The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

18 ESSAYS CIVIL AND MORAL.
that they feel it so, but only to abate the edge of This public envy seemeth to beat chiefly upon
envy: but this is to be understood of business principal officers or ministers, rather than upon
that is laid upon men, and not such as they call kings and estates themselves. But this is a sure
unto themselves; for nothing increaseth envy rule, that if the envy upon the minister be great,
more than an unnecessary and ambitious engross- when the cause of it in him is small; or if the
ing of business; and nothing doth extinguish envy be general in a manner upon all the minisenvy more than for a great person to preserve all ters of an estate, then the envy (though hidden)
other inferior officers in their full rights and pre- is truly upon the state itself. And so much of
eminences of their places; for by that means, public envy or discontentment, and the difference
there be so many screens between him and envy. thereof from private envy, which was handled in
Above all, those are most subject to envy, the firstplace.
which carry the greatness of their fortunes in an We will add this in general, touching the affecinsolent and proud manner: being never well but tion of envy, that of all other affections it is the
while they are showing how great they are, either most importune and continual; for of other affecby outward pomp, or by triumphing over all oppo- tions there is occasion given but now and then;
sition or competition: whereas wise men will and therefore it was well said, " Invidia festos
rather do sacrifice to envy, in suffering themselves, dies non agit:" for it is ever working upon some
sometimes of purpose, to be crossed and over- or other. And it is also noted, that love and envy
borne in things that do not much concern them. do make a man pine, which other affections do
Notwithstanding so much is true, that the car- not, because they are not so continual. It is also
riage of greatness in a plain and open manner (so, the vilest affection, and the most depraved; for
it be without arrogancy and vain glory) doth draw which cause it is the proper attribute of the devil,
less envy than if it be in a more crafty and cun- who is called "The envious man, that soweth
ning fashion; for in that course a man doth but tares amongst the wheat by night;" as it always
disavow fortune, and seemeth to be conscious of cometh to pass, that envy worketh subtilly, and
his own want in worth, and doth but teach others in the dark, and to the prejudice of good things,
to envy him. such as is the wheat.
Lastly, to conclude this part, as we said in the
beginning that the act of envy had somewhat in it X. OF LOVE.*
of witchcraft, so there is no other cure of envy but
the cure of witchcraft; and that is, to remove the THE stage is more beholding to lovW;than the
lot (as they call it) and to lay it upon another; lifeofoman; for as to the stage, love is even matfor which purpose, the wiser sort of great persons terfof comedies, and now and then of tragedies;
bring in ever upon the stage somebody upon but in life it doth much mischie'sometimes like
whom to derive the envy that would come upon a siren, someti'imeslike afury. You may observqe
themselves; sometimes upon ministers and ser- that among~ all the great and worthy persons
vants, sometimes upon colleagues and associates, (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient
and the like; and, for that turn, there are never or recern3 there is not one that hath been transwanting some persons of violent and undertaking ported to the mad degree of love, which show~,
natures, who, so they may have power and busi- that great spirits and great business do keep out
ness, will take it at any cost. this weak passion. You must except, nevertheNow, to speak of public envy: there is yet less, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the
some good in public envy, whereas in private empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the dethere is none; for public envy is as an ostracism, cemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was
that eclipseth men when they grow too great: indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but
and therefore it is a bridle also to great ones to the latter was an austere and wise mnan;) and
keep them within bounds. therefore it seems (though rarely,): that love/ can
This envy, being in the Latin word "; invidia," find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also
goeth in the modern languages by the name of into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well
discontentment; of which we shall speak in hand- kept. It is a poor saying of Epicurus, " Satis
ling sedition. It is a disease in a state like to magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus;" as if man,
infection: for as infection spreadeth upon that made for the contemplation of heaven, and all
which is sound, and tainteth it; so, when envy is noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before
gotten once into a state, it traduceth even the best a little idol, and make himself a subject, though
actions thereof, and turneth them into an ill not of the mouth (as beasts arTD yet of th~ eye,
odour; and therefore there is little won by inter- which was given him for higher burposes. It is
mingling of plausible actions: for that doth argue a strange thing to note the excess of this passion,
but a weakness and fear of envy, which hurteth and how it braves the nature and value of things
so much the more, as it is likewise usual in in- by this, that the speaking in a perpetual hyperfections, which, if you fear them, you call them bole, is comely in nothing but in love: neither is
upon you. * -See note F at the end of the Essays.