66 BACON'S ESSAYS 



first master, Duke Charles the Hardy; namely, that he 

 would communicate his secrets with none ; and least of all, 

 those secrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he 

 goeth on and saith that towards his latter time that close- 

 ness did impair and a little perish his understanding. 

 Surely Commineus mought have made the same judgment 

 also, if it had pleased him, of his second master Lewis the 

 Eleventh, whose closeness was indeed his tormentor. The 

 parable of Pythagoras is dark, but true ; Cor ne edito ; 

 'Eat not the heart/ Certainly, if a man would give it a 

 hard phrase, those that want friends to open themselves 

 unto are cannibals of their own hearts. But one thing is 

 most admirable (wherewith I will conclude this first fruit of 

 friendship), which is, that this communicating of a man's 

 self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it re- 

 doubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halfs. 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. So that it is in truth of operation 

 upon a man's mind, of like virtue as the alchymists use to 

 attribute to their stone for man's body ; that it worketh all 

 contrary effects, but still to the good and benefit of nature. 

 But yet, without praying in aid of alchymists, there is a 

 manifest image of this in the ordinary course of nature. 

 For in bodies, union strengtheneth and cherisheth any 

 natural action ; and on the other side weakeneth and 

 dulleth any violent impression : and even so it is of 

 minds. 



The., second fruit of friendship is healthful and sovereign 

 for the understanding, as the first is for the affections. 

 For friendship maketh indeed a fair day in the affections, 

 from storm and tempests ; but it maketh daylight in the 

 understanding, out of darkness and confusion of thoughts. 

 Neither is this to be understood only of faithful counsel, 

 which a man receiveth from his friend ; but before you 

 come to that, certain it is that whosoever hath his mind 

 fraught with many thoughts, his wits and understanding 

 do clarify and break up, in the communicating and dis- 

 coursing with another ; he tosseth his thoughts more 



