st. 6
“
Essential honour must be in a friend,
Not such as every breath fans to and fro;
But born within, is its own judge and end,
And dares not sin, though sure that none should know.
Where friendship's spoke, honesty's understood;
For none can be a friend that is not good.
— Katherine Philips
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Essential honour must be in a friend,
Not such as every breath fans to and fro;
But born within, is its own judge and end,
And dares not sin, though sure that none should know.
Where friendship's spoke, honesty's understood;
For none can be a friend that is not good." in the context of "st. 6" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Katherine Philips" (Quotes, Poem LXIV: 'A Friend')
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Katherine Philips
Katherine Philips (1 January 1631/2 – 22 June 1664), also known as Orinda, was an Anglo-Welsh poet, translator, and woman of letters. She achieved renown as translator of Pierre Corneille's Pompée and Horace, and for her editions of poetry.
About Katherine Philips
Katherine Philips (1 January 1631/2 – 22 June 1664), also known as Orinda, was an Anglo-Welsh poet, translator, and woman of letters. She achieved renown as translator of Pierre Corneille's Pompée and Horace, and for her editions of poetry.
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