We said to ourselves: "There are many who will praise a man; it is only his friend who will tell him of his faults." Also, we said: "No man sees his own shortcomings, but when these are pointed out to him by another he is grateful, and proceeds to mend them." As we came to know the world better, we learnt the fallacy of these ideas.

But then it was too late, for the mischief had been done.
When one of us had written anything, he would read it to the other, and when he had finished he would say, "Now, tell me what you think of it--frankly and as a friend." Those were his words.

But his thoughts, though he may not have known them, were:-- "Tell me it is clever and good, my friend, even if you do not think so.
The world is very cruel to those that have not yet conquered it, and, though we keep a careless face, our young hearts are scored with wrinkles.

Often we grow weary and faint-hearted.

Is it not so, my friend?
No one has faith in us, and in our dark hours we doubt ourselves.