Maybe tl;dr, but this excerpt from (Msgr) Robert Hugh Benson's
Lord of the World (1907) marvelously foreshadows the modern blurring of "friendship" with "sentimentality" and the loss of decorum in the public sphere. For context, one priest has lost his faith to "the Lord of the World" whilst the other, Percy, remains steadfast.
„I suppose you will cast me off,“ said the other. „
It is you who are leaving me,“ said Percy. „I cannot follow, if you mean that.“
„But – but cannot we be friends?“
A sudden heat touched the elder priest’s heart. „Friends?“ he said. „Is sentimentality all you mean by friendship? What kind of friends can we be?“
The other’s face became suddenly heavy. „I thought so.“
„John!“ cried Percy. „You see that, do you not? How can we pretend anything when you do not believe in God? For I do you the honour of thinking that you do not.“
Francis sprang up. „Well – – “ he snapped. „I could not have believed – I am going.“ He wheeled towards the door.
„John!“ said Percy again. „Are you going like this? Can you not shake hands?“
The other wheeled again, with heavy anger in his face. „Why, you said you could not be friends with me!“
Percy’s mouth opened. Then he understood, and smiled. „Oh! that is all you mean by friendship, is it? – I beg your pardon. Oh! we can be polite to one another, if you like.“ He still stood holding out his hand. Father Francis looked at it a moment, his lips shook: then once more he turned, and went out without a word.
Source:
http://www.somersetacademy.com/ourpages/auto/2015/9/29/56608819/lord of the world.pdf