Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-06-06
FIRST LOVE.

There is no love like first love |;
and, let the world say what it will Of
the nonsense and romance of The pass
ion, If it were not Tor those warm and
disinterested feelings, which spring up
in the heart like meteOrs in frosty
sky, the better qualities Of mankind
would be choked with thorough sell
fishness. The stole does every thing
by rule; he has 10 feelings to give
him pleasure or pain, or, If he has any,
they are kept so entirely under con=
trout, that they are never allowed to
operate TO either his happiness or mis-
cry. Love is the foundation, the
root, the master piece of all the fine
emotions Of the heart and pity,
friendship, esteem and venera,ion, are
but branches of the same prolific tree;
or, to speak more me,aphoricalIy, they
are as little rivulets diverging from the
ocean bed, anima,ing, softening and
beauti(ying those tracts of wild nature
which their silvery channels circulate.
But true love is as distinct from
passion as bravery is from despera-
tion; affection, like courage, must
flow OF in one smooth, regular, and
continued stream, neither overhowing
its banks, nor shrinking within its
boundaries, removing every obstacle,
and overpowering every difficulty,
without making any display of its own
proves. 1t is not love nor vaIour
that breaks out with whizzing violence
a, unexpected and often unreasonable
periods, and, like Jack o'lantern on
dark night, leads man across bog,
moor and mountain, until he has lost
his way in A slough, or broken his neck
over a precipice this is not love, this
is madness, yet how often will early
affection assume its guise.
"When the heart is just opening to
a comprehension of its own feelings,
before the so,did concerns Of the
world have fascinated the attention,
when every every object wears the
garb Of innocence, and as the bright
qualities of mind and soul are putting
forth the branch OF promise, then, in
deed, does love appear to be the busi-
ness of life then it partakes of all the
lervour of enthusiasm, all the purity
Of devotion Not thought can be
associated with the image of the below
ed object that is not strictly compati.
BILE with honour, truth, and virtue the
fancy weaves round it q web of hol-
ness, through which nothing impure
can penetrate and it is enthroned
within the sanctum sanctorum of the
heart, unmixed with baser natter
Yet early love, like the bravery of a
young and intrepid arm, is apt some
times to turn into irregular move
ments, and fling the gauntlet at a
shadow ;it blazes forth in fits and
starts, commits extravaganeies, and
though never deficient in intrinsic val
ue, will very often wear the mask of
folly; but it is a flame with all its &C.
centricities, that has never yet glowed
in selfish bosom, and that cannot be
kindled on any soil which is not per-
fectIy honourable, warm and disinter-
ested."
1t cannot be embodied in more fore
ible and beautiful language, than the
following lines of a late noble poet,
whose genius and experience no one
has yet dared to doubt.
eyes, love indeed's light from Heaven
A spark of that immortal fire
With angels shared--by ALA given,
To lift from earth our low desire.
Devotion watts the mind above,
But Heaven itself dcscends in love-
feeling from the godhead caught,
To wean from self each sordd thought
A ray of him who formed the whole,
A glory circling round the soul.''
THE JUVENILE-AN EXTRACT.