How great the powerful influence of friendship is may chiefly be understood from this, that throughout the numerous society of the human race, which nature herself hath knitted together, yet still so contracted is the space and narrowed into so small a compass, that all friendship rests entirely associated either between two individuals, or solely amid the few.
Cicero on Friendship.
The Duke of Tyrconnel set forth from his splendid mansion in the Rue Ducale, one sunny afternoon to take his usual equestrian exercise; and while riding onward upon the boulevards, or ramparts of Brussels, which are so delightfully shaded by trees, and enjoying the beautiful scenery that surrounded him, his horse was rapidly pacing in a full trot, and his Grace was proceeding without any attendant; when it so chanced that his horse picked up a stone in one of the fore-feet. The duke on the instant sprang from his saddle to free the horse's hoof from this impediment; and while employed in the act, a stranger of noble deportment and appearance advanced, who had been also enjoying the fineness of the day in promenading this shady avenue. He most courteously advanced, and tendered with peculiar politeness, and all the meet grace and due courtesy of chivalry, to assist the duke by holding the check-rein of the bridle. When, surprising to behold, the horse almost instantly loudly neighed, and joyfully licked the stranger's hand! Our readers will readily guess that this distinguished stranger, whom this noble animal so instinctively recognised, was no other than his late valiant master, the truly gallant colonel of the brave Brandenburgh hussars, who had presented, upon their parting on the plain of battle, this noble charger to the illustrious duke. The duke and the stranger had met each other as deadly foes in the direful day of civil war; and in the dreadful onset of personal combat, performing each prodigies of valour, they encountered as foes, yet they parted as friends!—respect, admiration, and love occupying those hearts so lately swollen by hostile passions. They now were both mutually rejoiced once more to meet, and soon were locked in a cordial embrace.
"This," said the duke, "certainly, gallant friend unknown, was wholly unexpected—unhoped for quite!"
"Indeed," rejoined the stranger, "so may it please your Grace, it was entirely as unexpected as it is now hailed and welcomed by me! And most happy too am I to remark that no change, no vicissitude of war, nor variance of politics, nor all the fleeting circumstances of these most eventful times, have had effect or influence upon your Grace, whom I am truly happy to observe are still the same, unchanged by circumstance or time—another Aristippus, whom every situation becomes and every fortune adorns, be it prosperous or adverse!"
"With equal joy," replied the duke, "I behold thee too unchanged—the same. Welcome, thrice welcome! my friend, my preserver! Although when first we met it was the meeting of foes upon the hostile plain, I wearing the badge of green, and thou the orange scarf of William. We met as direful foes, but we parted with mutual regard and veneration. The bow of heaven, which the Creator hath placed on high, is formed of those glorious tints. It was in the shades of colour only in which we differed. Ere long may the glorious bow of promise, of hope, and of peace, irradiate Erin's western sky, until the glowing orange and the glaring green shall melt and blend, and the primitive colours of the arc of promise be softened down and subdued into the arc of peace!"[45]
"Amen, my lord, I say and repeat it most fervently from my heart; and may heaven yet, in its kindest mercy, grant that some future great, wise, and liberally-minded monarch of England, forsaking his ease and quiet, may yet graciously visit the shores of your noble island, as the harbinger of peace, crowned with the olive and the bay; and without the aid of the camera-obscura of his courtiers, view with his own royal eye the wants and sufferings of your poor islanders; and may his royal and munificent heart heal the wounds and redress the sufferings of those who can never cease to love him!—for the hearts of your countrymen are grateful as they are brave. May they yet be placed within the pale of that Constitution from which they are now debarred!"
"That, gallant Sir, indeed I devoutly wish; and most fully join and concur in your philanthropic prayer! Wherever a contrary tendency to what you assert has occurred in Ireland, it has arisen from oppression, distress, and poverty. For wherever there is no home to be found there can be no happiness; and it will be too surely found that an oppressed and starving population are ever fatally prompt to join the standard of rebellion; for surely the noise and bustle of a camp and the soul-stirring trumpet are less appalling than the cries of starving infants in their parent's wretched hovel, open and exposed to all the winds of heaven, where can be found nor raiment, nor fuel, nor food! But come, let us change to a more pleasing subject. There," holding up his hand, "there, noble stranger, is your parting present which you gave me, your ruby cameo ring of victory. By night and by day, I have never since ceased to wear it in remembrance of him who gave it."
"And see," said the gallant stranger, (opening his waistcoat,) there is the diamond star with which you so graciously presented me. It has never been taken from my heart, where I placed it at the moment when you gave it me!"