The Kempton-Wace Letters Quotes

Let us suppose the loved one is as madly impelled toward the lover. In a few days, in an hour, nay, in an instant – for there is such a thing as love at first sight – this man and woman, two unrelated individuals, who may never have seen each other before, conceive a passion, greater, intenser than all other affections, friendships, and social relations. So great, so intense is it, that the world could crumble to star-dust so long as their souls rushed together. If necessary, they would break all ties, forsake all friends, abandon all blood kin, run away from all moral responsibilities. There can be no discussion… We see it every day, for love is the most perfectly selfish thing in the universe.

Comes the lover, tricked by nature, blind of passion, impelled madly toward the loved one. He is as blind to her salient imperfections as he is to her petty vices. He does not interrogate her disposition and temperament, or speculate as to how they will coordinate with his for two score years and odd. He questions nothing, desires nothing, save to possess her. And this is the paradox: By nature he is driven to contract a temporary tie, which, by social observance and demand, must endure for a lifetime.

Be not misled into the belief that love is finer and higher than affection and friendship, that the yielding to its blandishment is higher wisdom on the part of our lovers. Not so; they are puppets and know and think nothing about it. They come of those who yielded likewise in the past. They obey forces beyond them, greater than they, their kind, and all life, great as the great forces of the physical universe. Our lovers are children of duty, natural and uninventive. Duty and moral responsibility are less to them than passion. They will obey and procreate though the heavens roll up as a scroll and all things come to judgment.