They drop through mere desire to prate,
And by themselves outwitted.

How bright soe'er the prospect seems,

All thoughts of friendship are but dreams,
If Envy chance to creep in;

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On points which God has left at large,
How freely will they meet and charge!
No combatants are stiffer.

Then judge yourself, and prove your man
As circumspectly as you can,

And having made election,

Beware no negligence of yours,

Such as a friend but ill endures,

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Enfeeble his affection.

That secrets are a sacred trust,

That friends should be sincere and just,

That constancy befits them,

Are observations on the case
That savour much of commonplace,
And all the world admits them.

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The man that hails you Tom or Jack,
And proves by thumps upon your back
How he esteems your merit,

Is such a friend that one had need

Be very much his friend indeed,

To pardon or to bear it.

As similarity of mind,

Or something not to be defined,

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Shall win my confidence again;
I will by no means entertain
A spy on my proceeding.

These samples-for alas! at last
These are but samples, and a taste
Of evils yet unmentioned-
May prove the task, a task indeed,
In which 'tis much if we succeed,
However well intentioned.

Pursue the search, and you will find
Good sense and knowledge of mankind
To be at least expedient;

And, after summing all the rest,
Religion ruling in the breast

A principal ingredient.

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