our existence- a reconcentration… tearing away the veils, the attitudes people acquire of their time and earlier time. Really good artists tear down those veils
Francis BaconRead
Wise men make more opportunities than they find.
Francis BaconRead
Knowledge and human power are synonymous.
Francis BaconRead
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