Linguâ amicus.

A friend in words; any one who by his conversation seems desirous of being esteemed a friend, but whose kindness extends no further; who is free in promising, but very backward in performing any friendly office, is the kind of person intended to be censured by this adage. Pollicitis dives, quilibet esse potest, any man may be liberal in promises, they cost nothing. Il se ruine a promettre, et s'acquitte à ne rien tenir, he ruins himself by promising, but saves himself by not performing, for promettre et tenir sont deux, there is a great difference between saying and doing, which is also a Spanish axiom, Del dicho al hecho, ay gran trecho. Il nous a promis monts et merveilles, he promises mountains; more in a month, we say, than he will perform in a year.