---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here we have a saying: a good friend is…"
description: "\"Here we have a saying: a good friend is someone who visits you when you are in prison. But a really good friend is someone who comes to hear your lectu..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png"
---

#  Here we have a saying: a good friend is someone who visits…

![“Here we have a saying: a good friend is someone who visits you when you are in prison. But a really good friend is someone who comes to hear your lectures.” quote by Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png)

> “Here we have a saying: a good friend is someone who visits you when you are in prison. But a really good friend is someone who comes to hear your lectures.”

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A true friend supports you in hardship, while a great friend values your ideas and listens to you.

**In simple terms:** Good friends help in trouble; great friends listen to your thoughts.

Key Takeaway

Cherish and seek friends who respect your mind.

Themes

friendship support intellectual respect

Mood

reflective appreciative

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal crises
- academic presentations
- career mentorship
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

loyalty empathy communication

Questions to Reflect On

- Who are the friends that truly understand your passions?
- How do you balance support and intellectual engagement?

A Different Perspective

Even great friends may not be present when you need emotional comfort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Good friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-friend/) [Lectures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lectures/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Really good friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-good-friends/) [Visits you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visits-you/)

## Related quotes

> [“Melancholy, my old friend, visits frequent, once again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-grahame-smith/melancholy-my-old-friend-visits-frequent-once-again/)

[Seth Grahame-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-grahame-smith/)

> [A friend who visits you when you are suffering is your best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-friend-who-visits-you-when-you-are-suffering-is-your-best-friend/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Dear is my friend--yet from my foe, as from my friend, comes good: My friend shows what I can do, and my foe what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/dear-is-my-friend-yet-from-my-foe-as-from-my-friend-comes-good-my/)

[Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/)

> [Friendship isn't about who you've known the longest. It's all about the friend who comes and stands by your side in bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schulz/friendship-isn-t-about-who-you-ve-known-the-longest-it-s-all-about/)

[Charles M. Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schulz/)

> [“When the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-carlson/when-the-friend-comes-the-spirit-of-the-truth-he-will-take-you-by-the/)

[Melody Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-carlson/)

> [A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-friend-is-the-one-who-comes-in-when-the-whole-world-has-gone-out/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“A real friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/a-real-friend-is-the-one-who-comes-in-when-the-whole-world-has-gone/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

> [Its funny how far you will go to be there for a friend, but when it comes to you, they're not there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-funny-how-far-you-will-go-to-be-there-for-a-friend-but-when-it/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [A true friend to me is someone that comes over for dinner, and hangs out with my daughter, someone I party with on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-melendez/a-true-friend-to-me-is-someone-that-comes-over-for-dinner-and-hangs/)

[Gilbert Melendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-melendez/)

> [A visitor is a friend, he brings news, good or bad, which is bread to the hungry minds in lonely places. A real friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isak-dinesen/a-visitor-is-a-friend-he-brings-news-good-or-bad-which-is-bread-to/)

[Isak Dinesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isak-dinesen/)

> [“Its not often a true friend comes around”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white-2/its-not-often-a-true-friend-comes-around/)

[E.B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white-2/)

> [A good friend doesn't try to break up a fight. A good friend comes in with a flying kick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-gracie/a-good-friend-doesn-t-try-to-break-up-a-fight-a-good-friend-comes-in/)

[Renzo Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-gracie/)

> [Hold a true friend and don't let go for a true friend comes once in a life time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hold-a-true-friend-and-don-t-let-go-for-a-true-friend-comes-once-in-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The function of a friend is not to have a function.A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-avila/the-function-of-a-friend-is-not-to-have-a-function-a-friend-is-the/)

Cecil Avila

> [ \[Books\] will visit you at your convenience, whether you are lonesome or not, on rainy days or fair. They propose themselves as either transient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/books-will-visit-you-at-your-convenience-whether-you-are-lonesome-or/)

[Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/)

## More by Malcolm Bradbury

> [I like the English. They have the most rigid code of immorality in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/i-like-the-english-they-have-the-most-rigid-code-of-immorality-in-the/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [If God had been a liberal, we wouldn't have had the Ten Commandments - we'd have the Ten Suggestions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/if-god-had-been-a-liberal-we-wouldn-t-have-had-the-ten-commandments/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“There are no travellers now, only tourists. A traveller comes to see a reality that is there already. A tourist comes only to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/there-are-no-travellers-now-only-tourists-a-traveller-comes-to-see-a/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“Oh, it must be wonderful to be educated. What does it feel like?' 'It's like having an operation,' said Treece. 'You don't know you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/oh-it-must-be-wonderful-to-be-educated-what-does-it-feel-like-it-s/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [I like the English. They have the most rigid code if immorality in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/i-like-the-english-they-have-the-most-rigid-code-if-immorality-in-the/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“After all, the function of a vacation is regenerative, not luxurious. It's to restore our equipment so that we can live our ordinary lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/after-all-the-function-of-a-vacation-is-regenerative-not-luxurious-it/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [Only the old are innocent. That is what the Victorians understood, and the Christians. Original sin is a property of the young. The old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/only-the-old-are-innocent-that-is-what-the-victorians-understood-and/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [Marriage is the most advanced form of warfare in the modern world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/marriage-is-the-most-advanced-form-of-warfare-in-the-modern-world/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [Life is a crisis - so what!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/life-is-a-crisis-so-what/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“Madness, genius, originality - it's all the same thing; it's a breaking of our normal value structure and the substitution of another one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/madness-genius-originality-it-s-all-the-same-thing-it-s-a-breaking-of/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [With sociology one can do anything and call it work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/with-sociology-one-can-do-anything-and-call-it-work/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [Most beds aren't as intimate as people think they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/most-beds-aren-t-as-intimate-as-people-think-they-are/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“There's always something or someone to do.''But don't you ever find it too much work, Howard?' asks Flora, 'All this dressing and undressing, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/there-s-always-something-or-someone-to-do-but-don-t-you-ever-find-it/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“..it lay in the true function of the university to promote that interplay of view, that discussion and dispute, that cumulative narrowing down of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/it-lay-in-the-true-function-of-the-university-to-promote-that/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

> [“This education we're giving them is the tool of destruction, of course; that's what makes it so painful. We're showing them how to accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/this-education-we-re-giving-them-is-the-tool-of-destruction-of-course/)

[Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

[Explore all 48 Malcolm Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/)

## More Friend quotes

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/)

Unknwon

> [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/)

[Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/)

> [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/)

[Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/)

> [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/)

KushSoulja

> [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/)

[Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/)

[Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/)

> [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/)

[James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/)

> [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/)

Shelly Yang

> [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

[Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Here we have a saying: a good friend is someone who visits you when you are in prison. But a really good friend is someone who comes to hear your lectures.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Malcolm Bradbury"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-someone-who-visits-you-when/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Friend"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-someone-who-visits-you-when/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/357/malcolm-bradbury-14039_friend_here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-s_3123405.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Here we have a saying: a good friend is someone who visits you when you are in prison. But a really good…” — Malcolm Bradbury",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Malcolm Bradbury",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Here we have a saying: a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-someone-who-visits-you-when/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/here-we-have-a-saying-a-good-friend-is-someone-who-visits-you-when/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
