For there is no Man that imparteth his Ioyes to his Frend, but he Ioyeth the more; And no Man that imparteth his Griefes to his Frend, but hee grieveth the lesse. So that it is, in Truth of Operation upon a Man's Minde, of like vertue as the Alchymists use[1] to attribute to their Stone for Man's Bodie, That it worketh all Contrary Effects, but still[2] to the Good and Benefit of Nature. But yet, without praying in Aid[3] of Alchymists, there is a manifest Image of this in the ordinarie course of Nature. For in Bodies[4], Union strengthneth and cherisheth any Naturall Action; And, on the other side, weakneth and dulleth any violent Impression: And even so is it of Minds.
The second Fruit of Frendship is Healthfull and Soveraigne[5] for the Understanding, as the first is for the Affections[6]. For Frendship maketh indeed a faire Day in the Affections, from Storme and Tempests: But it maketh Daylight in the Understanding, out of Darknesse and Confusion of Thoughts. Neither is this to be understood onely of Faithfull Counsell, which a Man receiveth from his Frend; But before you come to that, certaine it is that, whosoever hath his Minde fraught[7] with many Thoughts, his Wits and Understanding doe clarifie and breake up[8], in the Communicating and discoursing with Another: He tosseth his Thoughts more easily; He marshalleth them more orderly; He seeth how they looke when they are turned into Words; Finally, He waxeth wiser then Himselfe[9]; And that more by an Houre's discourse then by a Daye's Meditation. It was well said by Themistocles to the King of Persia, That speech was like Cloth of Arras, opened and put abroad[10]; Whereby the Imagery doth appeare in Figure[11]; whereas in Thoughts, they lie but as in Packs. Neither is this Second Fruit of Frendship, in opening the Understanding, restrained[12] onely to such Frends as are
