Classic Poem

Friendship , at once, is Love and Honour too,
Which does a Heart, without Design, bestow;
Or Hopes of a Return, by which a Trade
Or Trucking Commerce, Bart'ring Love is made:
So Love's a Bond-slave, and must Duty pay,
Makes Man, ev'n those he shou'd command, obey,
In spight of Reason, whether 'twill, or no;
But Friendship, Voluntary Good will do,
Is Kindness, without Obligation, so.
Love does a Mercenary Slave appear,
Whilst Friendship, is a Noble Volunteer.
Love does but for Reward, a Benefit,
Generous Friendship is undone by it:
Love shows its Kindness, without Reason too:
Friendship will always all, by Reason, do.
In Friendship, Men their Honour satisfie,
Their Judgment, Reason, and Humanity;
In Love, their Passion, to their Infamy.
Love's the Disturbance of Societies,
Friendship strict Union is of Enemies;
Since Man to Man, by Nature is a Foe,
Till Noble Friendship does make One of Two,
And will their Reconciliation be;
Then Friendship is the Noblest Pact, (we see)
The Manly Virtue of the Soul, that's Great,
Love, is a Vice, Mean and Effeminate:
Friendship, is our Hearts, Minds, Firm Constancy;
Love Fickleness, and Imbecillity;
Love Bodies joins; gives, but to take Delight;
But Friendship, Soul and Body, does unite;
Love is but Mercenary Kindness, so,
More Pleasure rather to Receive, than Do;
Whilst Friendship makes the Truer-Hearted Man.
With Friends to share their Crosses, Shame, or Pain;
The Barbarous, who ne'r were civiliz'd,
By Laws or Letters, Friendship most have priz'd;
Have honour'd been for that, for Love, despis'd;
They, whom no Laws, from doing Wrong, can bind
By Friendship, to their Duty seem confin'd,
Which makes most Men of one Will, and one Mind.
So Friendship! Thou, Free-Law of Nature art,
A Court of Honour, kept in each Man's Heart;
Whilst Wild, Intemperate, Inhuman Love,
A Breaker does of Laws and Precepts prove:
Other Laws Bodies to their Duty bind,
Friendship ensures the frail Heart, fickle Mind,
Both by its Ties, to Reason, Faith, confin'd:
Nay, when no Laws our Passions can restrain,
Even in Spight of Love, True Friendship can;
The Sacred Law of all Communities,
Which tames the Wild, the Rude does civilize;
Man's best Security, from all Distrust;
To make, the Poor Man True, the Pow'rful Just;
The Law, which ev'n most barbarous, and wild
Of Nations, have for Sacred always held,
The Lay-Religion, both of Jews and Turks ,
To make Men shew their Faith, by their Good Works;
Out-Laws, and Thieves, whom Law, nor Faith can bind,
Who live in Enmity with all Mankind,
And make War, in the time of Peace, think fit,
Yet, to the Laws of Friendship to submit;
Who think it Brave, with Justice, to contend,
Opposing Foes, submit yet, to their Friend.
Friendship, (in breaking other Laws,) obey,
Cheat their Relations, yet, no Friends betray;
Venture their Lives, nay, Tortures undergo,
Pain, and Disgrace, Death, and Damnation too,
E're they will suffer but more Shame, or Blame,
Betraying those, who brought 'em, to that Shame:
In fine, the whole Creation, and Mankind,
By Friendship, is maintain'd in Peace, (we find,)
Which first built Towns, and made Assemblies,
Founder, Preserver, of Societies;
Lets none do to their Brother ought amiss;
For, where True Friendship Men does Rule, or Reign,
Laws are unnecessary, Justice vain:
So th' Age of Innocence, it does once more,
To this, unhospitable World restore,
Does Men to Justice, Faith, and Truth, incline,
Abolishing those hard Words, Mine and Thine,
Laying all Common, in the World, once more,
By levelling Mankind, in Wealth, or Pow'r;
All Fraud, or Injuries, abolishes,
In taking from Mankind, all Selfishness,
Which makes Man, seeking to be more, grow less;
And keeps the Peace, by making ev'ry Friend,
But with his Friend, in Kindness to contend;
So, Friendship is the Noblest Commerce, which,
Makes Men, by Prodigality, more Rich;
Since Friends, by Goods they share, have not the less,
Who, by Joint-Stocks, like Partners, gain Increase,
Till each Man turns his Generosity,
To the most profitable Usury,
By Friendship, the sole honourable Gain,
That's made by Commerce, betwixt Man, and Man.