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142]

To PHIDIPPU S

ARDLY, I imagine, were you in earneft, when you required my thoughts upon friendship: for, to give you the trueft idea of that generous intercourse, may I not justly refer you back to the fentiments of your own heart? I am fure, at leaft, I have learned to improve my own notions of that refined affection, by thofe inftances which I have obferved in your felf; as it is from thence I have received the cleareft conviction, that it derives all its ftrength and stability from virtue and goodfense.

THERE is not, perhaps, a quality more uncommon in the world, than that which is neceffary to form a man for this refined commerce for however fociableness may be efteemed a juft characteristic of our fpecies; friendliness, I am perfuaded, will fcarce be found to enter into its general definition. The qualifications requifite to support and conduct friendship in all its ftrength and extent, do not seem to be fufficiently diffused among the human race,

to

to render them the diftinguishing marks of mankind; unless generofity and good-fenfe fhould be allowed (what they never can be allowed) univerfally to prevail. On the contrary, how few are in poffeffion of those most amiable of endowments? how few are capable of that noble elevation of mind, which raises a man above thofe little jeaJoufies and rivalships that fhoot up in the paths of common amities?

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WE fhould not, indeed, fo often hear complaints of the inconftancy and falseness of friends, if the world in general were more cautious than they ufually are, in forming connections of this kind. But the misfortune is, our friendships are apt to be too forward, and thus either fall off in the bloffom, or never arrive at juft maturity. It is an excellent piece of advice therefore, that the poet Martial gives upon this occafion :

Tu tantum infpice qui novus paratur,
An poffit fieri vetus fodalis.

WERE I to make trial of

any perfon's

qualifications for an union of fo much deli

cacy, there is no part of his conduct I

would

would fooner fingle out, than to obferve him in his resentments. And this, not upon the maxim frequently advanced, "that the best friends make the bitterest "enemies," but, on the contrary, because I am perfuaded, that he who is capable of being a bitter enemy, can never poffefs the neceffary virtues that constitute a true friend. For muft he not want generofity (that most effential principle of an amicable combination) who can be so mean as to indulge a fpirit of fettled revenge, and coolly triumph in the oppreffion of an adverfary? Accordingly there is no circumftance in the character of the excellent Agricola, that gives me a higher notion of the true heroifm of his mind, than what the hiftorian of his life mentions concerning his conduct in this particular inftance. Ex Iracundia (fays Tacitus) nihil fupererat : Jecretum et filentium ejus non timeres. His elevated fpirit was too great to fuffer his refentment to furvive the occafion of it; and those who provoked his indignation had nothing to apprehend from the fecret and filent workings of unextinguished malice, But the practice, it must be owned (per

haps

haps I might have faid, the principle too) of the world runs ftrongly on the fide of the contrary difpofition: and thus, in oppofition to that generous fentiment of your admired orator, which I have so often heard you quote with applaufe, our friendhips are mortal, whilft it is our enmities only that never die.

BUT though judgment muft collect the materials of this goodly ftructure, it is affection that gives the cement; and paffion as well as reafon fhould concur in forming a firm and lafting coalition. Hence, perhaps, it is, that not only the most powerful but the most lafting friendships, are usually the produce of the early feason of our lives, when we are moft fufceptible of the warm and affectionate impreffions. The connections, into which we enter in any after-period, decrease in ftrength as our paffions abate in heat; and there is not, I believe, a single instance of a 'vigorous friendship that ever ftruck root in a bofom chilled by years. How irretrievable then is the lofs of those best and fairest acquifitions of our youth? Seneca, taking notice of Auguftus Cæfar's lamenting, upon

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a certain occafion, the death of Mecenas and Agrippa, obferves, that he, who could inftantly repair the deftruction of whole fleets and armies, and bid Rome, after a general conflagration, rife out of her afhes even with more luftre than before; was yet unable, during a whole life, to fill up thofe lasting vacancies in his friendship: A reflection, which reminds me of renewing my folicitations, that you would be more cautious in hazarding a life which I have fo many reafons to love and honor. For whenever an accident of the fame kind fhall feparate (and what other accident can feparate) the happy union which has fo long fubfifted between us; where fhall I retrieve fo fevere a lofs? I am utterly indifpofed to enter into new habitudes, and extend the little circle of my friendships : happy if I may but preferve it firm and unbroken to the clofing moment of my life! Adieu.

LET