“Hope is a pleasant acquaintance, but an unsafe friend.”

“There was a pleasant party of barge people round the fire. You might not have thought it pleasant, but they did; for they were all friends or acquaintances, and they liked the same sort of things, and talked the same sort of talk. This is the real secret of pleasant society.”

“I see by your eagerness, and the wonder and hope which your eyes express, my friend, that you expect to be in formed of the secret with which I am acquainted. That cannot be.”

“Somewhere between a friend and acquaintance—a frequaintance, as it were.”

“Thank you sir," she said. "I hope that your friend feels better soon."I shrugged. "The ways of the Lord" I said, "are often dark, but never pleasant.”

“So I separated all my books into stacks: best friends, old friends, classic friends, new friends, and casual acquaintances. ”