A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope, to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People without virtue envy others who have it, trying to lower them instead of improving themselves.
- In plain terms
- Those with no virtue envy others and try to bring them down.
- What can you take from it?
- Envy comes from lack of personal merit.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What does your envy say about you?
- How do you respond to others' success?
Another view
Envy can stem from systemic inequality, not character.
More from Francis Bacon
Wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's nurses.
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