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and the tastes of youth change quickly. Also the young are
prone to fall in love, as love is chiefly guided by emotion, and grounded on pleasure;
hence they form attachments quickly and give them up quickly, often changing before the
day is out.
The young do desire to pass their time in their friend's company, for that is how they
get the enjoyment of their friendship. 3.
[6]
The perfect form of friendship is that between the good, and those who resemble each
other in virtue. For these friends wish each alike the other's good in respect of their
goodness,1 and they
are good in themselves; but it is those who wish the good of their friends for their
friends' sake who are friends in the fullest sense, since they love each other for
themselves and not accidentally.2 Hence the
friendship of these lasts as long as they continue to be good; and virtue is a permanent
quality. And each is good relatively to his friend as well as absolutely, since the good
are both good absolutely and profitable to each other. And each is pleasant in both ways
also, since good men are pleasant both absolutely and to each other; for everyone is
pleased by his own actions, and therefore by actions that resemble his own, and the
actions of all good men are the same or similar.— 3.
[7]
Such friendship is naturally permanent,
since it combines in itself all the attributes that friends ought to possess. All
affection is based on good