Friendship demands the ability to do without it.

Why should I cumber myself with regrets that the receiver is not capacious? It never troubles the sun that some of his rays fall wide and vain into ungrateful space, and only a small part on the reflecting planet. Let your greatness educate the crude and cold companion.

Better be a nettle in the side of your friend than his echo.

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.

A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.

He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, while he who has one enemy shall meet him everywhere.