Who feek a friend, fhould come difpofed To exhibit in full bloom disclosed

The graces and the beauties, That form the character he feeks, For 'tis an union, that bespeaks Reciprocated duties.

Mutual attention is implied,
And equal truth on either fide,
And conftantly supported ;`
'Tis fenfeless arrogance to accuse
Another of finifter views,

Our own as much diftorted.

But will fincerity suffice?

It is indeed above all price,

And must be made the bafis ;

But every virtue of the foul

Muft conftitute the charming whole,

All shining in their places.

A fretful temper will divide

The closest knot, that may be tied,
By ceaseless sharp corrosion;

A temper paffionate and fierce

May fuddenly your joys disperse
At one immenfe explofion.

In vain the talkative unite

In hopes of permanent delight-
The fecret juft committed

Forgetting its important weight,

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

How bright foe'er the prospect feems,
All thoughts of friendship are but dreams
If envy chance to creep in;

An envious man, if you fucceed,
May prove a dangeous foe indeed,

But not a friend worth keeping.

As envy pines at good poffeffed,
So jealousy looks forth diftreffed

On good, that seems approaching,
And if fuccefs his steps attend,
Difcerns a rival in a friend,

And hates him for encroaching.

Hence authors of illuftrious name,
Unless belied by common fame,

Are fadly prone to quarrel,
To deem the wit a friend displays
A tax upon their own juft praise,
And pluck each others laurel.

4

A man renowned for repartee
Will feldom fcruple to make free
With friendship's fineft feeling,
Will thruft a dagger at your breaft,
And fay he wounded you in jeft,
By way of balm for healing.

Whoever keeps an open ear
For tattlers, will be sure to hear
The trumpet of contention;
Afperfion is the babbler's trade,
To liften is to lend him aid,
And rush into diffention.

A friendship, that in frequent fits
Of controverfial rage emits

The fparks of disputation,

Like hand in hand infurance plates,

Moft unavoidably creates

The thought of conflagration.

Some fickle creatures boaft a foul

True as a needle to the pole,

Their humour yet fo various

They manifeft their whole life through

The needle's deviations too,

Their love is fo precarious.

The great and small but rarely meet
On terms of amity complete,

Plebeians muft furrender,

And yield fo much to noble folk,
It is combining fire with smoke,
Obfcurity with splendour.

Some are so placid and ferene
(As Irish bogs are always green)
They fleep fecure from waking;
And are indeed a bog, that bears
Your unparticipated cares

Unmoved and without quaking.

Courtier and patriot cannot mix
Their heterogeneous politics

Without an effervefcence,

Like that of falts with lemon juice, Which does not yet like that produce A friendly coalefcence.

Religion should extinguish ftrife,
And make a calm of human life;

But friends that chance to differ

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

To prove at last my main intent
Needs no expence of argument,

No cutting and contriving-
Seeking a real friend we seem
To adopt the chymifts golden dream,
With ftill lefs hope of thriving.

Sometimes the fault is all our own,

Some blemish in due time made known
By trespass or omiffion;
Sometimes occafion brings to light

Our friend's defect long hid from fight,
And even from fufpicion.

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

And having made election, Beware no negligence of yours, Such as a friend but ill endures, Enfeeble his affection.

That fecrets are a facred truft,

That friends fhould be fincere and just,

That conftancy befits them,

Are obfervations on the cafe,

That favour much of common place,

And all the world admits them.