Francis Bacon – “Of Friendship”
Introduction Francis Bacon’s essay “Of Friendship” explains the importance, value, and uses of friendship in human life. He begins with Aristotle’s famous saying: “Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god.” By this, Bacon means that human beings cannot live alone. Those who enjoy complete solitude are either animal-like, having no need for society, or god-like, being self-sufficient. Most people need the company of others to live happily. Solitude and the Need for Companionship Bacon mentions a few men — Epimenides, Numa, Empedocles, and Apollonius of Tyana — who lived in isolation for higher purposes. Yet, Bacon calls their attempts “false and feigned,” suggesting that human nature is not made for such separation. He adds that even among people, one may feel lonely. Faces may be like “a gallery of pictures,” and conversations without love are like “tinkling cymbals.” He quotes a Latin proverb: “Magna civitas, magna solitudo” — “A great city is a great s...