tient and modern writers. We often find them beflowing the warmest eulogiums on it, and almoft every author who has written for the purpose of celebrating any particular perfon, feems to have thought it indifpenfably neceffary, in the courfe of the work, to have a friend for his hero. In the Aneid and Odyffey, two of the most celebrated epic poems of the ancients we find Eneas has its Achates; Achilles his Patroclus. With regard to the latter there is a circumftance worthy of obfervation that reflects additional honour on my fubjea. Achilles being irritated at the behaviour of Agamemnon in taking Brifais away from him, forbore fighting, and withdrew from the Grecian camp. No intreaties could prevail on him to return, and he fees unmoved the Grecians upon the verge of ruin. At this crifis his friend Patroclus was flain, and we now find that friendship effected what nothing elfe could. Friendship only could bring him back again to affert his country's caufe, and revenge his friend's death by that of Hector's.

Thus we fee in what high eftimation this virtue was held among the ancients, and numerous are the inftances recorded in which it has produced amazing effects. But it feems now to have almoft forfaken the abodes of mankind, and in my fmall experience is become rather a fubject of admiration

than

than of emulation. Friendship has ever been confidered as a neceffary ingredient in making the marriage ftate happy, and here, where it fhould always exift, is the most likely place to find it. Parity of rank and fortune, thought by fome to be effential, is here found ftrengthened by mutual interefts. Here conceffions will not mortify, for they will not be those of pride, but of kindnefs; and here fhall we meet with unfeigned attachment and reciprocal confidence.

"True friendship warms, it raises, it transports, Like mufic pure the joy, without allay, Whose very rapture is tranquillity."

Having proceeded thus far, I muft beg leave to fele&t fome few paffages from the wisdom of the fon of Sirach. This writer has related the advantages of friendship, and explained the method of gaining friends, in a plain and concise manner. How juft are his cautions refpecting the choice of them, and how plainly does his knowledge of nature appear in his defcriptions of the perfidious and felf interested.

In the first place, he has laid down the art of gaining friends by behaving affably. "Sweet language will multiply friends, and a fair speaking tongue will increafe kind greetings." But in the following

O

following sentence, he directs us to have many well-wishers, but few friends. "Be in peace with many, nevertheless have but one counfellor of a thoufand. " He next proceeds in his direction for the choice of friends, and in this particularly recommends prudence. Indeed in a matter of this confequence, when choofing this other felf, we ought to proceed with caution, and choose among the good, for friendship, even its degenerate state, cannot exist in vicious minds. Experience tells us that we should not truft too much to profeffions, when there is fuch a fcarcity of fincerity; if we do, inftead of the behaviour of a true friend, we may perhaps find that of the felfifh and treacherous, which the writer above mentioned has fo well defcribed. "Some man is a friend, for his own occafion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble; and there is a friend, who being turned to enmity and ftrife will difcover thy reproach. Again, fome friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thine affliction. In thy profperity he will be as thyfelf. If thou be brought low he will be against thee, and hide himself from thy face."

Here we fee the falfe friend in all his odious colours, and juftly has he been compared to the fwallow. For that bird is feen among us in the delightful

delightful season of the year, when every scene is pleafing to the view but when winter comes on,: it disappears. So is the falfe friend, whilft fortune's favour enriches us, our joys appear his own, and he feems to feel without alloy the facred ardour of friendship, but fhould, misfortune change the fcene, fhould the winter of fortune come on, he difappears likewife, and his friendship is heard no more. How happy then ought we to think ourfelves? To live in an age, when no fuch inftances of perfidy occur!!!

But let us leave the faithless friend by adverting to the good, the faithful one, that has been tried, and ftands like the foliage of the evergreen, as well in adversity as in profperity, and conscious of his worth, ever obey the direction of the moralist. "Forfake not an old friend (fays he) for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shalt drink it with pleasure."

A preference of liking or esteem merely feems to constitute and be the import of modern friendship. Viewing it in this light, it is reasonable to fuppose that every one has a friend. Solus eft qui fine amico eft. Perhaps that friend has fome

faults,

faults, and the most delicate task in friendship is to point these out to him. Should neceffity ever require it, let it be done in fuch a manner that he might fee it is done for his advantage; but let not this be done too frequently; if fo, the mind will naturally fink under the reproaches, and the esteem that it had for thofe that beftow them will confequently abate. The wife man fo often mentioned, has defcribed, with his ufual accuracy and ftrength of allufion, the breaches and difagreements that fometimes happen between friends."

"Whoso cafteth a stone at the birds frayeth them away; and he that upbraideth his friend, breaketh friendship. Though thou draweft a fword at thy friend, yet defpair not, for there may be a returning to favour. If thou has opened thy mouth against thy friend, fear not, for there may be a reconciliation, except for upbraiding, or pride, or disclosing of fecrets, or a treacherous wound; for those things every friend will depart."

There are feveral qualifications neceffary to make a good friend, the principal of which have been already enumerated, and the beautiful inftances in the following paffages point out the neceffity of conftancy. "Whofo difcovèreth fecrets, lofeth his credit, and fhall never find a friend to