innocent and true to their highest instincts. We
may call it an essentially heathenish intercourse,
free and irresponsible in its nature, and practising
all the virtues gratuitously 
It is not the
highest sympathy merely, but a pure and lofty
society, a fragmentary and godlike intercourse
of ancient date, still kept up at intervals,
which, remembering itself, does not hesitate to
disregard the humbler rights and duties of
humanity. It requires immaculate and godlike
qualities full grown, and exists at all only by
condescension and anticipation of the remotest
future. We love nothing which is merely good
and not fair, if such a thing is possible. Nature
puts some kind of blossom before every fruit,
not simply a calyx behind it. When the Friend
comes out of his heathenism and superstition,
and breaks his idols, being converted by the i
precepts of a newer testament; when he forgets
his mythology, and treats his Friend like a
Christian, or as he can afford; then Friendship
ceases to be Friendship, and becomes charity;
that principle which established the almshouse is
now beginning with its charity at home, and
establishing an almshouse and pauper relations
there
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