The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-08-10
VALUE OF FRIENDS.
From the Hearth and Home.

From the Hearth and Home.
Our enjoyment in this world is very
much determined by our friendships
No individual is happy who does not pos
sess friends. He may become Cr@sus
rich, hold the title to many houses and
grounds, carry on an extensive trade, or
der regiments Of employees to do his bid
ding, and without friends he will be 6
discontinued, comfortless man. Oul
Maker designed that friendships should
be great source of pleasure. Whoever
does not enjoy that pleasure falls short oil
the destiny which God intended for him
"There is nothing" wrote Montaigne, etc
which nature seems so much to have in.
clined us as to society,"" Meander of old
declared him to be happy that had the
good fortune to meet with but the shad-
ow of friend" Aristotle used to say
that "good legislators have more respect
to friendship than to justice" "Without
friends" said Bacon, "the world is but a
wilderness. No recipe openeth the heart
but true friend, to whom you may i'm
part griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicious,
counsels, and whatever lieth upon the
heart to Cypress it. No man imparteth
his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the
more; and no man imparteth his griefs
to his friend, but he grieveth the less
Friendship maketh, indeed, fair day
in the affections, from storm and tenn
pests; but it maketh daylight in the un-
derstanding, out of darkness and confu-
sion of thoughts" And in another con-
nection, Bacon observes: "The best way
to represent to life the manifold uses of
friendship, is to cast and see how many
things man cannot do himself; and
then it will appear that it was sparing
speech of the ancients to say that, a
friend is another b5naSelf;' for that friend
is far more than himself" No two men
were placed in positions where they
could better appreciate the value of true
friendship than Montague and Bacon.
They have written from experience.
By how much we withdraw ourselves
from the companionship and sympathy
of our race, by so much we are liable to
become selfish and morose. Profound
melancholy did not settle upon Chateau
BRAND until he had wholly retired from
the world. After shutting himself up so
long in his "Walden shanty," it is not sur
prising that Thoreau should have come
to speak of his fellow men as vulgar NOR
tails, and sour on humanity generally. No
one must expect to obtain happiness by
withdrawing himself into his library or
absorbing himself wholly in business or
professional pursuits. They will, of
course, furnish some enjoyment, but not
of that order which comes from heart in
sympathy with those about him.
When adversely and trials come, then
friends as so many know by experience,
perform Offices which no money can Sc
cure. They are as balm to the wounded
breast, and bear up the fainting soul
through affections. Words of solace fall
from their lips, and they are to us more
precious than jewels. It should, there
fore, be the aim of all persons entering
upon life to make for themselves circle
Of true friends, not acquaintance who
will drop you when adversely comes, but
fast, stanch friends, who will stand by
you come what may. Intimate relat: ms
should be established with those neigh
bors whose companionship will be agree
able and beneficial, and every opportuni-
ty should be improved for bringing about
the era of good feeling which ought to
prevail in neighborhoods and settlements.