Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The friends thou hast

See thou character, Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportion'd thought his act;
Be thou familiar; but by no means vulgar:
The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them to thy soul, with hoops of steel:
But do not dull thy palm, with entertainment
Of each unhatch'd, unfledg'd, comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel: but being in
Bear't that th'opposed may beware of thee
.....
Give everyman thine ear; but few thy voice:
Take each man,s censure; but reserve thy judgment:
.....
Neither a borrower, nor a lender be;
For loan off loses both itself and friend:

Hamlet, Act 1, Scen 3