Wemustmoderateandadaptourdesirestothenearestandeasiesttobeacquiredthings。Isitnotafoolishhumourofminetoseparatemyselffromathousandtowhommyfortunehasconjoinedme，andwithoutwhomI
cannotlive，andcleavetooneortwowhoareoutofmyintercourse;orratherafantasticdesireofathingIcannotobtain？Mygentleandeasymanners，enemiesofallsournessandharshness，mayeasilyenoughhavesecuredmefromenvyandanimosities;tobebeloved，Idonotsay，butneveranymangavelessoccasionofbeinghated;butthecoldnessofmyconversationhas，reasonablyenough，deprivedmeofthegoodwillofmany，whoaretobeexcusediftheyinterpretitinanotherandworsesense。
Iamverycapableofcontractingandmaintainingrareandexquisitefriendships;forbyreasonthatIsogreedilyseizeuponsuchacquaintanceasfitmyliking，IthrowmyselfwithsuchviolenceuponthemthatIhardlyfailtostick，andtomakeanimpressionwhereIhit;
asIhaveoftenmadehappyproof。InordinaryfriendshipsIamsomewhatcoldandshy，formymotionisnotnatural，ifnotwithfullsail:
besideswhich，myfortunehavinginmyyouthgivenmearelishforonesoleandperfectfriendship，has，intruth，createdinmeakindofdistastetoothers，andtoomuchimprintedinmyfancythatitisabeastofcompany，astheancientsaid，butnotoftheherd。——[Plutarch，OnthePluralityofFriends，c。2。]——AndalsoIhaveanaturaldifficultyofcommunicatingmyselfbyhalves，withthemodificationsandtheservileandjealousprudencerequiredintheconversationofnumerousandimperfectfriendships:andweareprincipallyenjoinedtotheseinthisageofours，whenwecannottalkoftheworldbuteitherwithdangerorfalsehood。