unknown author

“ Friendship, the abstract of the world's chiefe joy!
Which once contracted nothing can destroy;
Whose first original, if true, doth rise
From purest love, and perfect sympathys.
The spring of soules, by which two equal move,
And one another's bliss and griefs do prove;
W hose different bodys but one heart admit,
And both have but one will to govern it.
From friendship we receave all that which can
Make living here supportable to man;
There is a secret in it does contain
A remedy or ease for every pain;
It never flys us when we're in distress,
Nor grows more courtly in our happiness. ”