Languages & literature > Bacon's essays, and Goldsmith's essays

40 bacon’s essays.
musas if man, made for the Contemplation of
heaven and all noble objects, should do nothing but
kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject,
though not o£ the mouth, (as beasts are) yet of the
eye, which was given him for higher purposes. It is a
strange thing to note the excess of this passion, and
how it braves the nature and value of things by this
that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole is comely
in nothing but in love: neither is it merely in the
phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, ‘ That
the arch flatterer, with whom all the pretty flatterers
have intelligence, is a man’s self;’ certainly the lover
is more ; for there was never a proud man thought so
absurdly well of himself as the lover doth of the per¬
son loved; and therefore it was well said, ‘ That it
is impossible to love and to be wise.’ Neither doth this
weakness appear to others only and not to the party
loved, but to the loved most of all, except the love be
reciprocal; for it is a true rule, that love is ever re¬
warded either with the reciprocal, or with an inward
or secret contempt, by how much more the men ought
to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other
things, but itself. As for the'other losses, the poet’s
relation doth well figure them; ‘ That he that pre-
ferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallasi
for whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affec- ;
tion, quitteth both riches and wisdom. This passion ;
hath its floods in the very times of weakness, which
are great prosperity, and great adversity, though this
latter hath been less observed : both which times '■
kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore
show it to be the child of folly. - They do best, who •
if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarter,
and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and !
actions of life; for if it check once with business, it ,
troubleth men’s fortunes, and maketh men that they
can no ways be true to their own ends. I know not