be forgotten

It is not to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his first master, Duke Charles the
Hardy, namely, that he would communicate his secrets with none; and least of all, those
secrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his latter
time, that closeness did impair, and a little perish his understanding. Surely Comineus
mought have made the same judgment also, if it had pleased him, of his second master, Lewis
the Eleventh, whose closeness was indeed his tormentor. The parable of Pythagoras is dark,
but true; Cor ne edito; Eat not the heart. 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 halves. 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 he grieveth the less. So that it is in truth, of operation upon a man’s mind,
of like virtue as the alchemists 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 yet without
praying in aid of alchemists, there is a manifest image of this, in the ordinary course of
nature. For in bodies, union strengtheneth and cherisheth any natural action; and on the
other side, weakeneth and dulleth any violent impression: and even so it is of minds.