The Lion
is the King of Beasts, but he is scarcely suitable for a
domestic pet. In the same way, I suspect love is rather
too violent a passion to make, in all cases, a good
domestic sentiment. Like other violent excitements, it
throws up not only what is best, but what is worst and
smallest, in men's characters. Just as some people are
malicious in drink, or brawling and virulent under the
influence of religious feeling, some are moody, jealous,
and exacting when they are in love, who are honest,
downright, good-hearted fellows enough in the everyday
affairs and humours of the world.
*
There is only one event in life which really astonishes a
man and startles him out of his prepared opinions.
Everything else befalls him very much as he expected.
Event succeeds to event, with an agreeable variety indeed,
but with little that is either startling or intense; they
form together no more than a sort of background, or running
accompaniment to the man's own reflections; and he falls
naturally into a cool, curious, and smiling habit of mind,
and builds himself up in a conception of life which expects
to-morrow to be after the pattern of to-day and yesterday.
He may be accustomed to the vagaries of his friend and
acquaintances under the influence of love. He may sometime
look forward to it for himself with an incomprehensible
expectation.
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