“This communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in halves.”

What does it mean?

Sharing your life with a friend has two opposite effects: good news feels twice as good, and sad news hurts half as much.

Key vocabulary

contrary

opposite

redoubleth

an old form of "doubles"

cutteth griefs in halves

cuts sadness in half

• “Knowledge is power.”– Francis Bacon
• “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”– Francis Bacon