صفحة 532 من 734

But suppose a man takes up another as being a good man, who turns

out, and is found by him, to be a scoundrel, is he bound still to

entertain Friendship for him? or may we not say at once it is

impossible? since it is not everything which is the object-matter

of Friendship, but only that which is good; and so there is no

obligation to be a bad man's friend, nor, in fact, ought one to

be such: for one ought not to be a lover of evil, nor to be

assimilated to what is base; which would be implied, because we

have said before, like is friendly to like.