Bacon's Essays/Of Love

by Francis Bacon

X

OF LOVE

The Stage is more beholding^[1] to Love then the Life of Man. For as to the Stage, Love is ever matter of Comedies, and now and then of Tragedies: But in Life it doth much mischiefe, Sometimes like a Syren, Sometimes like a Fury. You may observe that amongst all the great and worthy Persons, (whereof the memory remaineth, either Ancient or Recent), there is not One that hath beene transported to the mad degree of Love; which shewes that great Spirits^[2] and great Businesse doe keepe out this weake Passion. You must except, neverthelesse, Marcus Antonius the halfe Partner of the Empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius the Decemvir and Law-giver; Whereof the former was indeed a Voluptuous Man and Inordinate^[3]; but the latter was an Austere and wise man: And therefore it seemes (though rarely) that Love can finde entrance, not only into an open Heart, but also into a Heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept. It is a poore Saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum Alter Alteri Theatrum sumus^[4]: As if Man, made for the contemplation of Heaven and all Noble Obiects, should doe nothing but kneele before a little Idoll, and make himselfe subiect, though not of the Mouth (as Beasts are) yet of the Eye, which was given him for higher Purposes. It is a strange Thing to note the Excesse of this Passion, And how it braves^[5] the Nature and value of things, by this, that the Speaking in a perpetuall Hyperbole is comely in nothing but in Love. Neither is it meerely in the Phrase^[6]; For whereas it hath beene well said that the Arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty Flatterers have Intelligence^[7], is a Man's Selfe, Certainly the Lover is more. For there was never Proud Man thought so absurdly well of himselfe as the Lover doth of the Person loved: And therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love and to be wise. Neither doth this weaknesse appeare to others onely, and not to the Party Loved, But to the Loved most of all, except the Love be reciproque^[8]. For it is a true Rule, that Love is ever rewarded, either with the Reciproque^[9], or with an inward and secret Contempt. By how much the more Men ought to beware of this Passion, which loseth not only other things but itselfe. As for the other losses, the Poet's Relation^[10] doth well figure them; That he that preferred Helena, quitted the Gifts of luno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of Amorous Affection, quitteth both Riches and Wisedome. This Passion hath his Flouds^[11] in the very times of Weaknesse, which are great Prosperitie and great Adversitie, though this latter hath beene lesse observed: Both which times kindle Love, and make it more fervent, and therefore shew it to be the Childe of Folly. They doe best, who, if they cannot but admit Love, yet make it keepe Quarter^[12], And sever it wholly from their serious Affaires and Actions of life; For if it checke^[13] once with Businesse, it troubleth Men's For tunes, and maketh Men that they can no wayes^[14] be true to their owne Ends. I know not how, but Martiall Men are given to Love: I thinke it is but as they are given to Wine, For Perils commonly aske to be paid in Pleasures. There is in Man's Nature a secret Inclination and Motion towards love of others, which, if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread it selfe towards many, and maketh men become Humane and Charitable, As it is seene sometime in Friars. Nuptiall love maketh Mankinde; Friendly love perfecteth it; but Wanton love Corrupteth and Imbaseth^[15] it.

 

1. beholden, indebted
2. noble natures
3. without self-control
4. We are a large enough theatre for one another
5. insults, disregards
6. language
7. are in league
8. mutual
9. with the return of love
10. story
11. bursts its barriers
12. keep within limits its proper limits
13. interfere
14. in no wise, by no means
15. debases