Full Idea
They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
Gist of Idea
We don't assume there is no land, because we can only see sea
Source
Francis Bacon (The Advancement of Learning [1605], II.VII.5)
Book Reference
Bacon,Francis: 'Advancement of Learning/New Atlantis' [OUP 1966], p.110
A Reaction
Just the sort of pithy remark for which Bacon is famous. It is an obvious point, but a nice corrective to anyone who wants to apply empirical principles in a rather gormless way.