A so-called good friend recently told me in confidence that some in a certain company spoke ill of me, and that he had taken me into defense. I thanked him for his Defense; but said at the same time that I would have been more indebted to him than if he had not told me himself: for I could not regard such reports as a sign of friendship, as if they were worthless, without setting one in motion, and to sow the seed of unity among men. I do not consider it my enemy, who in a merry company skims with my person, but rather he who reports me such skims: The first over a glass of wine often means nothing with it, but skims, either to show his fertile spirit, or to make the Company merry. The other, on the other hand, who brings me talk, who is incapable of knowing me, and who he can be assured of wanting to disturb my mind, can mean nothing good by it.