1481. This is the foundation of contentment in all con ditions, and of patience under fufferings; that death, which is not far off, when it removes us out of this world, will take us from all the fufferings of it.

1482. We fhould chufe a friend endued with virtue, as a thing in itself lovely and defirable; which confists in a fweet and obliging temper of mind, and a lively readinefs in doing good offices.

1483. It was ever my opinion, fays Horace, that a chearful good-natured friend is fo great a bleffing, that it admits of no comparison but itself.

1484. Cicero ufed to fay, That it was no less an evil for a man to be without a friend, than to have the heavens without a fun. And Socrates thought friendship the sweetest poffeffion, and that no piece of ground yielded more or pleasanter fruit, than a true friend.

1485. True friends are the whole world to one another and he that is a friend to himself, is alfo a friend to mankind. There is no relish in the poffeffion of any thing without a partner.

1486. It is no flattery to give a friend a due character, for commendation is as much the duty of a friend, as reprehenfion.

1487. It is a ftrange thing to behold what grofs errors, and extreme abfurdities, many (efpecially of the greater fort) do commit, for want of a friend to tell them of them, to the great damage both of their fame and fortune.

1488. Worthy minds deny themselves many advantages,

to

to fatisfy a generous benevolence, which they bear to their friends in diftrefs.

1489. The kindness of a friend lie deep; and whether present, or absent, as occafion ferves, he is folicitous about our concerns.

1490. A friendship with a generous ftranger is commonly more steddy than with the nearest relation.

1491. The greater a man is, the more need he hath of a friend; and the more difficulty there is in finding and knowing him.

1492. A forwardness to oblige is a great grace upon a kindness, and doubles the intrinsick worth: in these cases, that which is done with pleasure, is always received fo.

1493. Friendship improves happiness, and abates mifery, by the doubling of our joy, and dividing of our grief. 1494. There is little friendship in the world, and least of all between equals, which was wont to be magnified: that which is, is between fuperior and inferior, whose fortunes may comprehend one the other.

1495. Many begin friendships, and cancel them on flight occafions; and great enmity often fucceeds to a tender affection.

1496. If you have not the indulgence to pardon your friends, nor they the fame to pardon you, your friendship will last no longer than it can serve both your interests. 1497. "Late ere I love, faid Auguftus, as long ere

I leave."

1498. The best friendship, is to prevent a request, and never put a man to the confufion of asking. To ask, is a word that lies heavily on the tongue, and cannot well

be

be uttered but with a dejected countenance. We should, therefore, ftrive to meet our friend in his wishes, if we cannot prevent him.

1499. A man may have a thousand intimate acquaintance, and not a friend among them all. them all. friend, think yourself happy.

If

If you have one

1500. It is a certain principle, that friendship cannot long fubfift between many persons.

1501. A great advantage of friendship is the opportunity of receiving good advice; it is dangerous relying always upon our own opinion. Miferable is his cafe, who, when he needs, hath none to admonish him.

1502. Being fometimes afunder, heightens friendship. The great cause of the frequent quarrels between relations, is their being so much together.

1503. Whoever would reclaim his friend, and bring him to a true and perfect understanding of himself, may privately admonish, but must never publickly reprehend him. An open admonition is an open difgrace.

1504. A man without complaifance ought to have a great deal of merit in the room of it.

1505. Friendship has a noble effect upon all accidents and conditions: It relieves our cares, raises our hopes, and abates our fears. A friend, who relates his fuccefs, talks himself into a new pleafure; and, by opening his misfortunes, leaves part of them behind him.

1506. All men have their frailties; whoever looks for a friend without imperfections, will never find what he feeks; we love ourselves with all our faults, and we ought to love our friend in like manner.

1507. No

4

1507. No man can lay himself under an obligation to do an ill thing. Pericles, when one of his friends importuned his service in an unjuft matter, excused himself, faying, I am a friend as far as the altar.

1508. Friends must be preferved with good deeds, and enemies reconciled with fair words.

1509. Some cafes are fo nice, that a man cannot appear in them himself, but must leave the folliciting wholly to his friend. For the purpose: A man cannot recommend himself without vanity, nor ask many times without uneafinefs: But a kind proxy will do justice to his merits, and relieve his modefty, and effect his business, without trouble or blushing.

1511. Hearts

1510. One friend is not bound to bear a part in the follies of another, but rather to diffuade him from them and, if he cannot prevail, to tell him plainly, as Phocyon did Antipater, I cannot be both your friend and flatterer. may agree, though heads differ. 1512. It is difficult to act the part of a true friend; for many times, by telling one of his failings, we lose his affection; and, if we are filent, we betray our own confidence. But we cannot lofe a friend in a more honourable way, than in seeking by good will to preserve him.

1513. A true friend unbofoms freely, advises justly, afsists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.

1514. Nothing more engages the affections of men, than an handsome address, and graceful converfation.

1515. When you come into any company, observe their humours, and fuit your own carriage thereto, by which infinuation

infinuation you will make their converfe more free and open. Let your difcourfe be more in queries and doubtings, than peremptory affertions or difputings.

1516. Our conversation should be such, that youth may therein find improvement, women modefty, the aged refpect, and all men civility.

1517. Talkativeness is ufually called a feminine vice; but it is poffible to go into mafculine company, where it will be as hard to wedge in a word, as at a female goffiping.

1518. He that is peremptory in his own ftory, may meet with another that is peremptory in the contradiction of it; and then the two Sir Pofitives must have a skirmish.

1519. He whofe honeft freedom makes it his virtue to speak what he thinks, makes it his neceffity to think what is good.

1520. Vile and debauched expreffions are the sure marks of an abject and grovelling mind, and the filthy overflowings of a vicious heart.

1521. The hatred of the vicious will do you lefs harm,

than their conversation.

1522. Some fay, that hurt never comes by filence: But they may as well fay, that good never comes by speech; for where it is good to speak, it is ill to be filent.

1523. The art of pleasing in company, is not to explain things too circumftantially, but to exprefs only one part, and leave your hearer to make out the rest.

1524. He that is truly polite, knows how to contradict with refpect, and to please without adulation; and is equally remote from an infipid complaifance, and a low familiarity.

1525. In