Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow grow, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

Summary

This quote emphasizes the importance of discernment in choosing and developing friendships. It advises us to treat everyone with courtesy and respect, but to only form close bonds with a select few individuals. The quote stresses the need to thoroughly assess and test the character and reliability of potential friends before entrusting them with our confidence. It also highlights that true friendship takes time to develop and requires enduring hardships together, as it is only through adversity that a friendship can demonstrate its strength and earn the title of being genuinely meaningful.

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