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第17节

questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第17节

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    〃A true friend is an atmosphere

      Warm with all inspirations dear;

      Wherein we breathe the large free breath

      Of life that hath no taint of death。

      A true friend's an unconscious part

      Of every true beat of our heart;

      A strength; a growth; whence we derive

      Soul…rest; that keeps the world alive。〃



Then; friendship sheds light in the mind。  〃He who has made the

acquisition of a judicious and sympathetic friend;〃 says Robert Hall;

〃may be said to have doubled his mental resources。〃  No man is wise

enough to be his own counselor; for he inclineth too much to leniency

toward himself。  〃It is a well…known rule that flattery is food for the

fool。〃  Therefore no man should be his own counselor since no one is

so apt to flatter another as he is himself。  A wise man never flatters

himself; neither does a friend flatter。  As a wise man sees his own

faults and seeks to correct them; so a true friend sees the faults of his

friend and labors faithfully to banish them。  The one who flatters you

despises you; and degrades both you and himself。  An enemy will tell

you the whole truth about yourself; especially your faults; and at times

that both weaken and hurt you。  A friend will tell you the whole truth

about yourself; especially your neglected virtues; but at a time to both

strengthen and help you。  The highest service a friend can render is

that of giving counsel。  The highest honor one can bestow upon his

friend is to make him his counselor。  It is no mark of weakness to rely

upon counsel。  God; Himself; needed a counselor; so he chose His Son。

〃His name shall be called Wonderful; Counselor; the Mighty God; the

Everlasting Father; the Prince of Peace。〃  Isa。 ix; 6。  Counsel; says

Solomon; is the key to stability。  〃Every purpose is established by

Counsel。〃  Prov。 Xx; 18。  Who despiseth counsel shall reap the reward

of folly。  A friend is safe in counsel; according to his wisdom; for he

never seeks his own good; but the good of his friend。  It is a saying; 〃If

some one asks you for advice; if you would be followed; first find out

what kind of advice is wanted; then give that。〃  But this is not the way

of a friend。  He has in mind the welfare of the friend and the cause his

friend serves。  Honor does not require that one shall follow the advise

of his friend; rather liberty in this is a mark of freedom and trust

between friends。



A friend aids one in the carrying out of his life purposes。  Who is it

that helps one to places of honor and usefulness?  It is his friend。  Who

is it that recognizes one's true worth; extols his virtues; and gives tone

and quality to the diligent services of months and years?  It is his

friend。  Who is it; when one ends his life in the midst of an unfinished

book; or with loose ends of continued research in philosophy or science

all about him; who is it that gathers up these loose ends and puts in order

the unfinished work?  It is his friend。  Who is it that stands by the open

tomb of that fallen saint or hero and relates to the world his deeds of

sacrifice and courage which spurn others on to nobler living and thereby

perpetuates his goodness and valor?  Who does this; if it is done?  It is

his friend。  A friend thus becomes not only a completion of one's soul

as he is by virtue of being a friend; but also he becomes a completion

of one's life。  Then; one's relation to his fellowmen is a limited

relationship。  He may speak; but upon certain subjects; on certain

occasions; and to certain persons。  As Francis Bacon says; 〃A man can

not speak to his son but as a father; to his wife but as a husband; to his

enemy but upon terms; whereas a friend may speak as the case requires;

and not as it sorteth with the person。。。。I have given the rule;〃 says he;

〃where a man can not fitly play his own part; if he have not a friend; he

may quit the stage。〃





HOW TO GET AND KEEP A FRIEND。



A real friend is discovered; or made。  First; discovered。  Two persons

notice an attraction for one another。  They see that their desires are

similar; they have the same sentiments; they agree in tastes。  A feeling

of attachment becomes conscious with each of them; slight association

fosters this feeling; it increases。  New associations but reveal a broader

agreement; a closer union; a perfecter harmony。  The signs of friendship

appear。  Heart and mind of each respond to the other; they are friends。

This is the noblest friendship。  It has its origin in nature。  It is; as H。 Clay

Trumbull says:  〃Love without compact or condition; it never pivots on

an equivalent return of service or of affection。  Its whole sweep is away

from self and toward the loved one。  Its desire is for the friend's welfare;

its joy is in the friend's prosperity; its sorrows and trials are in the

friend's misfortunes and griefs; its pride is in the friend's attainments

and successes; its constant purpose is in doing and enduring for the

friend。〃



Then; friends are made。  Two persons do not especially attract one

another。  But; through growth of character; modification of nature; or

change in desires; sentiments; and tastes; they become attracted to each

other。  Or in spite of natural disagreements or differences; through the

force of circumstances they become welded together in friendship。

Montaigne describes such an attachment; in which the souls mix and

work themselves into one piece with so perfect a mixture that there is

no more sign of a seam by which they were first conjoined。  Says

Euripedes:



        〃A friend

    Wedded into our life is more to us

    Than twice five thousand kinsman one in blood。〃



Such was the friendship of Ruth and Naomi。  Orpha loved Naomi; kissed

her; and returned satisfied to her early home; but Ruth cleaved unto her;

saying:



    〃Entreat me not to leave thee;

     And to return from following after thee:

     For whither thou goest; I will go;

     Where thou lodgest; I will lodge:

     Thy people shall be my people;

     And thy God my God:

     Where thou diest; will I die;

     And there will I be buried:

     The Lord do so to me; and more also;

     If aught but death part thee and me。〃



The keeping of a friend like the keeping of a fortune; lies in the getting;

although in friendship much depends upon circumstances of association。

However subtle may be the circumstances which bring friends together;

or whatever natural agreement may exist between their natures; still

there is always a conscious choosing of friends。  In this choosing lies the

secret of abiding friendship。  Young says:



    〃First on thy friend deliberate with thyself;

     Pause; ponder; sift:  not eager in the choice;

     Nor jealous of the chosen; fixing fix;

     Judge before friendship; then confide till death。〃



Steadfastness and constancy such as this seldom loses a friend。



Last of all; abiding friendship is grounded in virtue。  Says a famed

writer on Friendship:  〃There is a pernicious error in those who think

that a free indulgence in all lusts and sins is extended in friendship。

Friendship was given us by nature as the handmaid of virtues and not

as the companion of our vices。  It is virtue; virtue I say 。 。 。 that both

wins friendship and preserves it。〃  And closing his remarks on this

immortal subject; Cicero causes Laelius to say:  〃I exhort you to lay

the foundations of virtue; without which friendship can not exist; in

such a manner; that with this one exception; you may consider that

nothing in the world is more excellent than friendship。〃







IX。



TRAVEL。



A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE。





We have set in order some facts; incidents; and lessons gathered from

a hasty trip to the old country during the summer of 1899。  The journey

was made in company with Rev。 C。F。 Juvinall; for four years my room…

mate and fellow…student; and my estimable friend。  On Wednesday;

June 21st; we sailed from Boston Harbor; reached Liverpool; England;

Saturday morning the 1st of July; visited this second town in the British

kingdom; stopped over at the old town of Chester; took a run out to

Hawarden Estate; the home of Gladstone; changed cars at Stratford…on…

Avon and visited the tomb of Shakespeare; staid a half day and a night

in the old university town of Oxford; and reached London on the evening

of July 4th。  Having spent a week in London; we crossed the English

Channel to Paris; remained there two days; then made brief visits to the

battlefield of Waterloo; to Brussels; Amsterdam; Hull; Sheffield; Dublin;

and back to Liverpool。  We sailed to Boston and returned to Chicago by

way of Montreal and Detroit; having spent forty…nine daysthe

intensest and delightfullest of our lives。  At first; we hesitated to treat

this subject from a point of view of personal experience; but since it

is our purpose to incite in others the love for and the right us of all

helpful resources of 

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