Of Friendship by Francis Bacon: Summary, Line by Line Explanation

This blog post offers a thorough explanation of the essay “Of Friendship” by Francis Bacon. You will find a summary, line-by-line explanation, and the main theme of the essay, all explained in simple language.

Of Friendship Summary

Francis Bacon’s “Of Friendship” discusses the three fruits of friendship. Bacon argues that humans inherently need companionship. Those who avoid it are more like beasts than like humans. Kings and monarchs highly value friendship. They often elevate a subordinate nearly to their status to form a bond, sometimes at the cost of their power.

The first fruit of friendship is the emotional support friendship provides. Friendship is fruitful because it offers companionship for the ailing heart. It can relieve the emotional burdens of a troubled mind, similar to how a remedy can treat a physical disease.

The next advantage is that friendship plays a critical role in problem-solving. A conversation with a true friend can remove confusion and bring clarity of thought.

A friend guides on both moral and business-related matters. However, everyone is not trustworthy. Bacon indirectly cautions readers to choose their companion carefully.

The last benefit is the holistic support a friend can offer. A friend can complete tasks that another leaves unfinished. He can also aid in accomplishing tasks that to tackle alone.

Line by Line Explanation

A Discourse on Solitude

Francis Bacon begins the essay with a quote from Aristotle’s Politics (Book I, Chapter 2), “Whosoever is delighted in solitude is either a wild beast or a god” (Bacon 138).

Aristotle masterfully combines truth and untruth in one statement.

A person’s natural and secret dislike for society reflects a beast-like trait. We often observe many animals prefer isolation over groups.

However, some animals prefer to live in groups. Therefore, the comparison accurately is limited to those specific animals that avoid groups and live alone.

Contrastingly, Aristotle’s statement is untrue because living in solitude does not elevate one to the status of a god. It is true when one seeks isolation, not for the pleasure of solitude but for spiritual enlightenment.

It is a fact that not every solitude seeker seeks truth. Bacon justifies this by referencing pretentious truth-seekers such as Epimenides, Numa, Empedocles, and Apollonius.

Epimenides, the Cretan, was a Greek poet in the 7th or 6th century BC. He is “said to have fallen asleep in a cave and slept there for fifty-seven years without waking” (Pitcher 138n4).

Numa, the second king of Rome, “claimed that the goddess Egeria had taught him legislation in a grove near Rome” (Pitcher 138n5).

Empedocles, a Greek philosopher of the 5th century B. C., disappears suddenly to prove to others that he is a god. In reality, he throws himself into the flames of Mount Etna in Sicily (Pitcher 138n6).

Apollonius of Tyana was a magician of the first century, and some believed he rose from the dead.

These stories about historical people show they did neither truly understand solitude nor wanted to be truly enlightened.

Unlike them, the ancient hermits and holy fathers adopted solitude for profound philosophical discourse or enlightenment. Discussing solitude further, Bacon differentiates between physical proximity and emotional isolation.

One can feel isolated even amidst a crowd. The faces may appear as “a gallery of pictures” (138), and conversations could resemble the sound of a “tinkling cymbal” (138) in the absence of companionship.

Bacon remarks that physical presence or conversation, without an emotional bond, does not lessen loneliness. Bacon cites a quote from Erasmus’s Adages to explain his point, “Magna civitas, magna solitudo” (138). It means “A great city is a great solitude” (Pitcher 138n10).

One can feel lonely in a big city where people live closely together. However, friends in cities often live in distance compared to friends in a village or town. Finding companionship among a sea of unknown faces can be challenging. The bigger the city, the more intense the loneliness can become.

Based on the discussion, Bacon argues that true solitude is not the mere absence of people but the absence of meaningful connections. One can be lonely even in a city, but it does not make one god.

Why Does Man Need Company?

The inherent feeling of loneliness and the need for companionship drive individuals to seek friendship.

From an evolutionary perspective, staying close to others served as a defense mechanism against external threats. Thus, we have inherited this desire genetically.

Life can be unbearable, and the world may seem empty like a desert without friends. Nevertheless, if someone stays alone, they are more like a beast than a human.

The First Fruit of Friendship

Friendship offers some benefits. Bacon discusses three of them in his essay.

First, friendship is “the ease and discharge of the fullness and swellings of the heart” (139). It implies that a friend can offer relief for emotions like sadness, anger, and anxiety.

Bacon refers to a surgeon to differentiate between physical and mental health. A surgeon uses various substances for medical conditions like liver surgery.

For example, he uses sarsaparilla (Pitcher 139n12) to open the liver, steel or iron (Pitcher 139n13) to open the spleen, purified sulfur (Pitcher 139n14) for the lungs, and castoreum (Pitcher 139n15) for the brain.

Contradictorily, medicine or doctor is of no use for an ailing heart. Only a true friend can relieve one’s emotional burdens.

One needs a trustworthy friend with whom one can share grief, joys, fears, hopes, and everything that lies in the heart.

Unlike a surgeon who restores the body, a friend heals the heart with emotional empathy and understanding.

Addison also shares a similar view in his essay “Friendship”. He comments that a person freely shares all his feelings and thoughts about people and things and “exposes his whole soul” to his friend in a conversation between two close friends (Addison).

Friendships of Notable Figures

Kings and monarchs recognized the importance of friendship. So, they valued friendship. Forming friendships with an ordinary man was challenging because of their status.

Therefore, they raised a subordinate to their level who was almost an equal to them. Sometimes, they shared their heart with their company at the risk of their safety and power.

In Roman, these people were called “participes curarum” (139) or partners in their care. The favorites cared for and counseled the royal subjects in their time of need. As a result, their relationship intensified.

It is notable that not only did the weak and emotional princes, but the wise and headstrong rulers also sought companionship. They called their subordinates friend and allowed others to address them in the same way.

Their relationship was similar to that between two men in private relationship. It demonstrates that they valued personal connections just like anyone else.

However, such friendships often turned out unfruitful to them. Unlike other essays, “Of Love”, “Of Truth”, “Of Marriage and Single Life” and “Of Studies”, this essay does not follow brevity. Bacon gives sufficient examples to elaborate the consequence of choosing a wrong friend.

For instance, Sulla honored General Pompey by entitling him “the Great” (139). Pompey claimed to be stronger than Sulla, which enraged Sulla. Pompey insulted the Roman dictator by saying that men adored the sun rising more than the sun setting.

The second example is about Julius Caesar and Decimus Brutus. Caesar loved Decimus Brutus so much that he had willed to make Brutus his heir after his nephew. However, Brutus betrayed Caesarand killed him.

Caesar ignored warnings from his wife, Calpurnia, about his impending death. Instead, he listened to Brutus when he advised Caesar not to dismiss the senate till she saw another dream.

Brutus’s influence over Caesar was so strong that Antonius labeled him a “venefica,” or witch in a letter (140).

Similarly, Augustus placed poor Agrippa on a pedestal. He made Agrippa so powerful that it was impossible to take his power back.

When considering his daughter Julia’s marriage, Maecenas advised Augustus to either make Agrippa his son-in-law or kill him. It exemplifies the irreversible nature of such close bonds.

Tiberius expressed his trust in Sejanus in a letter, “Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi” (140). It means, “Out of regard for our friendship, I have not concealed these things” (Pitcher 140n25).

Septimus Severus forced his eldest son to marry the daughter of Plautianus to strengthen their bond. Septimus often supported Plautianus, even when Plautianus mistreated Septimus’s son.

Septimus wrote to the Senate in a letter, “I love the man so well, as I wish he may over-live me” (140).

Bacon differentiates the behavior of the historical figures with Trajan or Marcus Aurelius, who were known for their goodness. If these rulers were like them, one might think they acted out of pure goodness. Instead, a desperate need for companionship drove their actions, a need that even their power and family could not satisfy.

They all had wives, sons, and nephews, yet none of their family could fill the void they felt within themselves.

Concerning the consequences of choosing a wrong company, Addison also advises in his essay “Friendship” in the following words,

“If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first, and be not hasty to credit him; for some man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble” (Addison).

Both authors emphasized the importance of wise selection in friendship.

It brings us to the question: Is sharing one’s heart with others wrong? Certainly not, but one must differentiate between good and bad friends.

Philippe de Commines, a French historian, observed that his first master, Duke Charles the Hardy, never shared his secrets with anyone, especially the dark ones. As Duke Charles became older, his nature of keeping secrets began to affect his mental health.

Likewise, his second master, Lewis the Eleventh, was also reluctant to share his worries, and it too caused him distress.

In this context, Bacon cites a saying of Pythagoras, “Cor ne edito” (141). It means “Eat not the heart” (141). People who do not have friends to share their thoughts with are harming themselves internally.

Enhancement of Happiness and Mitigation of Grief

Sharing increases joy during happiness and reduces sorrow in grief. When one shares his joys with his friend, he feels happier than his friend. During distress, one feels less burdened.

Joseph Addison echoes the same view in his essay “Friendship”: “Tully was the first who observed, that friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and dividing of our grief” (Addison)

Addison notes Marcus Tullius Cicero first observed that friendship enhances happiness and lessens suffering.

Sharing with a friend positively affects the mind, doing opposite functions, but always works. It is similar to how alchemists believed their stone could have different effects, but always help the body.

Being together strengthens and nourishes natural actions while it also softens harsh impacts. We can also notice another example in nature.

Trees grow closely together in a forest. Their intertwined roots help younger or weaker trees grow by giving them protection and nutrients. They also make themselves resilient against adverse weather. Their collective strength makes the impact of harsh weather less severe on any single tree.

Similarly, in friendships, people help each other deal with life’s challenges. During hard times, the support one receives from the other reduces the stress and makes it manageable.

Second Fruit of Friendship                               

The second benefit is a friend calms emotions and clarifies thoughts of the other during difficult times.

Articulating thoughts before a friend makes it easy to understand. A Friend removes all the confusion like the sun removes darkness. Therefore, an hour of discussion with a friend makes one wiser than contemplating by oneself the whole day.

Themistocles told the king of Persia that speaking unfolds thoughts like a tapestry. It reveals the detailed images inside, whereas keeping thoughts inside is like leaving the tapestry folded up with its designs hidden.

Even without taking advice from a friend, one can understand oneself by expressing thoughts. It also sharpens thinking, similar to how a stone sharpens a blade without cutting itself.

Therefore, it is better to convey one’s thoughts with even an inanimate object like a statue or painting than to keep them all to oneself.

Bacon stresses the importance of receiving good advice. He cites a statement of Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “Dry light is ever the best” (142). Heraclitus compares advice from a friend with the dry light of the sun.

Guidance from a friend is more suitable and unbiased than decisions made by personal judgment. Advice of a friend is far better than self-suggestion.

Self-flattering image and habitual thinking patterns rarely allow one to think of oneself critically. They influence one’s decisions.

Therefore, the best way to counteract self-flattery is honest advice of a friend. A genuine friend critically judges and points out the flaws of the other, similar to what Krishna did to Arjuna.

Personal and Professional Advice

A friend can offer counsel in two aspects: manner and business. The former is personal and the latter is professional.

‘Manner’ refers to personal behavior, the moral and ethical aspects of one’s character. While assessing one’s manners, the counsel of a friend is the best approach.

Criticizing oneself can sometimes be harsh. Reading moral books can also be ineffective as they may be irrelevant. One’s problems do not always fit another’s different experience. So, the best way to keep one’s character intact is to listen to a friend’s honest warnings.

People of high positions often make big mistakes for the lack of good guidance. Their actions can cause harm to both their reputation and wealth.

St. James says they resemble people who look in a mirror and forget what they look like. In such a situation, a friend’s crucial advice can point out their mistake which they might ignore.

Professional Support

Some people have a misconception that they can handle challenges alone. For instance, one thinks one can see as much as two can. A gamester can see more than an observer.

An angry man believes he is as wise as he has said over the twenty-four letters. On Bacon’s day, people regarded the alphabet “‘i’ and ‘j’ like ‘u’ and ‘v’ as the same letter.” (Pitcher 143n52). One might also think one can shoot with a musket from the arm as accurately as from a rest.

Such beliefs of being self-sufficient often lead to the downfall of a business. So, getting good advice is what solves professional problems.

Be Cautious When Seeking Help

One must choose the right person for guidance cautiously. There are mainly two risks involved.

First, one might not get honest guidance unless the counselor is one’s close friend. The pieces of advice are mostly bent to serve the adviser’s goals.

Second, a mentor might share advice with a good intention but turn out to be harmful. It is similar to that of a physician who knows the cure for the disease but does not understand the patient’s overall body.

Though the physician might fix one problem, it leads to another issue. Without the proper diagnosis of the body, he may harm the patient more than doing good, or in the worst-case scenario, he might kill the patient.

Therefore, a friend who is familiar with one’s situation and knows one’s strengths and weaknesses is the ideal counselor for both personal and professional issues. Others are not worthy because of their selfish interests.

Montaigne opines regarding this in “On Friendship” that when friendships are made and kept for reasons like “pleasure, profit, public or private interest”, they are not noble (Montaigne).

Therefore, sometimes asking none for help is better than getting advice from different people about different professional problems.

Third Fruit of Friendship

The third benefit of friendship is that it is like a pomegranate. One can not possibly finish all tasks on their own in a lifetime. Like a pomegranate that has various kernels, a friend offers diverse roles in a person’s life.

Sometimes, people have wishes to fulfill before passing away, such as witnessing their child’s success or completing a project. Unfortunately, many leave this world with many unfulfilled dreams behind.

In such instances, a friend can take on such responsibility and ensure the fulfillment of wishes. It is akin to granting a second chance at life.

Moreover, one can manage work only to a certain extent because of the confinement to one location. However, one can work simultaneously on multiple works with a friend’s assistance.

Thus, the saying “a friend is another himself” may not fully encapsulate the value of friendship.

There are instances where one might not comfortably express thoughts or do specific actions by oneself, but a friend can do these things on behalf of the other.

Discussing one’s achievements can sound boastful, and seeking help may be difficult for some. Yet, when a friend praises another’s accomplishments or requests help on another’s behalf, it sounds sincere.

Each of these roles demands a distinct approach to communication.

A man has various roles, such as being a parent, a spouse, or a rival. He must talk to each of them in specific ways. In friendship, both individuals can talk to suit any situation without concerning for particular role.

Thus, friendship indeed offers a multitude of benefits in life.