--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to…" description: "\"If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to tell whence the spark shall come that shall set it on fire.\" — Francis Bacon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg" --- # If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to tell whence the… ![“If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to tell whence the spark shall come that shall set it on fire.” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg) > “If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to tell whence the spark shall come that shall set it on fire.” [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. Potential knowledge can ignite unexpected consequences if not carefully managed **In simple terms:** Ideas can spark powerful effects Key Takeaway Consider the origins and impacts of ideas before acting Themes knowledge responsibility causality philosophy Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - Launching new technologies - policy making - scientific research - creative projects Key Concepts Ethics of innovation unintended consequences risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What hidden risks might your ideas trigger? - How can you mitigate unintended effects? A Different Perspective Unforeseen outcomes may arise despite precautions ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) ## Related quotes > [There is no short-cut to art, one has to work hard, be open and flexible in your mind, keep the child alive inside you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bente-borsum/there-is-no-short-cut-to-art-one-has-to-work-hard-be-open-and/) Bente Borsum > [“Of course chance favors the prepared! Hard work, showing up on time, wearing a clean (preferably white) shirt, using deodorant, and some such conventional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/of-course-chance-favors-the-prepared-hard-work-showing-up-on-time/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Even though I am someone who played one-dayers more, I have equally prepared hard for the T20 format too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithali-raj/even-though-i-am-someone-who-played-one-dayers-more-i-have-equally/) [Mithali Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithali-raj/) > [“Before we can jump into projects and how they will help you, we need to be straight up with ourselves. Be prepared to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sieverkropp/before-we-can-jump-into-projects-and-how-they-will-help-you-we-need/) Mark Sieverkropp > [Romantic art is the fuel and the spark plug of a Man's soul. It's task is to set a soul on fire and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/romantic-art-is-the-fuel-and-the-spark-plug-of-a-man-s-soul-it-s-task/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [For no man can forbid the spark nor tell whence it may come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/for-no-man-can-forbid-the-spark-nor-tell-whence-it-may-come/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [A forbidden writing is thought to be a certain spark of truth, that flies up in the face of them who seek to tread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/a-forbidden-writing-is-thought-to-be-a-certain-spark-of-truth-that/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Of all things known to mortals, wine is the most powerful and effectual for exciting and inflaming the passions of mankind, being common fuel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/of-all-things-known-to-mortals-wine-is-the-most-powerful-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [We as a nation have no choice but to conserve fuel to the best of our abilities or be prepared for harsh measures like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veerappa-moily/we-as-a-nation-have-no-choice-but-to-conserve-fuel-to-the-best-of-our/) [Veerappa Moily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veerappa-moily/) > [Our bishops storehouses are not intended to stock enough commodities to care for all the members of the Church. Storehouses are only established to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/our-bishops-storehouses-are-not-intended-to-stock-enough-commodities/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Attempt to be creative for the joy it brings… Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/attempt-to-be-creative-for-the-joy-it-brings-select-something-like/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [Sparks Fly whenever you smile!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/sparks-fly-whenever-you-smile/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [A blue eye is a true eye; Mysterious is a dark one, Which flashes like a spark sun! A black eye is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rounseville-alger/a-blue-eye-is-a-true-eye-mysterious-is-a-dark-one-which-flashes-like/) [William Rounseville Alger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rounseville-alger/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) ## 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. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-should-have-been-i-don-t-know-a-con-man-a-robber-or-a-prostitute/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Wounds cannot be cured without searching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/wounds-cannot-be-cured-without-searching/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-french-are-wiser-than-they-seem-and-the-spaniards-seem-wiser-than/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. 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 Fire quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“Nothing is ever lost nor can be lost; the body aged, sluggish,cold… the embers left from earlier fires shall dully flame again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/nothing-is-ever-lost-nor-can-be-lost-the-body-aged-sluggish-cold-the/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Tonight I feel like a prisoner on fire, waiting desperately... denied, sentenced forever more. Only your love can set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/tonight-i-feel-like-a-prisoner-on-fire-waiting-desperately-denied/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Carrying that lumber the forty meters from the forest had left his knuckles blistered, his underarms sopping, but now a few hours of flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/carrying-that-lumber-the-forty-meters-from-the-forest-had-left-his/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [AHHHHHH! Goyle has set the bloody place on fire! -Ron Weasley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ahhhhhh-goyle-has-set-the-bloody-place-on-fire-ron-weasley/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 8,652 Fire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to tell whence the spark shall come that shall set it on fire.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to-tell-whence-the-spark-shall/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fire" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to-tell-whence-the-spark-shall/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/370/francis-bacon-297_fire_if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to_2316097.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there be fuel prepared, it is hard to tell whence the spark shall come that shall set it on fire.” — Francis Bacon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there be fuel prepared, it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to-tell-whence-the-spark-shall/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/if-there-be-fuel-prepared-it-is-hard-to-tell-whence-the-spark-shall/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```