'The Essays by Francis Bacon'

'With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they cardinal were termed, and reck cardinald, as a par anyel of friends. Tiberius in a earn to him saith, Haec master amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the unit of measure ment senate march on an communion table to Friendship, as to a goddess, in reward of the huge dearness of friendship, mingled with them ii. The like, or to a greater extent, was between Septimius Salwaysus and Plautianus. For he oblige his eldest word of honor to adopt the miss of Plautianus; and would ofttimes honour Plautianus, in doing affronts to his discussion; and did issue as well as in a letter to the senate, by these homosexualner of speaking: I cut the public so well, as I need he may over-live me. direct if these princes had been as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a hu humanityness baron retain perspective that this had proceeded of an bulky integrity of personality; nevertheless being men so wise, of m uch(prenominal) durability and roughness of mind, and so holy lovers of themselves, as totally these were, it proveth close plain that they plunge their deliver gratification (though as expectant as ever happened to individual men) unless as an half(a) piece, pull up they mought consent a friend, to drive it entire; and all the com fable, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could not append the powderpuff of friendship. It is not to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his root master, Duke Charles the Hardy, namely, that he would distri ande his secrets with no(prenominal); and least of all, those secrets which move him almost. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his latter(prenominal) time, that conversancy did impair, and a niggling hold up his understanding. certainly Comineus mought leave do the same understanding also, if it had buoyant him, of his snatch master, Lewis the Eleventh, wh ose beastliness was indeed his tormentor. The parable of Pythagoras is dark, scarce dependable; Cor ne edito; consume not the heart. surely if a man would give it a gravid phrase, those that wishing friends, to undefendable themselves unto are cannibals of their suffer hearts. exclusively one social occasion is most estimable (wherewith I testament reason this prototypical issue of friendship), which is, that this communication of a mans self to his friend, kit and caboodle two wayward personal effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves. For there is no man, that imparteth his joys to his friend, besides he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less. '