Friendship:

An Essay in Khyme.

ΤΟ

MR. H. H.

MY DEAR H.

THE following Lines, if you will accept them, are your's by right: since, but for your recommendation, they would not have been written. In these verses I have avoided any illustra tions from the school books, because I considered that, however apt and eloquent may be the examples with which they abound, they were too well known to require repetition, and had been too often treated upon by abler and more experienced writers not to make me rather fearful of handling them. The little I have presumed to do I submit to you with diffidence, because I know of none better qualified than yourself to pronounce an opinion on the subject. In these days, when men are " as liberal in promising, as niggardly in performing; as facile in their words, as difficile in their deeds;" it might have appeared to some a hard and hopeless task to draw a real friend from the life, but I, who have the happiness of knowing you, found, on the contrary, that the effort was an easy and a pleasant one.

I am,

MY DEAR H.

Your's, ever truly,

THE AUTHOR.

Friendship.

"For he that says friend, says (in that one word) goodness and "virtue; comprehending in that, all the good that speech or "thought can reach unto."

Guzman D'Alfarache.

"The proud, the cold untroubled heart of stone,
"That never mused on sorrow but its own,
"Unlocks a gen'rous store at thy command,
"Like Horeb's rock beneath the prophet's hand.
"The living lumber of his kindred earth,
"Charm'd into soul, receives a second birth;
"Feels thy dread power another heart afford,
"Whose passion-touch'd harmonious strings accord
"True as the circling spheres to nature's plan;
"And man, the brother, lives the friend of man!"

CAMPBELL'S " Pleasures of Hope."

FRIENDSHIP! the virtuous man's support and pride,
And all men's solace, how art thou belied!
Alas! what paltry things assume thy cloak,
With hollow hearts thy sacred name invoke,

Yet know thee not beyond the specious phrase
Of proffer'd service and unmeaning praise !
Others whose minds, in seeming, fain would spring
Far from contracted views with glorious wing-
E'en these have stoop'd to mingle with the crowd
Of thoughtless railers that have oft avow'd
Feelings of coldness, or of enmity,

Which stain'd themselves without degrading thee.
GOLDSMITH, whose gentle heart seem'd form'd to feel
The genial influence of friendly zeal-

He who roam'd long to search for thee around
The world, and wisely valu'd thee when found,-
E'en he hath said "what art thou but a name,
"A fleeting shade that follows wealth and fame?"

BYRON, the greatest of the laurell'd throng,
Hath also said that not to men belong
To feel the warmth of Friendship's holy fire,
Undamp'd by interest or the world's desire;
And rais'd the monumental stone to trace
His strong contempt for man's degenerate race:
"To mark a friend's remains these stones arise-
"I never knew but one-and here he lies!"
Blush, mankind, blush! if this indeed be true—
Blush, if his dog were the sole friend he knew!