If you have a grateful heart (which is a miracle amongst you statesmen), show it by directing the bearer to the best wine in town, and pray let not this highest point of sacred friendship be performed slightly, but go about it with all due deliberation and care, as holy priests to sacrifice, or as discreet thieves to the wary performance of burglary and shop-lifting. Let your well-discerning palate (the best judge about you) travel from cellar to cellar and then from piece to piece till it has lighted on wine fit for its noble choice and my approbation.

Summary

This quote expresses the concept of gratefulness and friendship through the analogy of directing someone to the best wine in town. By saying that having a grateful heart is a miracle among statesmen, it highlights the rarity of genuine gratitude in this context. The speaker urges the listener to demonstrate their gratitude sincerely by taking the task seriously, making careful deliberations like priests conducting a holy sacrifice or stealthy thieves executing a burglary. They emphasize the importance of using their discerning palate and exploring different wine cellars until they find the perfect choice, symbolizing the effort required for genuine friendship and gratitude.

Topics