OUR friendship, Arthur, was not form'd, As some have been, in boyhood's heat, When feelings may be chill'd or warm'd By any specious counterfeit. We met not until both had past The inexperienc'd flush of youth; And learnt, as all may do, at last, The worth of confidence and truth. We ask'd no pledge, nor ought profess'd, Each knew he had no selfish ends; And time, the most unerring test Of every tie, has made us friends. Long may we be so! One event, Which friendship views with jealous eye, (Sometimes from selfish discontent) Has but the more endear'd our tie. How should it have been otherwise? No groundless hopes my bosom warm'd, A heart, whose love thy own would prize, I well might guess for friendship form'd. And I have liv'd to see thee prove The purest joys that life can lend; Yet never found thee made by love Less worthy of the name of friend. Farewell! I give no @3thanks@1 to thee, Or thine; though surely few would doubt them, And some might look for them; but we Will do, as we have done, without them. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HYMNS OF THE MARSHES: THE MARSHES OF GLYNN by SIDNEY LANIER PAULO POST ORDINATIONEM by JOSEPH BEAUMONT ON THE MARRIAGE OF THOMAS KILLIGREW & CECILIA CROFTS: MORNING STORMY by THOMAS CAREW THE STAFF AND THE TREE by SAMUEL VALENTINE COLE |