Размышления великих людей о дружбе

In this respect friendship is superior to relationship, because from relationship benevolence can be withdrawn, and from friendship it cannot; for with the withdrawal of benevolence the very name of friendship is done away, while that of relationship remains.

Cicero.

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I want a warm and faithful friend,

To cheer the adverse hour;

Who ne'er to flatter will descend,

Nor bend the knee to power.

A friend to chide me when I'm wrong,

My inmost soul to see;

And that my friendship prove as strong

To him as his to me.

Adams.

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Friendship's true laws are by this rule expressed,

Welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.

Pope.

* * *

Human spirits are only to be drawn together and held together by the living bond of having found something in which they really do agree.

Greenwell.

* * *

He has the substance of all bliss

To whom a virtuous friend is given:

So sweet harmonious friendship is,

Add but eternity, you'll make it heaven.

Norris.

* * *

He who wrongs his friend

Wrongs himself more and ever bears about

A silent court of justice in his breast.

Tennyson.

* * *

Hearts only thrive on varied good,

And he who gathers from a host

Of friendly hearts his daily food,

Is the best friend that we can boast?

Holland.

* * *

I exhort you to lay the foundations of virtue, without which friendship cannot exist, in such a manner that, with this one exception, you may consider that nothing in the world is more excellent than friendship.

Cicero.

* * *

It is a beautiful thing to feel that our friends are God's gifts to us. Thinking of it has made me understand why we love and are loved, sometimes when we cannot explain what causes the feeling. Feeling so makes friendship such a sacred, holy thing!

Porter.

* * *

If my brother, or kinsman, will be my friend, I ought to prefer him before a stranger; or I show little duty or nature to my parents.

And as we ought to prefer our kindred in point of affection, so, too, in point of charity, if equally needing and deserving.

Penn.

* * *

It is equally impossible to forget our friends, and to make them answer to our ideal. When they say farewell, then indeed we begin to keep them company. How often we find ourselves turning our backs on our actual friends that we may go out and meet their ideal cousins!

Thoreau.

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