Friendship, among people who have not been corrupted by those artificial
vices which fatally wait upon civilized life, exists in the greatest
possible purity and constancy. The Abbé Fortis gives some curious
particulars relative to the friendships of the Morlacchi, a people who
inhabit the mountainous part of inland Dalmatia. Friendship is lasting
among the Morlacchi. They have even made it a kind of religious point,
and tie the sacred bond at the foot of the altar. The Sclavonian ritual
contains a particular benediction, for the solemn union of two male or
two female friends, in the presence of the congregation. The Abbé says,
that he was present at the union of two young women; who were made
_Posestre_ in the church of Perussich. The satisfaction that sparkled in
their eyes when the ceremony was performed, gave a convincing proof,
that delicacy of sentiments can lodge in minds not formed, or rather not
corrupted by society, which we call civilized. The male friends thus
united are called _Pobratimi_, and the females _Posestreme_, which mean
half-brothers and half-sisters. Friendship between those of different
sexes are not bound with so much solemnity, though perhaps in more
ancient and innocent ages it was also the custom. From these consecrated
friendships among the Morlacchi, and other nations of the same origin,
it should seem that the _sworn brothers_ arose, a denomination frequent
enough among the common people in many parts of Europe. If discord
happens to arise between two friends among the Morlacchi, it is talked
of all over the country as a scandalous novelty; and there have been
some examples of it of late years, to the great affliction of the old
Morlacchi, who attribute the depravity of their countrymen to their
intercourse with the Italians. Wine and strong liquors of which the
nation is beginning to make daily abuse, after our example, will, of
course, produce the same bad effects as among us.
Nor is the Abbé mistaken. When these simple people become more men of
the world, the romantic part of their friendships will degenerate into
that motly unintelligible thing which many people call Friendship.
Whoever, therefore, wishes to enjoy real friendship, must in the first
place expect no more from man than the frailty of his nature will admit;
and in the second place, he must not expect friendship from those, who
from their ignorance are not enabled, or from their wickedness are not
disposed, to perform acts of mutual benevolence in trying situations.
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