Miscellany Poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

Friendship 's the purest, the Divinest Love,
The onely Passion, Angels know above:
Where purg'd from Matter Souls do truly join,
Abstracted from all sordid low design,
And where no Mixture of the Sex creeps in.
The Gordian Knot, that nothing can unty,
No Time can wear, nor date of Age destroy.
Whose Rules, without the gawdy Dress of Art,
Accept from Him, who freely sends his Heart.

FIRST RULE.

No Supercilious Look, no Cato's brow,
No surly State, or Pride, in Friendship show.

Act not a Master, or Superior's part
But freely to your Friend disclose your Heart.
When Friendship's bonds concording Hearts do tie,
Why should a distance 'twixt the Persons lie?

II.

Be Deaf to Rumour, and to whisper'd Lyes,
Which wicked Arts and Envious Tongues devise.
Detraction's secret-wounding Arrows fly
Silent as Night, and Black as Destiny.
Still keep One Ear for what your Friend may say:
Fame may deceive; in Justice Hear his Plea.

III.

No base, mean Action of your Friend desire,
Nor basely act for Him, if He require.
Do vertuously, you'll please your vertuous Friend,
If not, let Friendship, not your Vertue, end:
That Friendship's bad, which Vertue can't commend.

IV.

Warn him of Dangers, which he doth not see
Thrô Ignorance, or Inadvertency;
Chiefly those Snakes, that under Flowers repose,
Pretended Friends, the very worst of Foes:
From these our treacherous Disappointments rise;
These know our Hearts, with these we do advise;
But Guard our selves from Open Enemies.

V.

Causless Suspicions shun; they taint the Mind,
And make the best-meant Actions seem unkind.
Shew not too quick a sense of Injuries,
Our greatest Griefs do from Opinion rise.
He, that on Trivial Grounds doth Frantick grow,
Doth live Uneasie, and makes Friendship so.

VI.

Honour your Friend's brave Acts with worthy Praise,
But don't your Eulogies to Flattery raise.
Labour'd Expressions flote above the Heart,
The Product not of Nature, but of Art.
Yet been't too sparing: If Extremes must be,
Let them upon the side of Kindness lie.

VII.

Severely Blame his faults, but Taunting spare.
Scorn from a Friend the deadli'est Sting doth wear,
And in a Friend's disguise a Foe is there.
Chide but with Goodness, blame with Clemency:
Publick Reproofs are kin to Calumny.
Comfort Him, if his Shame or Grief abound,
And pour in Oyl, when you have search'd the Wound.

VIII.

Speak well of Him; but shun officious Lies:
Immoderate Praises turn to Injuries.
Defend him Absent; Vindicate his Name,
And boldly from Detraction free his Fame.
Nay, if he's Justly taxt, excuse his Fault,
With all, from Truth, or Prudence, can be brought.

IX.

Be in your Kindness generous and free,
Give, but upbraid not: That turns Injury.
And when his Gratitude he'd make appear,
Accept his Presents, thô but mean they are.
Despise no Gift, that doth from Love proceed:
Slights and unkindness make Love deeply bleed.

X.

Counsel him Faithfully; let not Advice
From your Advantage or Designs arise.

We're all ill Judges of our Acts: Bless'd he;
Can with Impartial Eyes and Judgment see,
And hath a Friend, on whom he can rely.
His Interest be your Aim, and Truth your Guide:
Advise on Safety, not on Favour's side.

XI.

Be Gallant in's defence: For no design,
Fear, or unworthy thoughts your Love decline.
To' his Aid thrô strongest Opposition fly,
Nor draw your Hand back, till you've set him free.
Nothing's too dear for Friendship: For his sake
Your Name, Estate, and Life lay down at stake.

XII.

Value and prize his Kindness, Love him high,
In gallant Actions with his Friendship vie.
Wear him still next your Heart, the lasting stay,
When Health, Wealth, Pleasure, Honour fly away:
The mighty Cordial, that doth ease our trouble
Divides our Griefs, and makes our Pleasures double.

The Memorandum.

Friendship can numerous Mountain-Faults pass by;
They are but Molehills in a Friendly Eye:
And Love can Multitudes of Sins conceal.—
But He, that Secrets doth reveal,
And what's entrusted to his Breast doth tell;
Or He, that treacherously his Friend doth smite,
Whispers Reproach, and stabs him in the Night,
Forfeits to all these Laws his Right:
Branded like Cain, like Cain accursed too,
Foe to the World, and all the World his Foe,
Never may He the Joys of sacred Friendship know!