Friendship is only a reciprocal conciliation of interests, and an exchange of good offices; it is a species of commerce out of which self-love always expects to gain something.

We know our friends by their defects rather than by their merits.

A man of active and resilient mind outwears his friendships just as certainly as he outwears his love affairs, his politics and his epistemology.

If a man should importune me to give a reason why I loved him, I find it could no otherwise be expressed, than by making answer: because it was he, because it was I.

Friendship is a contract in which we render small services in expectation of big ones.

A friend should be a master at guessing and keeping still.

Women can form a friendship with a man very well; but to preserve it-to that end a slight physical antipathy must probably help.

Love is rarer than genius itself. And friendship is rarer than love.

Sooner or later you've heard all your best friends have to say Then comes the tolerance of real love.

Friendship either finds or makes equals.