--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Children sweeten labours. But they make…" description: "\"Children sweeten labours. But they make misfortune more bitter. They increase the care of life. But they mitigate the remembrance of death. The perpetu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/francis-bacon-297_achievement_children-sweeten-labours-but-they-make-m_1927334.jpg" --- # Children sweeten labours. But they make misfortune more… ![“Children sweeten labours. But they make misfortune more bitter. They increase the care of life. But they mitigate the remembrance of death. The perpetuity of generation is common to beasts. But memory, merit and noble works are proper to men. And surely a man shall see the noblest works and…” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/francis-bacon-297_achievement_children-sweeten-labours-but-they-make-m_1927334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/francis-bacon-297_achievement_children-sweeten-labours-but-they-make-m_1927334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/088/francis-bacon-297_achievement_children-sweeten-labours-but-they-make-m_1927334.jpg) > “Children sweeten labours. But they make misfortune more bitter. They increase the care of life. But they mitigate the remembrance of death. The perpetuity of generation is common to beasts. But memory, merit and noble works are proper to men. And surely a man shall see the noblest works and foundations have proceeded from childless men which have sought to express the images of their minds where those of their bodies have failed.” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children bring joy but also amplify suffering; they increase life's responsibilities yet soften the fear of death, highlighting human uniqueness beyond animal continuity. **In simple terms:** Children make life sweeter yet harder, reminding us of mortality and human purpose. Key Takeaway Balance care for children with personal growth. Themes family mortality humanity responsibility Mood thoughtful serious contemplative Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - parenting - elder care - career planning - philosophical debates Key Concepts existentialism ethics legacy Questions to Reflect On - Do children enhance or hinder personal achievement? - How does caring for others shape our sense of meaning? A Different Perspective Children can be a source of stress and distraction from personal goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Beasts Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beasts-memory-2546650/) [Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Childless Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childless-men-2598122/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Death Perpetuity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-perpetuity-2994784/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labour/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [Mitigate Remembrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mitigate-remembrance-2994785/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Remembrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembrance/) [Sweeten Labours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweeten-labours-2994786/) ## Related quotes > [Children sweeten labours, but they make misfortunes more bitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/children-sweeten-labours-but-they-make-misfortunes-more-bitter/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune, for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief. Certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/he-that-hath-wife-and-children-hath-given-hostages-to-fortune-for/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“My definition of man is a cooking animal. 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So that as Plato had an imagination, that all knowledge was but remembrance; so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/salomon-saith-there-is-no-new-thing-upon-the-earth-so-that-as-plato/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-binyon/age-shall-not-weary-them-nor-the-years-condemn/) [Laurence Binyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-binyon/) > [Today isn't just another day off, it's a day to remember those who have sacrificed their life for your FREEDOM. Happy Memorial Day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/today-isn-t-just-another-day-off-it-s-a-day-to-remember-those-who/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“We should have learned by now not to be surprised by kittypets." Graystripe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hunter/we-should-have-learned-by-now-not-to-be-surprised-by-kittypets/) [Erin Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hunter/) > [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“Let us not burthen our remembrance with A heaviness that's gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-not-burthen-our-remembrance-with-a-heaviness-that-s-gone/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. 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They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. 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