以下是小編整理的情感類英語美文欣賞：論友誼， 希望使你的心靈有所觸動。

　　IT HAD been hard for him that spake it to have putmore truth and untruth together in few words, thanin that speech, Whatsoever is delighted in solitude,is either a wild beast or a god. For it is most true,that a natural and secret hatred, and aversationtowards society, in any man, hath somewhat of thesavage beast; but it is most untrue, that it shouldhave any character at all, of the divine nature;except it proceed, not out of a pleasure insolitude, but out of a love and desire to sequestera man's self, for a higher conversation: such as isfound to have been falsely and feignedly in some of the heathen; as Epimenides the Canadian,Numa the Roman, Empedocles the Sicilian, and Apollonius of Tyana; and truly and really, indivers of the ancient hermits and holy fathers of the church. But little do men perceive whatsolitude is, and how far it extendeth. For a crowd is not company; and faces are but a galleryof pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love. The Latin adage meeteth withit a little: Magna civitas , magna solitudo; because in a great town friends are scattered; so thatthere is not that fellowship, for the most part, which is in less neighborhoods. But we may gofurther, and affirm most truly, that it is a mere and miserable　solitude to want true friends;without which the　world is but a wilderness; and even in this sense also of solitude,whosoever in the frame of his nature and affections, is unfit for friendship, he taketh it of thebeast, and not from humanity.

　　A principal fruit of friendship, is the ease and discharge of the fulness and swellings of theheart, which passions of all kinds do cause and induce. We know diseases of stoppings, andsuffocations, are the most dangerous in the body; and it is not much otherwise in the mind;you may take sarza to open the liver, steel to open the spleen, flowers of sulphur for thelungs, castoreum for the brain; but no receipt openeth the heart, but a true friend; to whomyou may impart griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicions, counsels, and whatsoever lieth upon theheart to oppress it, in a kind of civil shrift or confession.

　　“喜歡孤獨(dú)的人不是野獸便是神靈”。說這話的人若要在寥寥數(shù)語之中，更能把真理和邪說放在一處，那就很難了。因為，若說一個人心里有了一種天生的、隱秘的、對社會的憎恨嫌棄，則那個人不免帶點(diǎn)野獸底性質(zhì)，這是極其真實的;然而要說這樣的一個人居然有任何神靈底性質(zhì)，則是極不真實的。只有一點(diǎn)可為例外，那就是當(dāng)這種憎恨社會的心理不是出于對孤獨(dú)的愛好而是出于一種想把自己退出社會以求更崇高的生活的心理的時候;這樣的人異教徒中有些人曾冒充過，如克瑞蒂人埃辟曼尼底斯羅馬人努馬西西利人安辟道克利斯和蒂安那人阿波郎尼亞斯是也;而____會中許多的古隱者和長老則確有如此者。但是一般人并不大明白何為孤獨(dú)以及孤獨(dú)底范圍。因為在沒有“仁愛”的地方，一群的人眾并不能算做一個團(tuán)體，許多的面目也僅僅是一列圖畫;而交談則不過是鐃鈸丁令作聲而且。這種情形有句拉丁成語略能形容之：“一座大城市就是一片大荒野”;因為在一座大城市里朋友們是散居各處的，所以就其大概而言，不像在小一點(diǎn)的城鎮(zhèn)里，有那樣的交情。但是我們不妨更進(jìn)一步并且很真實地斷言說，缺乏真正的朋友乃是最純粹最可憐的孤獨(dú);沒有友誼則斯世不過是一片荒野;我們還可以用這個意義來論“孤獨(dú)”說，凡是天性不配交友的人其性情可說是來自禽獸而不是來自人類的。

　　友誼底主要效用之一就在使人心中的憤懣抑郁之氣得以宣泄弛放，這些不平之氣是各種的情感都可以引起的。閉塞之癥于人底身體最為兇險，這是我們知道的;在人底精神方面亦復(fù)如此：你可以服撒爾沙以通肝，服鋼以通脾，服硫華以通肺，服海貍膠以通腦，然而除了一個真心的朋友之外沒有一樣藥劑是可以通心的。對一個真心的朋友你可以傳達(dá)你底憂愁、歡悅、恐懼、希望、疑忌、諫凈，以及任何壓在你心上的事情，有如一種教堂以外的懺悔一樣.

　　It is a strange thing to observe, how high a rate great kings and monarchs do set upon thisfruit of friendship, whereof we speak: so great, as they purchase it, many times, at the hazardof their own safety and greatness. For princes, in regard of the distance of their fortune fromthat of their subjects and servants, cannot gather this fruit, except (to make themselvescapable thereof) they raise some persons to be, as it were, companions and almost equals tothemselves, which many times sorteth to inconvenience. The modern languages give untosuch persons the name of favorites, or privadoes; as if it were matter of grace, orconversation. But the Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof, naming themparticipes curarum; for it is that which tieth the knot.And we see plainly that this hath beendone, not by weak and passionate princes only, but by the wisest and most politic that everreigned; who have oftentimes joined to themselves some of their servants; whom boththemselves have called friends, and allowed other likewise to call them inthe same manner; usingthe word which is received between private men.

　　L. Sylla, when he commanded Rome, raised Pompey (after surnamed the Great) to that height,that Pompey vaunted himself for Sylla's overmatch. For when he had carried the consulship fora friend of his, against the pursuit of Sylla, and that Sylla did a little resent thereat, and beganto speak great, Pompey turned upon him again, and in effect bade him be quiet; for that moremen adored the sun rising, than the sun setting. With Julius Caesar, Decimus Brutus hadobtained that interest as he set him down in his testament, for heir in remainder, after hisnephew. And this was the man that had power with him, to draw him forth to his death. Forwhen Caesar would have discharged the senate, in regard of some ill presages, and specially adream of Calpurnia; this man lifted him gently by the arm out of his chair, telling him he hopedhe would not dismiss the senate, till his wife had dreamt a better dream. And it seemeth hisfavor was so great, as Antonius, in a letter which is recited verbatim in one of Cicero's Philippics,calleth him venefica, witch; as if he had enchanted Caesar. Augustus raised Agrippa (though ofmean birth) to that height, as when he consulted with Maecenas, about the marriage of hisdaughter Julia, Maecenas took the liberty to tell him, that he must either marry his daughter toAgrippa, or take away his life; there was no third way, he had made him so great. With TiberiusCaesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they two were termed, and reckoned, as a pairof friends. Tiberius in a letter to him saith,Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the wholesenate dedicated an altar to Friendship, as to a goddess, in respect of the great dearness offriendship, between them two. The like, or more, was between Septimius Severus andPlautianus. For he forced his eldest son to marry the daughter of Plautianus; and would oftenmaintain Plautianus, in doing affronts to his son; and did write also in a letter to the senate, bythese words: I love the man so well, as I wish he may over-live me.Now if these princes hadbeen as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a man might have thought that this had proceeded ofan abundant goodness of nature; but being men so wise, of such strength and severity ofmind, and so extreme lovers of themselves, as all these were, it proveth most plainly that theyfound their own felicity (though as great as ever happened to mortal men) but as an half piece,except they mought have a friend, to make it entire; and yet, which is more, they were princesthat had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could not supply the comfort of friendship.

　　許多偉大的人主帝王對于我們所說的友誼底效用之重視在我們看起來實為可異。他們之重視友誼，至于往往不顧自己底安全與尊榮以求之。蓋為人君者，由于他們與臣民之間地位上的距離的原故，是不能享受友誼的——除非他們(為使自己能享受友誼起見)把某人擢升到他們底伴侶或儕輩底地位，然而這樣做底結(jié)果往往是有不便的。像這樣的人現(xiàn)代語叫做“寵臣”或“私人”;好像他們之所以能到這種地位僅僅是由于主上底恩意或君臣之間的親近似的。然而羅馬語中的字眼才能算是把這種人底真正用途及其擢升之由表達(dá)出來了;羅馬語把這種人叫做participes curarum“分優(yōu)者”;因為真能使君臣之間結(jié)如斯之友誼者，正即此事也。我們又可以看到像這樣的事情并不限于懦弱易感的君主，即從來最有智有謀的君主，亦往往有與臣下中某人結(jié)交，呼之為友，并使旁人亦以君王之友人稱之者;君臣之間所用的這種稱謂就和普遍私人之間所用的一樣。

　　蘇拉，當(dāng)他為羅馬底獨(dú)裁者的時候，把龐拜(即后來被人稱為“偉大的”龐拜者)擢升到很高的地位以至龐拜自詡為蘇拉所不及。因為有一次龐拜為他底一位朋友爭執(zhí)政官之職，與蘇拉所推舉之人競選，竟而獲勝。在蘇拉對此表示不滿而開始爭吵的時候，龐拜簡直反唇相向，叫他不要多言，“因為拜朝日的人多過拜夕陽的人”。在愷撒則有代西瑪斯·布魯塔斯，其影響之巨，竟使愷撒在遺囑中立他為次承繼人，僅次于愷撒底孫外甥。而這人也就是有能力誘致愷撒于死地的人。因為在愷撒為了一些不祥的預(yù)兆，尤其是克爾坡尼亞底一場噩夢的原故而想使參議院先行散會，改期再開的時候，布魯塔斯拉著他底胳膊，輕輕地把他從椅子上拉了起來，并告訴他說，他希望愷撒不要叫參議院散會，等愷撒底夫人做一場好一點(diǎn)的夢之后再行開會。安東尼在一封信里(這封信在西塞羅底攻擊演說之一中曾經(jīng)一字不移地引用過)曾呼代西瑪斯·布魯塔斯為“妖人”，好像他用邪術(shù)迷惑了愷撒似的，他底得寵之深可見矣。阿葛瑞帕雖然出身微賤，但是奧古斯塔斯卻把他升到很高的地位，以致后來當(dāng)奧古斯塔斯以他底女兒玖利亞底婚事問麥西那斯的時候，麥西那斯竟敢說“他必須把女兒嫁給阿葛瑞帕，否則就必須把阿葛瑞帕殺了。再沒有第三條路可走，因為他把阿葛瑞帕已造就得如此之偉大了”。在泰比瑞亞斯一方面西亞努斯升到很高的位置，竟至他們二人被稱并被認(rèn)為一雙朋友。泰比瑞亞斯在致西亞努斯的一封信里寫道：“為了我們底友誼的原故，我沒有把這些事對你隱瞞”，并且整個的參議院給“友誼”特造了一座雜壇(就好像“友誼”是一位女神一樣)以表揚(yáng)他們二人之間的很親愛的友誼。此類或勝乎此的例子又可于塞普諦米亞斯·塞委拉斯與普勞梯亞努斯底友誼中見之。因為塞委拉斯竟強(qiáng)迫他底兒子娶普勞梯亞努斯之女為妻;并且往往袒護(hù)普勞梯亞努斯種種欺凌皇子的行為;他并且以這樣的言辭下詔于參議院：“朕愛其人如此之深，愿其能后朕而死也”。假如這些君王是圖拉真或馬喀斯·奧瑞利亞斯一流的，那末我們可以認(rèn)為像上述的舉動乃是出自十分良善的心田的;但是這些君王都是很有智謀，精神強(qiáng)健而嚴(yán)厲，并且是極端愛己的，然而他們竟然如此，這就可以證明他們底幸福雖然已達(dá)人間之極峰，但是他們對之，仍不滿意，覺得若無朋友使之圓滿，則這種幸福終是殘缺不全也。猶有甚者，這些君主都是有妻有子有甥侄的人，然而這些人竟不能使他們有朋友之樂.

　　It is not to be forgotten, what Comineus observeth of his first master, Duke Charles theHardy,namely, that he would communicate his secrets with none; and least of all, thosesecrets which troubled him most. Whereupon he goeth on, and saith that towards his lattertime, that closeness did impair, and a little perish his understanding. Surely Comineus moughthave made the same judgment also, if it had pleased him, of his secondmaster, Lewis theEleventh, whose closeness was indeed his tormentor. The parable of Pythagoras is dark, buttrue; Cor ne edito; Eat not the heart. Certainly, if a man would give it a hard phrase,those thatwant friends, to open themselves unto,are carnnibals of their own hearts. But one thing is mostadmirable (wherewith I will conclude this first fruit of friendship), which is, that thiscommunicating of a man's self to his friend, works two contrary effects; for it redoubleth joys,and cutteth griefs in halves. For there is no man, that imparteth his joys to his friend, but hejoyeth the more; and no man that imparteth his griefs to his friend, but he grieveth the less.So that it is in truth, of operation upon a man's mind, of like virtue as the alchemists use toattribute to their stone, for man's body; that it worketh all contrary effects, but still to thegood and benefit of nature. But yet without praying in aid of alchemists, there is a manifestimage of this, in the ordinary course of nature. For in bodies, union strengtheneth andcherisheth any natural action; and on the other side, weakeneth and dulleth any violentimpression: and even so it is of minds.

　　The second fruit of friendship, is healthful and sovereign for the understanding, as the first isfor the affections. For friendship maketh indeed a fair day in the affections, from storm andtempests; but it maketh daylight in the understanding, out of darkness, and confusion ofthoughts. Neither is this to be understood only of faithful counsel, which a man receiveth fromhis friend; but before you come to that, certain it is, that whosoever hath his mind fraughtwith many thoughts, his wits band understanding do clarify and break up, in thecommunicating and discoursing with another; he tosseth his thoughts more easily; hemarshalleth them more orderly, he seeth how they look when they are turned into words:finally, he waxeth wiser than himself; and that more by an hour's iscourse, than by a day'smeditation. It was well said by Themistocles, to the king of Persia, That speech was like cloth ofArras, opened and putabroad; whereby the imagery doth appear infigure; whereas in thoughtsthey lie but as in packs. Neither is this second fruit of friendship, in opening the understanding,restrained only to such friends as are able to give a man counsel; (they indeed are best;) buteven without that, a man learneth of himself, and bringeth his own thoughts to light, andwhetteth his wits as againsta stone, which itself cuts not. In a word, a man were better relatehimself to a statua, or picture ,han to suffer his thoughts to pass in smother.

　　康明奈亞斯關(guān)于他底第一位主上，“勇敢的”查理公爵，所說的話是不可忘的，就是，他不肯把他底秘密與任何人共之，尤其不肯把那最使他為難的秘密告人。于是康明奈亞斯繼續(xù)又說道：“到公爵底末日將近的時候這種秘而不宣的性情不免稍損他底理智”。其實，如果康明奈亞斯樂意的話，他對于他底第二位主上，路易十一，也大可下同樣的斷語，因為路易十一底好隱秘確是他自己底災(zāi)星。畢達(dá)哥拉斯底格言是難解而真確的;他說，“不要吃你底心”。確實地;說得厲害一點(diǎn)，沒有朋友可以向之傾訴心事的人們可說是吃自己底心的野人。有一件事卻是很值得驚奇的(我把它說了出來就此結(jié)束關(guān)于友誼底第一種功效的話語)，那就是，一個人向朋友宣泄私情的這件事能產(chǎn)生兩種相反的結(jié)果，它既能使歡樂倍增，又能使憂愁減半。因為沒有人不因為把自己底樂事告訴了朋友而更為歡欣者，也沒有人因為把自己底憂愁告訴了朋友而不減憂愁者。所以就實際的作用而言，友誼之于人心其價值真有如煉金術(shù)士常常所說的他們底寶石之于人身一樣;這寶石，依術(shù)土們底話，是能產(chǎn)生種種互相反對的效力，然而總是有利于天稟的。然而，即令不借助于術(shù)士，在普通的自然現(xiàn)象中，也可以看到這種情形很明顯的肖象。因為物體相合則足以助長并滋養(yǎng)任何天然的作用，又可以削弱并挫折任何暴烈的外來打擊也：物體如此，人心亦是如此。

　　友誼底第二種功用就在它能衛(wèi)養(yǎng)并支配理智，有如第一種功用之衛(wèi)養(yǎng)并支配感情一樣。因為友誼在感情方面使人出于烈風(fēng)暴雨而入于光天化日，而在理智方面又能使人從黑暗和亂想入于白晝也。這不僅指一個人從朋友處得來的忠諫而言;即在得到這個之前，任何心中思慮過多的人，若能與旁人通言并討論，則他底心智與理解力將變?yōu)榍謇识袆e;他底思想底動作將更為靈活;其排列將更有秩序;他可以看出來把這些思想變成言語的時候它們是什么模樣;他終于變得比以往的他聰明，而要達(dá)到這種情形，一小時底談話比一天底沉思為效更巨——這些都是沒有疑義的。塞密斯陶克立斯對波斯王的話說得極是。他說：“言語有如張掛展覽的花氈，其中的圖形都是顯明的;而思想則有如卷折起來的花氈”。友誼底這第二種功用(就是啟發(fā)理智)，也不限于那些能進(jìn)忠言的朋友(他們當(dāng)然是最好的朋友了)，即令沒有這樣的朋友，一個人也能借言談底力量自己增長知識，把自己底思想使之明白表現(xiàn)，并且把自己底機(jī)智磨厲得更為鋒利，如磨刃于石，刃銳而石固不能割也。簡言之，一個人，與其使他底思想窒息而滅，毋寧向雕像或圖畫傾訴一切之為愈也。

　　Add now, to make this second fruit of friendship complete, that other point, which lieth moreopen, and falleth within vulgar observation; which is faithful counsel from a friend. Heraclitussaith well in one of his enigmas, Dry light is ever the best. And certain it is, that the light that aman receiveth by counsel from another, is drier and purer, than that which cometh from hisown understanding and judgment; which is ever infused, and drenched, in his affections andcustoms.So as there is as much difference between the counsel, that a friend giveth, and thata man giveth himself, as there is between the counsel of a friend, and of a flatterer. For thereis no such flatterer as is a man's self; and there is no such remedy against flattery of a man'sself, as the liberty of a friend. Counsel is of two sorts: the one concerning manners, the otherconcerning business. For the first,the best preservative to keep the mind in health, is thefaithful admonition of a friend. The calling of a man's self to a strict account, is a medicine,sometime too piercing and corrosive. Reading good books of morality, is a little flat and dead.Observing our faults in others, is sometimes improper for our case. But the best receipt(best, I say, to work, and best to take) is the admonition of a friend. It is a strange thing tobehold, what gross errors and extreme absurdities many (especially of the greater sort) docommit, for want of a friend to tell them of them; to the great damage both of their fame andfortune: for, as St. James saith, they are as men that look sometimes into a glass, andpreently forget their own shape and favor. As for business, a man may think, if he win, that twoeyes see no more than one; or that a gamester seeth always more than a looker-on; or that aman in anger, is as wise as he that hath said over the four and twenty letters; or that amusket may be shot off as well upon the arm, as upon a rest; and such other fond and highimaginations, to think him self all in all. But when all is done, the help of good counsel, is thatwhich setteth business straight. And if any man think that he will take counsel, but it shall beby pieces; asking counsel in one business, of one man, and in another business, of anotherman; it is well (that is to say, better, perhaps, than if he asked none at all); but he runneth twodangers: one, that he shall not be faithfully counselled; for it is a rare thing, except it be froma perfect and entire friend, to have counsel given, but such as shall be bowed and crooked tosome ends, which he hath, that giveth it. The other, that he shall have counsel given, hurtfuland unsafe (though with good meaning), and mixed partly of mischief and partly of remedy;even as if you would call a physician, that is thought good for the cure of the disease youcomplain of, but is unacquainted with your body; and therefore may put you in way for apresent cure, but overthroweth your health in some other kind; and so cure the disease, andkill the patient. But a friend that is wholly acquainted with a man's estate, will beware, byfurthering any present business, how he dasheth upon other inconvenience. And thereforerest not upon scattered counsels; they will rather distract and mislead, than settle and direct.

　　現(xiàn)在，為充分說明友誼底這第二種功用起見，我們再一談那個顯而易見的、流俗之人也可以注意到的那一點(diǎn)，就是朋友底忠言。赫拉克里塔斯在他底隱語之一中說得很好，“干光永遠(yuǎn)最佳”。一個人從另一個人的凈言中所得來的光明比從他自己底理解力，判斷力中所出的光明更是干凈純粹，這是無疑的：一個人從自己底理解力與判斷力中得來的那種光明總不免是受他底感情和習(xí)慣底浸潤影響的。因此，在朋友所給的諍言與自己所作的主張之間其差別有如良友底凈言與諂佞底建議之間的差別一樣。因為諂諛我者無過于我;而防御自諂自諛之術(shù)更無有能及朋友之直言者也。諍言共有兩種：一是關(guān)于行為的，一是關(guān)于事業(yè)的。說到第一種，最能保人心神之健康的預(yù)防藥就是朋友底忠言規(guī)諫。一個人底嚴(yán)厲自責(zé)是一種有時過于猛烈，蝕力過強(qiáng)的藥品。讀勸善的好書不免沈悶無味。在別人身上觀察自己底錯誤有時與自己底情形不符。最好的藥方(最有效并且最易服用的)就是朋友底勸諫。許多人(尤其是偉大的人們)因為沒有朋友向他們進(jìn)忠告的緣故，做出大謬極誤的事來，以致他們底名聲和境遇均大受損失，這種情形看起來是很可驚異的。這些人是，有如圣雅各所說，“有時看看鏡子，而不久就會忘了自己底形貌的”。講到事業(yè)方面，一個人也許以為兩只眼所見的并不多于一只眼所見的;或者以為局中人之所見總較旁觀者之所見為多;或者以為一個在發(fā)怒中的人和一個默數(shù)過二十四個字母的人一般地聰明;或者以為一枝舊式毛瑟槍，托在臂上放和托在架上放一樣地得力;他可以有許多類此的愚蠢驕傲的妄想，以為自己一身就很夠了。然而能使事業(yè)趨于正軌者還數(shù)忠言。又，假如有人想采納別人底忠告，而愿意零碎采納，在某一件事上問某一人，在另一件事上問另一人，這樣的辦法也好(這就是說，總比他全不問人的或者好一點(diǎn));可是他冒著兩種危險;一是他將得不到忠實的進(jìn)言;因為所進(jìn)的言論必須是來自一位完全誠心的朋友的才好，否則鮮有不被歪屈而傾向于進(jìn)言人之私利者也。另一種危險是他所得的進(jìn)言，將為一種有害而不安全的言論(雖然用意是好的)一半是招致禍患的而一半是救濟(jì)或預(yù)防禍患的;有如你生病請醫(yī)，而這位醫(yī)生是雖被認(rèn)為善治你所患的病癥，卻是不熟悉你底體質(zhì)的;因此他也許會使你目前的疾病可以痊愈而將危害你健康的另一方面;結(jié)果是治了病癥而殺了病人。一個完全通曉你底事業(yè)境遇的朋友則不然，他將小心注意，以免因為推進(jìn)你目前的某種事業(yè)而使你在別的方面突受打擊。所以最好不要依靠零零碎碎的忠告;它們擾亂和誤引底可能多于安定和指導(dǎo)底可能也。

　　After these two noble fruits of friendship (peace in the affections, and support of thejudgment), followeth the last fruit; which is like the pomegranate, full of many kernels; I meanaid, and bearing a part, in all actions and occasions. Here the best way to represent to life themanifold use of friendship, is to cast and see how many things there are, which a man cannotdo himself; and then it will appear, that it was a sparing speech of the ancients, to say, that afriend is another himself; for that a friend is far more than himself. Men have their time, and diemany times, in desire of some things which they principally take to heart; the bestowing of achild, the finishing of a work, or the like. If a man have a true friend, he may rest almost securethat the care of those things will continue after him. So that a man hath, as it were, two lives inhis desires. A man hath a body, and that body is confined to a place; but where friendship is,all offices of life are as it were granted to him, and his deputy. For he may exercise them by hisfriend. How many things are there which a man cannot, with any face or comeliness, say or dohimself? A man can scarce allege his own merits with modesty, much less extol them; a mancannot sometimes brook to supplicate or beg; and a number of the like. But all these thingsare graceful, in a friend's mouth, which are blushing in a man's own. So again, a man's personhath many proper relations, which he cannot put off. A man cannot speak to his son but as afather; to his wife but as a husband; to his enemy but upon terms:whereas a friend may speakas the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person. But to enumerate these thingswere endless; I have given the rule, where a man cannot fitly play his own part; if he have not afriend, he may quit the stage.

　　在友誼底這兩種高貴的功效(心情上的平和與理智上的扶助)之后還有那最末的一種功效：這種功效有如石榴之多核。這句話的意思就是朋友對于一個人底各種行為，各種需要，都有所幫助，有所參加也。在這一點(diǎn)上，若要把友誼底多種用途很顯明生動地表現(xiàn)出來，最好的方法是計算一下，看看一個人有多少事情是不能靠自己去辦理的：這樣計算一下之后，我們就可以看得出古人所謂“朋友者另一己身也”的那句話是一句與事實相較還很不夠的話;因為一個朋友比較一個人底己身用處還要大得多。人底生命有限，有許多人在沒有達(dá)到最大的心愿——如子女底婚事，工作之完成，等等——之前就死了。要是一個人有了一位真心的朋友，那末他就大可安心，知道這些事件在他死后還是有人照料的。如此，一個人在完成心愿上簡直是有兩條性命了。一個人有一個身體，而這個身體是限于一個地方的;但是假如他有朋友，那末所有的人生大事都可算是有人辦理了。就是他自己不能去的地方，他底朋友也可以代表他的。還有，有多少事是一個人為了顏面底關(guān)系，不能自己說或辦的!一個人不能自承有功而免矜夸之嫌，更不用說是不能表揚(yáng)自己底功績了;他有時也不能低首下心地去有所懇求;諸如此類的事很多。但是這一切的事，在一個人自己底嘴里說出來未免赧顏的，在朋友嘴里說出來卻是很好。類此，一個人還有許多身份上的關(guān)系，是他不能棄置不顧的。例如，一個人對兒子講話，就不能不保持父親底身份;對妻子講話就不能不保持丈夫底身份;對仇敵講話就不能不顧慮自己底體面：但是一個朋友卻可以就事論事，而不必顧慮到人底方面。這一類的事情要--列舉出來是說不完的;要之，一個人若是有某種事自己不能很得體地去做時，我對他有一條規(guī)則可說，就是，他如果沒有朋友的話，那末他只有“下臺”之一法