First, he will be entirely without any make-believe or pretence of feeling; for the open display even of dislike is more becoming to an ingenuous character than a studied concealment of sentiment.
In a philosophical discussion on the virtues of a true friend, this passage emphasizes the importance of sincerity and honesty in relationships.
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Further than this, who fails to see that those promises are not binding which are extorted by intimidation or which we make when misled by false pretences?
From this attitude come greatness of soul and a sense of superiority to worldly conditions.
There are, on the other hand, two kinds of injustice--the one, on the part of those who inflict wrong, the other on the part of those who, when they can, do not shield from wrong those upon whom it is being inflicted.
The first office of justice is to keep one man from doing harm to another, unless provoked by wrong; and the next is to lead men to use common possessions for the common interests, private property for their own.
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