"He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief"
- Francis Bacon
About this Quote
This quote by Francis Bacon recommends that having a spouse and children can be a barrier to attaining excellent things, either for good or bad. Bacon indicates that having a family can be a diversion from pursuing terrific aspirations, as one need to consider the well-being of their family before their own. He suggests that having a household can be a kind of 'hostage to fortune', as one's family can be used as leverage against them. This quote can be analyzed as an alerting to those who wish to pursue great aspirations, as having a household can be a terrific responsibility and can be a barrier to achieving excellent things. It can also be seen as a tip to those with households to be mindful of their duties and to be familiar with the prospective effects of their actions.
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