Ancient Menander accounted him happy that had but met the shadow of a true friend:  verily he had reason to say so, especially if he had tasted of any:  for truly, if I compare all the rest of my forepassed life, which although I have, by the meere mercy of God, past at rest and ease, and except the losse of so deare a friend, free from all grievous affliction, with an ever-quietnesse of minde, as one that have taken my naturall and originall commodities in good payment, without searching any others:  if, as I say, I compare it all unto the foure yeares I so happily enjoied the sweet company and deare-deare society of that worthy man, it is nought but a vapour, nought but a darke and yrkesome light.  Since the time I lost him,

             quem semper acerbum,
     Semper honoratum (sic Dii voluistis) habebo,
     [Footnote:  Virg.  AEn. iii. 49.]

Which I shall ever hold a bitter day,
Yet ever honour’d (so my God t’ obey),

I doe but languish, I doe but sorrow:  and even those pleasures, all things present me with, in stead of yeelding me comfort, doe but redouble the griefe of his losse.  We were copartners in all things.  All things were with us at halfe; me thinkes I have stolne his part from him.

   —­Nee fas esse iilla me voluptate hic frui
     Decrevi, tantisper dum ille abest meus particeps.
     [Footnote:  Ter.  Heau. act. i. sc. i, 97.]

     I have set downe, no joy enjoy I may,
     As long as he my partner is away.

I was so accustomed to be ever two, and so enured [Footnote:  Accustomed] to be never single, that me thinks I am but halfe my selfe.

Illam mea si partem animce tulit, Maturior vis, quid moror altera.  Nec charus aeque nec superstes, Integer?  Ille dies utramque Duxit ruinam. [Footnote:  Hor. 1. ii.  Od. xvii.]

     Since that part of my soule riper fate reft me,
     Why stay I heere the other part he left me? 
     Nor so deere, nor entire, while heere I rest: 
     That day hath in one mine both opprest.

There is no action can betide me, or imagination possesse me, but I heare him saying, as indeed he would have done to me:  for even as he did excell me by an infinite distance in all other sufficiencies and vertues, so did he in all offices and duties of friendship.

     Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus,
     Tam chari capitis?
     [Footnote:  Id. 1. i.  Od. xxiv.]

     What modesty or measure may I beare,
     In want and wish of him that was so deare?

O misero frater adempte mihi!  Omnia tecum una perieruni gaudia nostra.  Qua tuus in vita dulcis alebat amor. [Footnote:  Catul.  Eleg. iv. 20, 92, 26, 95.] Tu mea, tu moriens fregisti commoda frater. [Footnote:  Ib. 21.] Tecum una tota est nostra sepulta anima, Cujus ego interitu tota de mente fugavi Hac studia, atque omnes delicias animi [Footnote: