May the Lord bless thee and keep thee, be your leader, guide, and comfort. Kind love to your Niece, and all enquiring friends and acquaintance.—I must conclude this letter, with some Remarks I have met with on the very great difference between an _Acquaintance_ and a _Friend_. Your’s truly, _Ruhamah_. ACQUAINTANCE and FRIENDS _DISTINCT CHARACTERS_. FALLEN man an erring creature is, And, bent on erring, errs in this: He forms connections without end, And calls each _intimate a Friend_. But ’twixt the two a difference lies, And, oh! how great is our surprize— To view the characters more near, How vast me difference does appear. _Acquaintance_ cries, to ease my woe, Be warm’d, be fill’d—and off they go. My _Friend_ presents the thing I need, The _one’s_ in word, the _other_ deed. While pleasing plenty crowns my cup, _Acquaintance_ springs like mushrooms up; But woeful want creeps forth to light, And each betakes himself to flight. Yet sometimes one of human kind. In this dull day remains behind; And ’tis my _Friend_, for only he Cares for the child of misery. _Acquaintance_ see me go astray: But he must look to that they say. My _Friend_ seeks out my devious track, O’ertakes me, and conducts me back. If sick, or into prison thrown, My _Friend_ still makes my case his own, And in my chamber or my cell Esteems it his delight to dwell. The utmost my _Acquaintance_ do, While these great deeps I’m passing through, Is, squeeze this prayer out now and then— Heav’n send him safely out again. _Acquaintance_ are but sons of earth; They relish well the house of mirth, But in the mourner’s dwelling place ’Tis real pain to shew his face. Here mark my _Friend_, he in the hour Of keen temptation’s darkness power, Stands by me all the season long, With a sweet promise on his tongue. He bears my company till death, Whilst on my very latest breath; And in his last kind act of love, Points to my Father’s house above. Then while I sojourn here below, Let _Friend_ include all names I know; And be it fellow-creature’s pride To know no other name beside.—_Amen_. LETTER XI. _Valley of Achor_, _Feb._ 25, 1819. MY DEAR FRIEND, I. R. ESQ.