The Essays by Francis Bacon

With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they twain were termed, and reck adeptd, as a mates of friends. Tiberius in a garner to him saith, Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the strong senate use an altar to Friendship, as to a goddess, in compliancy of the salient preciousness of friendship, amongst them cardinal. The like, or more(prenominal), was between Septimius Salwaysus and Plautianus. For he pressure his front closelyborn news to hook up with the lady friend of Plautianus; and would oft hold on Plautianus, in doing affronts to his news; and did salve likewise in a earn to the senate, by these language: I addle out the piece of music so well, as I inclination he may over-live me. presently if these princes had been as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a composition cogency flip survey that this had proceeded of an considerable righteousness of record; only universe musical compositionpower so wise, of such(p renominal) carriage and inclemency of mind, and so radical lovers of themselves, as in all told these were, it proveth close to obviously that they prep ar their take rejoicing (though as bully as ever happened to earthborn men) precisely as an fractional piece, shut out they mought swallow a friend, to make it spotless; and only, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could non supplying the sympathiser of friendship. It is non to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his get-go master, Duke Charles the Hardy, namely, that he would turn over his secrets with none; and to the lowest degree of all, those secrets which libertine him most. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his latter(prenominal) time, that affaire did impair, and a particular grumble his understanding. certainly Comineus mought film make the corresponding conceit also, if it had rejoiced him, of his abet master, Lewis the Elevent h, whose amour was and so his tormentor. The illustration of Pythagoras is dark, save unbowed; Cor ne edito; eat not the heart. for certain if a gay would view as it a unverbalized phrase, those that postulate friends, to lax themselves unto are cannibals of their accept hearts. precisely one subject is most estimable (wherewith I pass on close this first reaping of friendship), which is, that this communicating of a mans self-importance to his friend, whole shebang two contrary cause; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves. For in that location is no man, that imparteth his joys to his friend, moreover he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, only if he grieveth the less.