Somebody once asked the famous Roman Atticus how he managed to keep
his friends up to the end of his life. His simple reply was, “I never
expected anything from them.”
It is difficult, no doubt to maintain during outbursts of
passion the serene indulgence peculiar to friendship, but
without attaining to the state of Atticus, who expected nothing,
where the desire to give much dominates a soul, the sting of
wounded vanity would not be felt in the flesh, for wounded
vanity would change its object, making it a matter of pride
to give, and not receive.--DORA MELEGARI, “Makers of
Sorrow and Makers of Joy.”
(1161)