“A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend; one human soul whom we can trust utterly; who knows the best and the worst of us, and who loves us, in spite of our faults: who will speak the honest truth to us, while the world flatters us to our faces, and laughs at us behind our backs; who will give us counsel and reproof in the day of prosperity and self conceit; but who, again will comfort and encourage us in the day of difficulty and sorrow, when the world leaves us alone to fight our own battles as we can.

If we have had the good fortune to win such a friend, let us do anything rather than lose him.  We must give and forgive; live and let live.  If our friends have faults we must bear with them.  We must hope all things, believe all things, endure all things rather than lose that most precious of all earthly possessions – a trusty friend.  And a friend once won, need never be lost, if we will only be trusty and true ourselves.” – Charles Kingsley