Quote by William Hazlitt
There are persons who cannot make friends. Who are they? Those who cannot be friends. It is not the want of understanding or good nature, of entertaining or useful qualities, that you complain of: on the contrary, they have probably many points of attraction; but they have one that neutralizes all these --they care nothing about you, and are neither the better nor worse for what you think of them. They manifest no joy at your approach; and when you leave them, it is with a feeling that they can do just as well without you. This is not sullenness, nor indifference, nor absence of mind; but they are intent solely on their own thoughts, and you are merely one of the subjects they exercise them upon. They live in society as in a solitude.
Summary
This quote suggests that there are certain individuals who have difficulty forming friendships. It is not due to a lack of understanding, good nature, or positive qualities. Instead, these people possess a trait that overrides all other aspects – they do not care about others and remain unaffected by their opinions. These individuals do not express joy upon being in someone's presence, and when they part ways, it is clear they can easily exist without the company. This is not attributed to sullenness, indifference, or absent-mindedness, but rather a sole preoccupation with their own thoughts. Consequently, they live in society as if they were in solitude.
Topics
Friends
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