Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.

Summary

This quote advises against assuming that a close friendship gives one a license to speak unpleasant truths to their loved ones. Instead, it suggests that the closer we are to someone, the more crucial it becomes to exercise tact and courtesy when dealing with them. In other words, familiarity should not be an excuse to disregard basic principles of kindness and consideration in our interactions with intimate friends.

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