saith that towards his latter time that closeness did impair and a little perish[1] his understanding. Surely Comineus mought have made the same judgment also, if it had pleased him, of his second master Lewis the Eleventh,[2] whose closeness was indeed his tormentor. The parable[3] of Pythagoras[4] is dark, but true; Cor ne edito: Eat not the heart.[5] Certainly, if a man would give it a hard phrase, those that want friends to open themselves unto are cannibals of their own hearts. But one thing is most admirable (wherewith I will conclude this first fruit of friendship), which is, that this communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halfs. For there is no man that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the more: and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but be grieveth the less. So that it is in truth of operation upon a man's mind, of like virtue as the alchymists use to attribute to their stone for man's body; that it worketh all contrary effects, but still to the good and benefit of nature. But
- ↑ Perish, a transitive verb.
"You are an innocent,
A soul as white as Heaven; let not my sins
Perish your noble youth."
Beaumont and Fletcher. The Maid's Tragedy. iv. 1. - ↑ Louis XI. 1423–1483, King of France from 1461 to 1483. The historical setting of Sir Walter Scott's great novel, Quentin Durward, based largely on the Mémoires of Philippe de Comines, is the time of Louis XI. and Charles the Bold.
- ↑ Parable means proverb here.
- ↑ Pythagoras, born about 582 B.C., died about 500 B.C., Greek philosopher and mathematician.
- ↑ A Discourse Touching the Training of Children. 17. Plutarch's Miscellanies and Essays. Vol. I. Edited by W. W. Goodwin. With Introduction by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
