“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.”
Cite this quote
APA
Washington, G. (n.d.). Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19006-be-courteous-to-all-but-intimate-with-few/
MLA
Washington, George. “Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19006-be-courteous-to-all-but-intimate-with-few/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Washington, George. “Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/19006-be-courteous-to-all-but-intimate-with-few/.