Of Love Summary

Of Love is an essay written by Francis Bacon. This essay is part of Bacon’s collection of essays entitled “Essays or Counsels: Civil and Moral”, first published in 1625. Bacon shows various qualities of love through his practical wisdom. Here, he narrates his precious words about love. He basically talks about three types of love. He forbids us to love unrequitedly.

Nuptial Love

The love between husband and wife is true love. Religious injunctions favor this love. It is moral love that makes life happy and peaceful. Such love produces children and contributes to sustaining mankind. He appreciated this love.

Friendly Love makes life perfect and energizing

Bacon praised friendly love. Because it is the natural love of man. A man cannot be happy alone and so he wants to share his feelings and emotions with a friend. It perfects and enlivens one’s life. So man cannot be happy without friendly love.

Wanton Love degrades people

Wanton love corrupts people. When a lover falls in love, he becomes flatterer and arrogant. Love makes the mind so weak that it cannot think of anyone but its lover. A lover surrenders himself completely to his beloved. And goes mad to meet him. But she gets nothing from him but ignorant contempt. Besides, love brings ignorance and poverty. So, it is not possible to love and be wise at the same time. It degrades moral character and destroys human performance. Also, (wanton love) unrequited love corrupts human nature because it prompts one to spend time with a woman. Thus, it degrades human character. It can reduce a man to the level of an animal. Ultimately it leads to the downfall of human society.

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Mr. Abdullah
Mr. Abdullah

Mr. Abdullah is a passionate love of Literature. Researcher and Lecturer of English Literature and Language.

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