第579页 / 共734页

And for this reason they who are of a manly nature are cautious

not to implicate their friends in their pain; and unless a man is

exceedingly callous to the pain of others he cannot bear the pain

which is thus caused to his friends: in short, he does not admit

men to wail with him, not being given to wail at all: women, it

is true, and men who resemble women, like to have others to groan

with them, and love such as friends and sympathisers. But it is

plain that it is our duty in all things to imitate the highest

character.

On the other hand, the advantages of friends in our prosperity

are the pleasurable intercourse and the consciousness that they

are pleased at our good fortune.