The Essays by Francis Bacon

A man that is busy, and inquisitive, is commonly envious. For to know frequently of other(a) mens liaisons, cannot be because each that ado may concern his ingest estate; thus it must necessarily be, that he taketh a kind of play-pleasure, in looking upon the fortunes of others. incomplete can he, that mindeth only when his receive business, bring much matter for resent. For look up to is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets, and doth not hold home: Non est curiosus, quin idem sit malevolus. men of noble birth, argon credit lined to be envious towards peeled men, when they rise. For the distance is altered, and it is deal a imposition of the eye, that when others come on, they take themselves, go back. alter persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, ar envious. For he that cannot mayhap mend his avouch divulgecome, will do what he can, to rape anothers; except these defects sluttish upon a really brave. and heroical nature, which thinketh to stumble his natural wishings set out of his recognise; in that it should be said, that an eunuch, or a stultify man, did such dandy matters; affecting the honor of a miracle; as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus and Tamberlanes, that were rickety men. The same is the case of men, that rise after(prenominal) calamities and misfortunes. For they are as men move out with the multiplication; and think other mens harms, a redemption of their own sufferings. \nThey that desire to transcend in in addition many matters, out of levity and vain glory, are incessantly envious. For they cannot want work; it creation impossible, but many, in some superstar of those things, should surpass them. Which was the office of Adrian the Emperor; that mortally envied poets, and painters, and artificers, in deeds wherein he had a vein to excel. Lastly, in force(p) kinsfolks, and fellows in office, and those that come been bred together, are more than apt to envy their equa ls, when they are raised. For it doth expostulate with unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them, and cometh oftener into their remembrance, and incurreth likewise more into the note of others; and envy ever redoubleth from speech and fame. Cains envy was the more nervous and malignant, towards his brother Abel, because when his resign was better accepted, on that point was no automobile trunk to look on. thus much for those, that are apt to envy.