Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-05-20
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BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.
Examples Of Human Virtue That Have
Made the World Better,


time will be published d series Of au-
thenticated extracts dealing with his
torical examples Of the good and bad
in human nature, mostly good; but all
furnishing an admirable chart OF con-
duct to be emulated or avoided:
FRIENDSHIP.
Sentiments.
Without friendship life has no
charm. The only things which can
render friendship sure and lasting are
virtue, purity of manners, an eleVateo
soul and a perfect integrity OF heart.
Friendship is a disinterested anect-
ton. founded only on esteem, and OF
all the passions most nearly resembles
love: nor Is there the least difference
IL we suppose this last Independent OF
the sex of the person beloved. IL
Platonic love is not mere chimera' 1t
Is nothing else but friendship, which
Is neither increased nor diminished
by the difference Of sex Of the two
friends.
The first rule in the choice Of a
friend, is not to love him before you
know him: almost at first sight we
NAV know II a man be Of quick or slow
parts, If he be gay or serious, clown
ish or polite, talkative or reserved, wit
ty or stupid: we see almost all this In
his eyes, in his attitude, In his ges-
lures, and in his discourse; but we
cannot so easily discover whather ne
has virtue and probity. 1t requires
more time to be certain with regard
to this point; and till we are we'll as
sured of 1t, as 1t Is possible for us TO
be, we ought not prodigally to bestow
upon him, from equivocal appearance,
the precious title Of friend. Are we at
last convinced that he deserves IL:
Then there must be no reserve; we
ought to enter with him into inter-
course of sentiments, Of taste. pleas
sures and interests.
The next rule, which is no less i'm
portant, to choose friend only from
the society Of the good and virtuous.
The most long-lived plants are not
those that grow the fastest; thus 1t Is
with friendship; that is commonly the
most firm and durable which grows
I'D but slowly; while that which Is
hastily contracted is more liable to be
dissolved. Lovers of virtue should
have none but virtuous men for their
friends, and on this point the proof
ought principally to turn, because
where there is no virtue there Is no
security that our honor, confidence
and friendship will not be betrayed
and abused. In general they suffer
most from pretended friendship who
least deserve to suffer. 1t is very
rare for the honest heart to prove
distrustful; and more rare still for
him not to be deceived, who Is a
stranger to suspicion. There are men
of a character so open and gener Gus
that there Is no one but would be a
gamer by making them their friends;
but when these contract friendship
they risk more than others: for so
many advantages arise from aspiring
after their esteem that they never can
be certain that 1t is not courted with
Ia view to interest; and a self-inter-
ested friend Is never a true one. 1t
Is to the upright and sincere hearts
that I especially direct my counsels
on friendship. for what matters 1t II
deceiyers are deceived?
The necessary appendages Of friend
ship are confidence and benevolence.
The purse and the heart ought to be
open to a friend; and In no case can
we shut them, except In such as will
justify our having no longer any re-
gard for him. And, indeed, We run
no hazard in trusting to a well-chosen
friend, either our secret or our
strong box, for we are certain he will
use them both with discretion.
Confidence produces TWO effects: the
one is such a perfect reliance on the
prudence, the probity. the constancy,
and affection Of the person beloved,
as prevents every Injurious suspicion;
the other effect, which Is indeed a
natural consequence Of such a reli-
ance, is that openness and unreserve
with which two friends disclose their
most intimate sentiments, their
thoughts, their projects. and, in a
word, everything in which either the
one or the other may appear concern
ed; and this frequently extends even
to trifles, because between friends,
trifies themselves become interest
ing.
Such faults as are inconsistent
with the sincerity Of friendship, ought
to be objectionable; overlook in your
friend all the faults in which his
heart is not concerned; all those
which do not prove that his affection
for you is extinguished.
To break with a friend, to betray
or insult him, are the only faults
which friendship cannot pardon.
Though friendship has nothing in
it for a selfish nature, yet 1t is pleas
eu Will hlIuucSS dlO 6oOu oihSSo,
these are to friends what caresses are
to lovers; no reasons for beginning to
love, but motives to love more affec-
tionately: like breath of wind which,
though it produces not the flame,
renders 1t more ardent.
The difficulty is not so great to die
for a friend, as to find a friend worth
dying for.
Examples.
Caius Gracious. who was the idol
Of the Roman people. having carried
his regard for the plebians so far as
to draw on himself the resentment Of
the nobility, an open rupture ensued.
The consul Opimius, who espoused
the cause Of the latter, seized a post
which commanded the city. Gracious
and Fulvius. his friend, with a con-
fused multitude, took possession of
Mount Aventine, so that the two ex-
tremities Of Rome, to the east and
west. were like two camps. Overtures
Of peace were made, but not being ac-