Obrazy na stronie
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of a more enlightened and delicate fpirit are ftill for leffening the fphere of their intimacies, and look upon a multitude of acquaintance as fortunately exchanged for a fingle Friend, to whom they can fly as to an inviolable fanctuary from the officiousness of the weak, the perfecutions of the wicked, and the perplexity of their own minds. To fay the truth, fuch a Friend is a world in himself, and will be valued accordingly by every one who has fense and worth enough to appreciate him..

The comfort of this intercourfe is pecu. liarly relished in Retirement.. In that fituation, which cannot be always avoided even by those who diflike it moft, what fhall they do to beguile the time, without fome companion, who can divert their weariness, and enliven fcenes which no beauty of nature, or elegance of art, or affluence of fortune, could long render amufing to the uninformed, the reftlefs, and the gay? To fuch, indeed, a flate.

of this kind, continued for ever fo fhort an interval, grows insupportably tirefome and gloomy to fuch the fun fhines in vain, and the fields, the gardens, the woods, and the rivers, (fo delightful to poets, philofophers, ftudents, and fentimental fpirits) are all uninterefting and dull. The confequence is, that fuch muft quickly fall back upon their own minds; where finding neither variety nor fatiffaction, they figh for fome favourite acquaintance who fhall call out their feeble ideas,

"And whirl them (happy riddance!) from themselves." At length the much-wifhed vifitant appears they are relieved like a prifoner juft efcaped from his folitary cell. Creation feemed to them a prifon while alone: the fociety of a single intimate, brightens and embellishes the whole theatre around them they acquire new vivacity; and their faculties, whatever these are, expand by communication. In truth, one had better speak to a ftatue than keep his

thoughts long pent up in his own breast. But, ye Powers of Senfibility, what words ean paint the attractions which the participation, the voice, the demeanour, the very afpect of a true Friend diffuses on every object, to thofe that are formed for enjoying a well-timed recefs? Have not some of you, Gentlemen, experienced this enchanting effect? With the gaiety of heart infpired by the approximation of a kindred fpirit, did not you contract a greater fondnefs for the places, the walks, the accustomed retreats where you frequently converfed with the inmate of your bofom? Did not the works both of art and nature affume in his prefence fresh luftre? In a word, was not all about you illuminated, so to fpeak, and touched into higher perfection, by the Genius of virtuous Friendship?

We might mention, farther, the difficulties in business, the traverses of fortune, the failure of hopeful plans, the lofs of pleafing companions, the death of

parents and other relations endeared by Nature and by habit, whose removal may expose the furvivors to the greatest evils; in fhort, a variety of trials incident to men, that call forth the confolations of Friendship, and prove them to be only furpaffed by thofe of Religion, to which indeed they are nearly allied, as we have already feen, and may yet farther fee. But we will go on to fome other less familiar, yet peradventure not less interesting, confiderations.

To me it appears a very valuable fruit of the commerce we are estimating, that it frequently imparts to Age a vivacity, and a pleasure, which, though lefs confpicuous and active than those experienced by youth, are often more fatisfactory, because more ferene. We have perfonally known fome excellent people, the evening of whose days feemed, like that of autumn, gladdened with a foft, but fprightly gleam, which was wonderfully agreeable, while

they moved on to their peaceful fetting, beloved and venerated by their families and all about them. How much happier than those who, having outlived, or, what is incomparably more calamitous, been for faken by, their natural connexions, have not found the defolation repaired by a Friend!

"Poor were the Friendless mafter of a world."

He were poor at any period, in the vigour of manhood, or in the bloom of youth; being deftitute of this moft neceffary refource, a partnership of the heart, without which that must ever feel a want beyond the power of the universe to supply.

As we hinted on a former occafion, the mightiest monarchs have found all their moft flattering and moft flattered advantages tasteless, wearifome,. infupportable, without the communication and counfel of some favourite subject, in whose breast they could difburden the cares of royalty, and enjoy the fweets of confidence. But

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