Chap. VIII.]

THE DUTIES OF FRIENDSHIP.

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correction and reformation. This is dwelt upon by all the writers,not only as the highest duty, but as the most disinterested proof,of friendship. “ Friendship justifies,” says the great Roman mor-alist, so often quoted, “ and requires, not only free, but even severeadmonition, on certain occasions.” Again, “ Friends are oftento be admonished and reproved, ( monendi sape et ohjurgandisunt,) and such admonitions are to be received in the kindlyspirit with which they are given.”* He even says, “Bitterenemies are of more use than those friends, who to some menseem kind; for, the former often tell the truth, the latternever.” “ Faithful are the wounds of a friend,” says the wisestof men. f “ Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thoushalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, (friend,) and not suffersin upon him,” is the injunction of divine wisdom, j; Again,“ Admonish a friend, it may be he hath not done it ; and if hehave done it, that he do it no more. Admonish thy friend, itmay be he hath not said it; and if he have, that he speak itnot again. Admonish a friend ; for many times it is a slander,and believe not every tale.” §

Nor must we shrink from the duty of admonishing a friendof his imperfections, especially of his moral imperfections, be-cause we may give him offence. He who takes offence, fromsuch admonitions as friendship dictates, admonitions, the chiefinducement to which is found in the very excellence of himwhom we wish to make still more excellent, is not worthy ofthe friendship which we have wasted on him ; and if we thus losehis friendship, we are relieved from one who could not havebeen sincere in his past professions of regard, and whose insin-cerity, therefore, we might afterwards have had reason to lament. ||Cicero well says, “ His safety is to be despaired of, whoseears are so shut against truth, that he cannot hear it from hisfriend.” IT ,

But, while the writers are unanimous in respect to the impor-tance of friendly admonition, and the duty of giving it, they areequally unanimous in claiming importance for the manner in which

* De Amiciti&, c. 13, 24. t Proverbs xxvii. 6.

$ Leviticus xix. 17. § Ecclesiasticus xix. 13- 15.

|| See Brown’s Philosophy of the Mind, Vol. III. p.394. IF De Amicitia, c, 24.33