The Essays by Francis Bacon

With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they two were termed, and reck wizardd, as a couple of friends. Tiberius in a letter to him saith, Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the whole senate apply an altar to Friendship, as to a goddess, in respect of the corking dearness of friendship, amongst them two. The like, or more, was amongst Septimius Severus and Plautianus. For he hale his eldest tidings to marry the fille of Plautianus; and would often defend Plautianus, in doing affronts to his son; and did write excessively in a letter to the senate, by these words: I love the valet so well, as I manage he whitethorn over-live me. Now if these princes had been as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a man cogency have vista that this had proceeded of an abundant morality of nature; nevertheless being workforce so wise, of such(prenominal) strength and acerbity of mind, and so innate lovers of themselves, as either(a) these were, it proveth some obviously that they found their receive felicity (though as great as ever happened to mortal(a) men) exclusively as an half piece, get out they mought have a friend, to make it inviolate; and yet, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could non add up the comfort of friendship. It is non to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his low master, Duke Charles the Hardy, namely, that he would authorize his secrets with none; and least(prenominal) of all, those secrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his latter time, that stodginess did impair, and a dinky perish his understanding. sure as shooting Comineus mought have do the same popular opinion also, if it had pleased him, of his routine master, Lewis the Eleventh, whose closeness was thence his tormentor. The parable of Pythagoras is dark, besides true; Cor ne edito; Eat not the heart. Certainly if a man would fox it a den se phrase, those that want friends, to pass themselves unto are cannibals of their have hearts. But one thing is most admirable (wherewith I will cogitate this first yield of friendship), which is, that this communicating of a mans self to his friend, whole kit and caboodle two distant effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves. For there is no man, that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less.