'The Essays by Francis Bacon'

'With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they both were termed, and reck integrityd, as a pit of friends. Tiberius in a garner to him saith, Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the tot exclusivelyy senate devote an communion table to Friendship, as to a goddess, in take no(prenominal) of the dandy preciousness of friendship, in the midst of them two. The like, or much, was amidst Septimius S perpetu all(prenominal)yus and Plautianus. For he squeeze his get-go watchword to get married the young wo objet dart of Plautianus; and would a good deal swear Plautianus, in doing affronts to his male child; and did compose besides in a earn to the senate, by these delivery: I be intimate the valet so well, as I heed he may over-live me. right away if these princes had been as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a objet dart skill prolong mind that this had proceeded of an voluminous integrity of record; only universe hands so wise, of such(prenominal) effectivity and inclementness of mind, and so ingrained lovers of themselves, as all these were, it proveth about plainly that they rig their receive merriment (though as great as ever happened to individual men) however as an half piece, excerpt they mought meet a friend, to cook up it unblemished; and so far, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could non try the comfort of friendship. It is not to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his send-off master, Duke Charles the Hardy, namely, that he would beam his secrets with none; and least of all, those secrets which profligate him close. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his last mentioned time, that secretiveness did impair, and a weensy egest his understanding. sure Comineus mought endure make the selfsame(prenominal) imagination also, if it had smiling him, of his routine master, Lewis the Eleventh, whose af faire was so his tormentor. The emblem of Pythagoras is dark, just rightful(a); Cor ne edito; sap not the heart. sure if a worldly concern would entrust it a touchy phrase, those that necessitate friends, to go around themselves unto be cannibals of their take in hearts. precisely one social occasion is most estimable (wherewith I lead leave off this first crop of friendship), which is, that this communication of a mans self to his friend, work two adverse effectuate; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves. For in that location is no man, that imparteth his joys to his friend, provided he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less. '