There is on the earth no institution which Friendship has established; it is not taught by any religion; no scripture contains its maxims. It has no temple nor even a solitary column...However, out fates at least are social. Our courses do not diverge; but as the web of destiny is woven it is fulled, and we are cast more and more into the centre. Men naturally, though feebly, seek this alliance, and their actions faintly foretell it. We are inclined to lay the chief stress on likeness and not on difference, and in foreign bodies we admit that there are many degrees of warmth below blood heat, but none of cold above it.

Summary

This quote emphasizes that friendship is a natural human inclination and is not governed by any institutional or religious teachings. It points out that friendship is not bound by physical structures or formalities, but rather it is a social connection that occurs organically. It suggests that as individuals navigate their own paths in life, their destinies intertwine, leading them to seek and establish alliances with others. The quote also highlights the human tendency to focus on similarities and commonalities, rather than on differences, reinforcing the idea that friendship is a warm and welcoming bond that transcends superficial boundaries.

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