THE stage is more beholding to love, than 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 mischief; sometimes like a
siren, 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 been transported to
the mad degree of love: which shows that great
spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak
passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus
Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome,
and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver;
whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man,
and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and
wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely)
that love can find entrance, not only into an open
heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch
be not well kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus,
Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if
man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and
all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel be-
fore a little idol, and make himself a subject,
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 excess of this passion,
and how it braves the nature, and value of things,
by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyper-
bole, 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 petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's
self; certainly the lover is more. For there was
never proud man thought so absurdly well of him-
self, 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 weakness
appear to others only, and not to the party loved;
but to the loved most of all, except the love be reci-
proque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever re-
warded, either with the reciproque, 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 itself! As for the
other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure
them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the
gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth
too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches
and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in 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 quarters; 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 how,
but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but
as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask
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 itself towards many,
and maketh men become humane and charitable;
as it is seen sometime in friars. Nuptial love maketh
mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton
love corrupteth, and embaseth it.
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