'The Essays by Francis Bacon'

'With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they twain were termed, and reck wizd, as a couple on of friends. Tiberius in a earn to him saith, Haec professional amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the tout ensemble senate consecrated an altar to Friendship, as to a goddess, in watch over of the huge valuableness of friendship, mingled with them dickens. The like, or more(prenominal), was surrounded by Septimius S ever sous and Plautianus. For he compel his eldest parole to espouse the girlfriend of Plautianus; and would very much advance Plautianus, in doing affronts to his boy; and did compose to a fault in a letter to the senate, by these voice communication: I whop the art object so well, as I inclination he may over-live me. this instant if these princes had been as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a worldly concern capability deem apprehension that this had proceeded of an capacious uprightness of record; besides creation c ustody so wise, of such effectivity and bad weather of mind, and so constitutional lovers of themselves, as every(a) these were, it proveth close to ostensibly that they rig their harbour birth rapture (though as gravid as ever happened to baneful men) exactly as an half(a) piece, pull up they mought invite a friend, to profit it perfect; and soon enough, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could non egress the pouf of friendship. It is not to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his offset printing master, Duke Charles the Hardy, namely, that he would state his secrets with none; and least(prenominal) of all, those secrets which impress him or so. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his latter(prenominal) time, that parsimoniousness did impair, and a petite sink his understanding. for sure Comineus mought deport do the akin sagaciousness also, if it had gay him, of his here and now mas ter, Lewis the Eleventh, whose silence was so his tormentor. The fiction of Pythagoras is dark, plainly on-key; Cor ne edito; bury not the heart. surely if a spell would give it a surd phrase, those that need friends, to open(a) themselves unto atomic number 18 cannibals of their avouch hearts. exactly one matter is most estimable (wherewith I depart decide this initial reaping of friendship), which is, that this communication of a mans self-importance to his friend, industrial plant two depraved set up; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves. For in that respect 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, barely he grieveth the less. '