Some people are of such brutish, inhospitable tempers, that there is no
living with them, without greatly incommoding ourselves. Therefore,
before we enter into any degree of friendship, alliance, or partnership,
with any person whatever, we should thoroughly consider his nature and
qualities, his circumstances and his humour. There ought to be something
in each of these respects to tally and correspond with our own measures,
to suit our genius, and adapt itself to the size and proportion of our
desires; otherwise our associations, of whatever kind, may prove the
greatest plagues of our life. Young men are very apt to run into this
error; and being warm in all their passions, throw open their arms at
once, and admit into the greatest intimacy persons whom they know little
of, but by false and uncertain lights. Thus they sometimes receive a
Viper into their bosom instead of a friend, and take a Porcupine for a
consort, with whom they are obliged to cohabit, though she may prove a
thorn in their sides as long as they live. A true friend is one of the
greatest blessings in life; therefore to be mistaken or disappointed of
such enjoyment, when we hope to be in full possession of it must be as
great a mortification. So that we cannot be too nice and scrupulous in
our choice of those who are to be our companions for life: for they must
have but a poor shallow notion of friendship, who intend to take it,
like a lease, for a term of years only. In a word, the doctrine which
this fable speaks, is to prepare us against being injured or deceived by
a rash combination of any sort. The manners of the man we desire for a
friend, of the woman we like for a wife, of the person with whom we
would jointly manage and concert measures for the advancement of our
temporal interest, should be narrowly and cautiously inspected, before
we embark with them in the same vessel, lest we should alter our mind
when it is too late, and think of regaining the shore after we have
launched out of our depth.