A man is known by the company he avoids.
—Muriel Strode (1875–1964) American Author, Businesswoman
Have no friends not equal to yourself.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The man that hails you Tom or Jack, and proves by thumps upon your back how he esteems your merit, is such a friend, that one had need be very much his friend indeed to pardon or to bear it.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
No one is rich enough to do without a neighbor.
—Danish Proverb
The road to a friend’s house is never long.
—Danish Proverb
Friendship needs no words…
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
Best friend, my well-spring in the wilderness!
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Friendship can only exist between persons with similar interests and points of view. Man and woman by the conventions of society are born with different interests and different points of view.
—August Strindberg (1849–1912) Swedish Playwright, Novelist, Essayist
A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.
—Bernard Meltzer (1916–98) American Radio Personality
I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.
—Robert Brault
In America every woman has her set of girl-friends; some are cousins, the rest are gained at school. These form a permanent committee who sit on each other’s affairs, who “come out” together, marry and divorce together, and who end as those groups of bustling, heartless well-informed club-women who govern society. Against them the Couple of Ehepaar is helpless and Man in their eyes but a biological interlude.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.
—E. B. White (1985–99) American Essayist, Humorist
A man cannot be said to succeed in this life who does not satisfy one friend.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
From quiet homes and first beginning,
Out to the undiscovered ends,
There’s nothing worth the winning,
But laughter and the love of friends.
—Hilaire Belloc (1870–1953) British Historian, Poet, Critic
Many a time from a bad beginning great friendships have sprung up.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
An acquaintance that begins with a compliment is sure to develop into a real friendship.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
A true friend is somebody who can make us do what we can.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
It’s important to our friends to believe that we are unreservedly frank with them, and important to the friendship that we are not.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Ones oldest friend is the best.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
So long as we are loved by others I should say that we are almost indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a friend.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Friends show their love in times of trouble…
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Yes, we must ever be friends; and of all who offer you friendship Let me be ever the first, the truest, the nearest and dearest!
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours.
—Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) German Composer, Musician
A day for toil, an hour for sport, but for a friend is life too short.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Join the company of lions rather than assume the lead among foxes.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
A friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them in us. The friend asks no return but that his friend will religiously accept and wear and not disgrace his apotheosis of him. They cherish each other’s hopes. They are kind to each other’s dreams.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your successes.
—Doug Larson (1926–2017) American Columnist
I can’t forgive my friends for dying; I don’t find these vanishing acts of theirs at all amusing.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
Friends are like fiddle strings, they must not be screwed too tight.
—English Proverb
Friendship is the only thing in the world concerning the usefulness of which all mankind are agreed.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Separate from the pleasure of your company, I don’t much care if I never see another mountain in my life.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. He attracts and follows.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he possesses, but not how many friends.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Friendship: Never explain—your friends do not need it, and your enemies will not believe it anyway. A real friend never gets in your way, unless you happen to be on the way down. A friend is someone you can do nothing with and enjoy it. However much we guard ourselves against it, we tend to shape ourselves in the image others have of us. It is not so much the example of others we imitate, as the reflection of ourselves in their eyes and the echo of ourselves in their words.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Don’t make friends who are comfortable to be with. Make friends who will force you to lever yourself up.
—Thomas J. Watson, Sr. (1874–1956) American Business Executive
In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge.—The young they keep out of mischief; to the old they are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
I am already kindly disposed towards you. My friendship it is not in my power to give: this is a gift which no man can make, it is not in our own power: a sound and healthy friendship is the growth of time and circumstance, it will spring up and thrive li
—William Wordsworth (1770–1850) English Poet
A man never likes you so well as when he leaves your company liking himself.
—Anonymous
Your friend is who man who knows all about you, and still likes you.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
You may poke a man’s fire after you’ve known him for seven years.
—English Proverb
A friend loveth at all times.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Every deed and every relationship is surrounded by an atmosphere of silence. Friendship needs no words—it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
And say my glory was I had such friends.
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) Irish Poet, Dramatist
Our most intimate friend is not he to whom we show the worst, but the best of our nature.
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–64) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.
—Thomas Aquinas (1225–74) Italian Catholic Priest, Philosopher, Theologian
If you have no enemies you are apt to be in the same predicament in regard to friends.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
A good friend is worth pursuing… but why would a good friend be running away?
—Ashleigh Brilliant (b.1933) British Cartoonist, Author
A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader