And, if success his steps attend, And hates him for encroaching. Hence authors of illustrious name, A man renown'd for repartee Whoever keeps an open ear The trumpet of contention; And rush into dissention. A friendship, that in frequent fits The sparks of disputation, Like hand in hand insurance plates, The thought of conflagration. Some fickle creatures boast a soul True as a needle to the pole, Their humour yet so various→→→ They manifest their whole life through The needle's deviations too, Their love is so precarious. The great and small but rarely meet Plebeians must surrender And yield so much to noble folk, Some are so placid and serene And are indeed a bog, that bears Unmov'd and without quaking. Courtier and patriot cannot mix Without an effervescence, Like that of salts with lemon juice, Which does not yet like that produce A friendly coalescence. Religion should extinguish strife, But friends that chance to differ To prove at last my main intent No cutting and contriving Seeking a real friend we seem With still less hope of thriving. Sometimes the fault is all our own, Some blemish in due time made known By trespass or omission; Sometimes occasion brings to light Our friend's defect long hid from sight, And even from suspicion. 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, 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 common place, But 'tis not timber, lead, and stone, To finish a fine building The palace were but half complete, If he could possibly forget The carving and the gilding. The man that hails you Tom or Jack, Is such a friend, that one had need To pardon or to bear it. As similarity of mind, Or something not to be defin'd, First fixes our attention; So manners decent and polite, Some act upon this prudent plan, So barren sands imbibe the show'r, |