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.