Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.

The maxim advises deliberate judgment in forming close relationships and even greater caution before abandoning them. It reflects a view of friendship as a serious moral and practical commitment: choosing well requires time to observe character, reliability, and shared values, while “changing” friends lightly suggests fickleness, ingratitude, or poor discernment. The second clause also implies that once trust is established, it should not be discarded for minor offenses or shifting advantage; loyalty and patience are virtues that stabilize both private life and civic society. As a piece of proverbial wisdom often linked to Franklin, it fits the Enlightenment emphasis on prudence and self-governance in personal conduct.