disposition for its duties!* So that the wise, man elsewhere advises "Go not into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity,"+ adding, that there is greater reason to expect assistance from strangers than benefit from relatives. FRIENDSHIP wants not panegyrists. Philosophers, historians, orators, and poets have made it their favourite theme, and dwelt upon its praises with enrapturing eloquence. There have been found some in all ages to decorate its shrine with the choicest flowers of fancy, and the most exquisite ornaments of art. And yet in all ages and at all times lamentations have been made of the selfishness, the insincerity, or the perfidy of professed friends. "Frater ne deserere fratrem, fratrum quoque rara gratia est. By comparing the antient versions, there is reason to suppose that the same person is intended in both clauses of the sentence, and that the real construction of the verse is, THE FRIEND WHO LOVETH AT ALL TIMES, IS BORN, (that is, becomes, or proves) A BROTHER IN ADVERSITY. This reading is supported by EBEN EZRA, MUNSTER, VATABLUS and PATRICK. In like manner, it has been observed, that "though a Brother is not always a Friend, yet a Friend is always a Brother." The writer, in choosing the text, had reference also to the Chaldee paraphrase, which is followed by the Targum and the Talmud Babylonicum, and adopted by the learned SCHULTENS. In omni tempore amat SocIUS verus; et ille FRATER est ad angustiam natus." + Prov. xxvii. 10. Few who have tried it have found it capable of affording those high satisfactions which are attributed to it. Most have suffered from the eventual worthlessness of the bosom partner; or from his mean and interested views, had the fund of sensibility and confidence with which they commenced the attachment fairly exhausted. Their bleeding affections and injured peace have given them too much cause to repent the trust they reposed with such fond and implicit affiance. How many, too, under the specious semblance of friendship, "full of fair seeming," have been betrayed by their fond credulity, or precipitated by their unsuspecting heedlessness, into extravagant attachments and pernicious intimacies! And ah! how many have been deceived and undone by unprincipled companions, whom they had cherished as virtuous friends! THE fact is, Friendship, as it is known and cultivated in the world, seldom arises from a cool, discriminating choice, founded on worth, and sanctioned by virtue. Men revolt from such formal contracts, where the affections must wait for the slow approbation of the judgment; and the heart restrain its impulses or delay its regards, till reason has been consulted, and had opportunity to decide upon the propriety of their indulgence. Hence, the connection of which we are speaking most commonly originates from casual acquaintance, the consequence of a similarity of sentiments, situations, or pursuits; rendered more and more agreeable and intimate, as it is found conducive to mutual convenience, pleasure, or advantage. Sometimes it is little else than the reciprocal negociations of interest, or mercenary exchange of services, which the selfish employ to promote their advantage. The intercourse ceases with the motive that gave it birth: as partnerships in trade are dissolved when the special object of the firm has been effected, or has failed. . THERE are friends enough to be faithful, and brethren enough to love in the season of prosperity: to participate our abundance, to feast on our plenty, and to rejoice in our delights. But it is the most deplorable fate of adversity, that, when we are in the greatest need of friends, it often puts them farthest from us.* "Some men, says the wise son of Sirach, are friends for their own occasion, and will not abide in the day of trouble : and there is a friend, who being turned to enmity and reproach, will discover thy re * Ut-comes radios per solis euntibus umbra, OVID, Trist, I. proach. Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of affliction. In thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants; but if thou be brought low, he will be against thee and hide himself from thy face. A friend cannot be known in prosperity; and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity in the prosperity of a man enemies will be grieved; but in his adversity, even a friend will depart.”* In short, friendship is so commonly founded on self-interest, and in its utmost purity is so much like self-love; it is subject to so many interruptions; so uncertain and short-lived; and withal is so partial and limited and exercise of the social affections and benevolent dispositions of our nature; that we must abate much from the high praises with which it comes recommended to us, and expect to find it defective as a pure virtue. Hence, perhaps, the total silence of the gospel upon this subject. For it has been remarked that "it is neither enjoined nor recommended in any one sentence in the whole new testament." Christianity, to be sure, makes it not a duty; does not expressly inculcate it: prescribing, indeed, to its followers benevo Ecclus. vii. 5-12. and xii. 8, 9. "In malis amicus deserit amicum." PLAUT. lence towards all, and universal kindness and brotherly love, but not discriminate friendship, which, strictly speaking, cannot be a permament obligation for all. It is not to be enjoined, like justice and general kindness. Its rise and progress must frequently depend on circumstances and events that we are not always able to influence or command. That could not properly be made the object of a divine requisition, which is purely a matter of free choice, and so delicate in its nature as to render the meeting of those who are qualified for it altogether uncertain. So that even very intelligent and worthy men, of a sweet and amicable disposition, may and often must forego the attachments of this peculiar and appropriated alliance in their strictest intimacy and warmest cordiality; not from any fault of theirs, but from not finding easily in others that perfect similarity of disposition and coincidence of sentiment and regard on which friendship is founded. And, indeed, "to lavish on one object that kindness. and affection which ought to be diffused among the whole human race, might well be deemed a monoply incompatible with that free and general commerce of good offices which the gospel certainly meant to extend to every quarter of the globe."* * BP. PORTEUSs, in a sermon on John xiii. 23, has attempt ed to prove, and he does it in a most pleasing and ingenious |