quotations about friendship
Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.
ANAIS NIN
diary entry, March 1937
The company of just and righteous men is better than wealth and a rich estate.
EURIPIDES
Aegeus [fragment]
Even the utmost good-will and harmony and practical kindness are not sufficient for Friendship, for Friends do not live in harmony merely, as some say, but in melody. We do not wish for Friends to feed and clothe our bodies--neighbors are kind enough for that--but to do the like office to our spirits.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Friendship
Nothing changes your opinion of a friend so surely as success -- yours or his.
FRANKLIN P. JONES
Saturday Evening Post, November 29, 1953
This is the end of a beautiful friendship
It ended a moment ago
This is the end of a beautiful friendship
I know 'cause your eyes told me so
DUKE ELLINGTON
"A Beautiful Friendship"
As the circle of friends is enlarged, the bonds of friendship are relaxed and weakened.
JOHN THORNTON
Maxims and Directions for Youth
Those who would have Friendship confined to the narrowest compass, have notions of it the most sublime: Tho' number, if practicable, may be highly useful.
WELLINS CALCOTT
Thoughts Moral and Divine
Let us approach our friend with an audacious trust in the truth of his heart, in the breadth, impossible to be overturned, of his foundations.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Essays
A friend is one who does not laugh when you are in a ridiculous position.
ARTHUR HELPS
Thoughts in the Cloister and the Crowd
It is a strange thing to observe, how high a rate great kings and monarchs do set upon this fruit of friendship, whereof we speak: so great, as they purchase it, many times, at the hazard of their own safety and greatness. For princes, in regard of the distance of their fortune from that of their subjects and servants, cannot gather this fruit, except (to make themselves capable thereof) they raise some persons to be, as it were, companions and almost equals to themselves, which many times sorteth to inconvenience. The modern languages give unto such persons the name of favorites, or privadoes; as if it were matter of grace, or conversation. But the Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof, naming them participes curarum; for it is that which tieth the knot. And we see plainly that this hath been done, not by weak and passionate princes only, but by the wisest and most politic that ever reigned; who have oftentimes joined to themselves some of their servants; whom both themselves have called friends, and allowed other likewise to call them in the same manner; using the word which is received between private men.
FRANCIS BACON
Essays, or Counsels Civil and Moral
Friendship has been called the sweetener of life. It is a compound made up of truth and kindness, prudence and piety.
JOHN THORNTON
Maxims and Directions for Youth
True friendship is like sound health, the value of it is seldom known until it be lost.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON
Lacon
The firmest friendships have been formed in mutual adversity, as iron is most strongly united by the fiercest flame.
CHARLES CALEB COLTON
Lacon
Friendship should be surrounded with ceremonies and respects, and not crushed into corners. Friendship requires more time than poor busy men can usually command.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
"Behavior"
We should thank God that He did not give us the power of hearing through walls; otherwise there would be no such thing as friendship.
AUSTIN O'MALLEY
Keystones of Thought
The true beauty of friendship is that it is bottomless.
ROGER & SALLY HORCHOW
The Art of Friendship
The language of Friendship is not words but meanings.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Friendship
The Friend does not count his Friends on his fingers; they are not numerable.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Friendship
For there is no man, that imparteth his joys to his friend, but he joyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less.
FRANCIS BACON
Essays, or Counsels Civil and Moral
A friend, therefore, is a sort of paradox in nature. I who alone am, I who see nothing in nature whose existence I can affirm with equal evidence to my own, behold now the semblance of my being in all its height, variety and curiosity, reiterated in a foreign form; so that a friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Essays