of the State. The only danger in Friendship is
that it will end. It is a delicate plant though a
native
The least unworthiness, even if it be
unknown to one's self, vitiates it. Let the Friend
know that those faults which he observes in his
Friend his own faults attract. There is no rule
more invariable than that we are paid for our
suspicions by finding what we suspected. By our
narrowness and prejudices we say, " I will have
so much and such of you, my Friend, no more."
Perhaps there are none charitable, none wise,
none disinterested, noble, and heroic enough for a
true and lasting Friendship.
I sometimes hear my Friends complain finely
that I do not appreciate their fineness. I shall
not tell them whether I do or not. As if they
expected a vote of thanks for every fine thing
which they uttered or did! Who knows but it
was finely appreciated? It may be that your
silence was the finest thing of the two. There
are some things which a man never speaks of,
which are much finer kept silent about. To the
highest communications we only lend a silent
ear. Our finest relations are not simply kept
silent about, but buried under a positive depth
of silence, never to be revealed. It may be that we are not even yet acquainted
In human
intercourse the tragedy begins, not when there is
misunderstanding about words, but when silence
is not understood. Then there can never be an
explanation. "What avails it that another loves
you, if he does not understand you? Such love
is a curse. What sort of companions are they
who are presuming always that their silence is
more expressive than yours? How foolish, and