Page:Bacons Essays 1908 West.djvu/107

] and Occasions. Here, the best Way to represent to life the manifold use of Frendship is to cast and see how many Things there are, which a Man cannot doe Himselfe; And then it will appeare that it was a Sparing Speech of the Ancients to say, That a Frend is another Himselfe: For that a Frend is farre more then Himselfe. Men have their Time, and die many times in desire of some Things which they principally take to Heart ; The bestowing of a Child, The Finishing of a Worke, Or the like. If a Man have a true Frend, he may rest almost secure that the Care of those Things will continue after Him. So that a Man hath as it were two Lives in his desires. A Man hath a Body, and that Body is confined to a Place; But where Frendship is, all Offices of Life are as it were granted to Him and his Deputy; For he may exercise them by his Frend. How many Things are there which a Man cannot, with any Face or Comelines, say or doe Himselfe? A Man can scarce alledge his owne Merits with modesty, much lesse extoll them: A man cannot sometimes brooke to Supplicate or Beg; And a number of the like. But all these Things are Gracefull in a Frend's Mouth, which are Blushing in a Man's Owne. So againe, a Man's Person hath many proper Relations which he cannot put off. A Man cannot speake to his Sonne, but as a Father; To his Wife, but as a Husband; To his Enemy, but upon Termes : whereas a Frend may speak as the Case requires, and not as it sorteth with the Person. But to enumerate these Things were endlesse: I have given the Rule, where a Man cannot fitly play his owne Part: If he have not a Frend, he may quit the Stage.