I would address one general admonition to all, that they consider what are the true ends of knowledge, and that they seek it not either for pleasure of the mind, or for contention, or for superiority to others, or for profit, or for fame, or power, or any of these inferior things, but for the benefit and use of life; and that they perfect and govern it in charity. For it was from lust of power that the Angels fell, from lust of knowledge that man fell, but of charity there can be no excess, neither did angel or man come in danger by it. Francis Bacon
About This Quote

William Penn, a prominent Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania, said: "I would address one general admonition to all, that they consider what are the true ends of knowledge, and that they seek it not either for pleasure of the mind or for contention or for superiority to others or for profit or fame or power or any of these inferior things, but for the benefit and use of life; and that they perfect and govern it in charity." According to this saying from William Penn, people should not be motivated by the desire to obtain money or power. Instead, a person should pursue knowledge for its own sake.

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More Quotes By Francis Bacon
  1. 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.
  2. Philosophy when superficially studied, excites doubt, when thoroughly explored, it dispels it.
  3. The serpent if it wants to become the dragon must eat itself.
  4. Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.
  5. Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though religion were not; but superstition dismounts all these, and erecteth an absolute monarchy in the minds of men. Therefore...
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