Anne Steele, [Broughton], to Lucius [Philip Furneaux], undated (c. 1756).

         I think your picture of Friendship appears at first view with too severe an aspect, too solemn an air; and like awful rigid Virtue though it commands our reverence and esteem wou’d be more engaging were it cast in gentle smiles.  However in either form ’tis still valuable though rarely very rarely found  I am almost in doubt whether true Friendship be not like Miltons Amaranth—

Immortal Amaranth! A flow’r which once

In Paradise fast by the Tree of Life

began to bloom; but soon for mans offence

To Heav’n remov’d, where first it grew

But I check the thought for why should I not as well conclude that there are no such things in the world as golden mines or spicey groves because I have seen them only in description   Yet I believe you will join in the opinion that ’tis at least a plant of Divine extraction which flourishes in full perfection no where but in the Celestial Eden.

True Friendship there all perfect and refin’d

Immortal blooms in every happy mind 

If it lives below it must be only in such a soil as bears some resemblance to those abodes of Bliss. Minds enrich’d with real Piety cultivated by Virtue and waterd by the influences of Divine Grace. Yet even in these its growth is slow annoyd with noxious weeds and chilling blasts it rises weak is long before it shews a few faint opening blossoms and is at best a little tender fragrant shrub and perhaps too it partakes of the nature of qualities inseparably anexd to all the productions of this wilderness where roses are ever armd with thorns.  While my fancy paints little pictures of these amiable agreeable flowers I amuse my self with their colours and taste a harmless pleasure if I am not cheerd by their fragrance so neither am I wounded by their thorns  This may serve to confirm your observation that few will be at the pains to seek & maintain this valluable exotic—Could Friendship rise to perfection here we shou’d resemble Angels & enjoy  imitation of Heaven but this ^is^ a blessing too high for frail Mortality to hope for—a doubt just now present itself whether when in speaking of true friendship we call it disinterested it be not an improper term+ for is not esteem founded on some amiable qualities in which we find entertainment & delight consequently I think it must be selfish again [illegible word] we have a few does not friendship suppose our expecting or at least desiring some returns of such esteem  I do not mean in professions but in the general conduct & behaviour? —one person may wish well to another on acct. of of those family circumstances [illegible word] their family distresses & a variety of causes; and be inclin’d to do them any good offices in their power without expecting or desiring any return but this I call benevolence not friendship which I think strictly speaking disinterested cannot be disinterested—to refute or confirm these ^bold^ suppositions when you have liesure please to favour me with your second tho’ts on this subject

                                                         Silviana

+Esteem & sympathy I think two principal ingredients in Friendship   is not the first founded on some amiable qualities in which we find entertainment & delight, The other on some resemblance in disposition taste of circumstances and does not self Love appear in these - again

Text: Timothy Whelan, gen. ed., Nonconformist Women Writers, 1720-1840, 8 vols. (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2011), vol. 2 (ed. Julia B. Griffin), pp. 286-87 (edited version); STE 3/13/iv, Steele Collection, Angus Library, Regent's Park College, Oxford.  No address page. Reference above to Milton's Paradise Lost, Book III, ll. 351-6.