Sir Francis Bacon was a famous English essayist, lawyer, philosopher and statesman who had a major influence on the philosophy of science. In his time Bacon wrote sixty different essays. He devoted himself to writing and scientific work. His experiences make him an expert on the topic of love. Francis Bacon's essay Of Love is an essay about love. The purpose of the essay is to explain love and the affects it has on all kinds of people. The essay informs the reader that no matter what type of person you are love will have an effect on you. There is no escaping it. Bacon states, "For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, that it is impossible to love, and to be wise." The translation of this statement is that love makes us do crazy things.
             Bacon's intended audience to his essay is everyone who has been in love or contemplated about being in love. No one type of audience is excluded from this essay because love affects everyone. The author assumes that we all know what love is but he wants us to understand that love, whether contemplated by persons with strong characters or weak characters, love has the power to affect both. The example Bacon uses is Marcus Antonius who is described as voluptuous and inordinate, meaning given to excess. He also uses the example of Appius Claudius who is described as austere and wise. These two men are very different in character, but that does not matter. Love is going to affect them in one way or another. Bacon states, "Love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept." Bacon's point of view is directly stated in the essay. It says, "By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself!" What Bacon is trying to say is that mankind needs to...