friends　than　citizens；　more　friends　to　one　another　than　either　enemies　or
  friends　to　their　country；　or　than　friends　to　ambition　and　innovation；
  having　absolutely　given　up　themselves　to　one　another；　either　held
  absolutely　the　reins　of　the　other's　inclination；　and　suppose　all　this
  guided　by　virtue；　and　all　this　by　the　conduct　of　reason；　which　also
  without　these　it　had　not　been　possible　to　do；　Blosius'　answer　was　such　as
  it　ought　to　be。　　If　any　of　their　actions　flew　out　of　the　handle；　they
  were　neither　（according　to　my　measure　of　friendship）　friends　to　one
  another；　nor　to　themselves。　　As　to　the　rest；　this　answer　carries　no　worse
  sound；　than　mine　would　do　to　one　that　should　ask　me：　〃If　your　will　should
  command　you　to　kill　your　daughter；　would　you　do　it？〃　and　that　I　should
  make　answer；　that　I　would；　for　this　expresses　no　consent　to　such　an　act；
  forasmuch　as　I　do　not　in　the　least　suspect　my　own　will；　and　as　little
  that　of　such　a　friend。　　'Tis　not　in　the　power　of　all　the　eloquence　in　the
  world；　to　dispossess　me　of　the　certainty　I　have　of　the　intentions　and
  resolutions　of　my　friend；　nay；　no　one　action　of　his；　what　face　soever　it
  might　bear；　could　be　presented　to　me；　of　which　I　could　not　presently；
  and　at　first　sight；　find　out　the　moving　cause。　　Our　souls　had　drawn　so
  unanimously　together；　they　had　considered　each　other　with　so　ardent　an
  affection；　and　with　the　like　affection　laid　open　the　very　bottom　of　our
  hearts　to　one　another's　view；　that　I　not　only　knew　his　as　well　as　my　own；
  but　should　certainly　in　any　concern　of　mine　have　trusted　my　interest　much
  more　willingly　with　him；　than　with　myself。
  Let　no　one；　therefore；　rank　other　common　friendships　with　such　a　one　as
  this。　　I　have　had　as　much　experience　of　these　as　another；　and　of　the　most
  perfect　of　their　kind：　but　I　do　not　advise　that　any　should　confound　the
  rules　of　the　one　and　the　other；　for　they　would　find　themselves　much
  deceived。　　In　those　other　ordinary　friendships；　you　are　to　walk　with
  bridle　in　your　hand；　with　prudence　and　circumspection；　for　in　them　the
  knot　is　not　so　sure　that　a　man　may　not　half　suspect　it　will　slip。　　〃Love
  him；〃　said　Chilo；＇Aulus　Gellius；　i。　3。＇　〃so　as　if　you　were　one　day　to
  hate　him；　and　hate　him　so　as　you　were　one　day　to　love　him。〃　　This
  precept；　though　abominable　in　the　sovereign　and　perfect　friendship　I
  speak　of；　is　nevertheless　very　sound　as　to　the　practice　of　the　ordinary
  and　customary　ones；　and　to　which　the　saying　that　Aristotle　had　so
  frequent　in　his　mouth；　〃O　my　friends；　there　is　no　friend；〃　may　very　fitly
  be　applied。　　In　this　noble　commerce；　good　offices；　presents；　and
  benefits；　by　which　other　friendships　are　supported　and　maintained；　do　not
  deserve　so　much　as　to　be　mentioned；　and　the　reason　is　the　concurrence　of
  our　wills；　for；　as　the　kindness　I　have　for　myself　receives　no　increase；
  for　anything　I　relieve　myself　withal　in　time　of　need　（whatever　the　Stoics
  say）；　and　as　I　do　not　find　myself　obliged　to　myself　for　any　service　I　do
  myself：　so　the　union　of　such　friends；　being　truly　perfect；　deprives　them
  of　all　idea　of　such　duties；　and　makes　them　loathe　and　banish　from　their
  conversation　these　words　of　division　and　distinction；　benefits；
  obligation；　acknowledgment；　entreaty；　thanks；　and　the　like。　　All　things；
  wills；　thoughts；　opinions；　goods；　wives；　children；　honours；　and　lives；
  being　in　effect　common　betwixt　them；　and　that　absolute　concurrence　of
  affections　being　no　other　than　one　soul　in　two　bodies　（according　to　that
  very　proper　definition　of　Aristotle）；　they　can　neither　lend　nor　give
  anything　to　one　another。　　This　is　the　reason　why　the　lawgivers；　to　honour
  marriage　with　some　resemblance　of　this　divine　alliance；　interdict　all
  gifts　betwixt　man　and　wife；　inferring　by　that；　that　all　should　belong　to
  each　of　them；　and　that　they　have　nothing　to　divide　or　to　give　to　each
  other。
  If；　in　the　friendship　of　which　I　speak；　one　could　give　to　the　other；　the
  receiver　of　the　benefit　would　be　the　man　that　obliged　his　friend；　for
  each　of　them　contending　and　above　all　things　studying　how　to　be　useful　to
  the　other；　he　that　administers　the　occasion　is　the　liberal　man；　in　giving
  his　friend　the　satisfaction　of　doing　that　towards　him　which　above　all
  things　he　most　desires。　　When　the　philosopher　Diogenes　wanted　money；　he
  used　to　say；　that　he　redemanded　it　of　his　friends；　not　that　he　demanded
  it。　　And　to　let　you　see　the　practical　working　of　this；　I　will　here
  produce　an　ancient　and　singular　example。　　Eudamidas；　a　Corinthian；　had
  two　friends；　Charixenus　a　Sicyonian　and　Areteus　a　Corinthian；　this　man
  coming　to　die；　being　poor；　and　his　two　friends　rich；　he　made　his　will
  after　this　manner。　　〃I　bequeath　to　Areteus　the　maintenance　of　my　mother；
  to　support　and　provide　for　her　in　her　old　age；　and　to　Charixenus　I
  bequeath　the　care　of　marrying　my　daughter；　and　to　give　her　as　good　a
  portion　as　he　is　able；　and　in　case　one　of　these　chance　to　die；　I　hereby
  substitute　the　survivor　in　his　place。〃　　They　who　first　saw　this　will　made
  themselves　very　merry　at　the　contents：　but　the　legatees；　being　made
  acquainted　with　it；　accepted　it　with　very　great　content；　and　one　of　them；
  Charixenus；　dying　within　five　days　after；　and　by　that　means　the　charge　of
  both　duties　devolving　solely　on　him；　Areteus　nurtured　the　old　woman　with
  very　great　care　and　tenderness；　and　of　five　talents　he　had　in　estate；　he
  gave　two　and　a　half　in　marriage　with　an　only　daughter　he　had　of　his　own；
  and　two　and　a　half　in　marriage　with　the　daughter　of　Eudamidas；　and　on　one
  and　the　same　day　solemnised　both　their　nuptials。
  This　example　is　very　full；　if　one　thing　were　not　to　be　objected；　namely
  the　multitude　of　friends　for　the　perfect　friendship　I　speak　of　is
  indivisible；　each　one　gives　himself　so　entirely　to　his　friend；　that　he
  has　nothing　left　to　distribute　to　others：　on　the　contrary；　is　sorry　that
  he　is　not　double；　treble；　or　quadruple；　and　that　he　has　not　many　souls
  and　many　wills；　to　confer　them　all　upon　this　one　object。　　Common
  friendships　will　admit　of　division；　one　may　love　the　beauty　of　this
  person；　the　good…humour　of　that；　the　liberality　of　a　third；　the　paternal
  affection　of　a　fourth；　the　fraternal　love　of　a　fifth；　and　so　of　the　rest：
  but　this　friendship　that　possesses　the　whole　soul；　and　there　rules　and
  sways　with　an　absolute　sovereignty；　cannot　possibly　admit　of　a　rival。
  If　two　at　the　same　time　should　call　to　you　for　succour；　to　which　of　them
  would　you　run？　　Should　they　require　of　you　contrary　offices；　how　could
  you　serve　them　both？　　Should　one　commit　a　thing　to　your　silence　that　it
  were　of　importance　to　the　other　to　know；　how　would　you　disengage
  yourself？　　A　unique　and　particular　friendship　dissolves　all　other
  obligations　whatsoever：　the　secret　I　have　sworn　not　to　reveal　to　any
  other；　I　may　without　perjury　communicate　to　him　who　is　not　another；　but
  myself。　　'Tis　miracle　enough　certainly；　for　a　man　to　double　himself；　and
  those　that　talk　of　tripling；　talk　they　know　not　of　what。　　Nothing　is
  extreme；　that　has　its　like；　and　he　who　shall　suppose；　that　of　two；　I　love
  one　as　much　as　the　other；　that　they　mutually　love　one　another　too；　and
  love　me　as　much　as　I　love　them；　multiplies　into　a　confraternity　the　most
  single　of　units；　and　whereof；　moreover；　one　alone　is　the　hardest　thing　in
  the　world　to　find。　　The　rest　of　this　story　suits　very　well　with　what　I
  was　saying；　for　Eudamidas；　as　a　bounty　and　favour；　bequeaths　to　his
  friends　a　legacy　of　employing　themselves　in　his　necessity；　he　leaves　them
  heirs　to　this　liberality　of　his；　which　consists　in　giving　them　the
  opportunity　of　conferring　a　benefit　upon　him；　and　doubtless；　the　force　of
  friendship　is　more　eminently　apparent　in　this　act　of　his；　than　in　that　of
  Areteus。　　In　short；　these　are　effects　not　to　be　imagined　nor　comprehended
  by　such　as　have　not　experience　of　them；　and　which　make　me　infinitely
  honour　and　admire　the　answer　of　that　young　soldier　to　Cyrus；　by　whom
  being　asked　how　much　he　would　take　for　a　horse；　with　which　he　had　won　the
  prize　of　a　race；　and　whether　he　would　exchange　him　for　a　kingdom？
  〃No；　truly；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　would　give　him　with　all　my　heart；　to
  get　thereby　a　true　friend；　could　I　find　out　any　man　worthy　of　that
  alliance。〃　＇Xenophon；　Cyropadia；　viii。　　3。＇　He　did　not　say　ill　in
  saying；　〃could　I　find〃：　for　though　one　may　almost　everywhere　meet　with
  men　sufficiently　qualified　for　a　superficial　acquaintance；　yet　in　this；
  where　a　man　is　to　deal　from　the　very　bottom　of　his　heart；　without　any
  manner　of　reservation；　it　will　be　requisite　that　all　the　wards　and
  springs　be　truly　wrought　and　perfectly　sure。
  In　confederations　that　hold　but　by　one　end；　we　are　only　to　provide
  against　the　imperfections　that　particularly　concern　that　end。　　It　can　be
  of　no　importance　to　me　of　what　religion　my　physician　or　my　lawyer　is；
  this　consideration　has　nothing　in　common　with　the　offices　of　friendship
  which　they　owe　me；　and　I　am　of　the　same　indifference　in　the　domestic
  acquaintance　my　servants　must　necessarily　contract　with　me。　　I　never
  inquire；　when　I　am　to　take　a　footman；　if　he　be　chaste；　but　if　he　be
  diligent；　and　am　not　solicitous　if　my　muleteer　be　given　to　gaming；　as　if
  he　be　strong　and　able；　or　if　my　cook　be　a　swearer；　if　he　be　a　good　cook。
  I　do　not　take　upon　me