Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-12
[Written for the Sunday Delta.I
Love Analysed.
BY H. CANovA HARRIss.


IT is evident to a rejecting mind that what
is usually termed the passion OF Love is not
one faculty alone; in other words, that the
many kinds of love do not have one common
origin. 1t is easily seen that animal passion
is entirely distinct from pure love. and they
are not unusually found of the same degree
of power in one character. Animal passion,
when perverted, (Which is often the case,)
seeks nothing higher than its own base gra-
tifcation: and the moment 1t Is satlated,
sinks into indifference in regard to- its former
object of eager pursuit. IN its proper sphere
of action it is good. True Love IS pure Ii
loves for the objects sake alone, and asks
not. expects not, any return. This is the
love which Plato advocated. This is the
love that makes true husbands and true wives
true mothers and true children. 1t Is the
purcst and best of all love which arise from
the passions. In woman it is found predomln-
ant: and to the truth of this, her many noble:
disinterested and heroic deeds. will bear ample
testimony. In man, the animal love usuaiIy
predominates.
Another ruling quality in mans love is
the desire of acquiring generally wealth.
but often many other things. which crafty
some of the passions or sentiments. Many
men positively love gold, as the history OF any
miser will show. This is very dangerous
and degrading love. for it not only makes
| them to steal and if its aims are not to be
| ACCOMPLISHED without, to use the accursed
dagger. and horribly dye their ill gotten gold
| In human gore. 1t is however, in its proper
| action. a necessary and beneficial faculty; but
| in common with all other passions, 1t is too
| often perverted from the use God intended 1t
should be applied to. Afghan, we have love
Of notoriety, which is often ruling tralt. III
| is the same love of fame which urges one man
| nd OIL
gfRsr3uR aa aaf to n say that ali men
take pride (vanity is the proper word) in
excelling in their profession what ever it may
be. robber loves to gain notOriety Ito him
| fame) for his daring and expert deeds, just
as much as good and noble man loves To be
known for excelling in generous acts. will
mark the distinction here between pride and
vanity, because they are too often considered
as arising from one prOpelling power,
whereas, truth shows that they are entirely
| distinct, and you will agree with me after a
| moments reflection. Pride is what we think
| of ourselves. Vanity what we wish others
| to think of us. A proud man is the same
| whether he be clothed in rags crowned. He
has no standard to 90 by other than his own
| opinion. He cares nothing for what others
say or think of him. If they praise, it is the
same; if tn defame, it is the same. Here
| we have the secret of true independence.
On the contrary, man in whom vanity is
| the ruling trait, is guided altogether by what
others say and think, and places no value
upon his own opinion, but takes advice from
| Others. 1t is singular, but to me undoubted
fact that what we call diffidence and sensi-
tiveneSs in young persons is the negative
ton of this faculty. l have often heard it
remarked How much Miss-is improved
She used to be timid and diffinent, but now
she is entirely changed The truth is, that
both are the result of action in the same
faculty, but the last is positive, the former
negative.
A proud man walks with firm. erect, self
reliant step, and is always willing TO take
the responsibility. and depends upon his own
unaidrd resources. A proud man will not
Stoop to low act. because thereby he loses
his own good opinion of himself. A vain
man may, if he have cause and will not be
detected, or if it will gain him the fame he
aims at. Pride is far the more praisewOrthy
of the two sentiments, because it always
prompts to the noble and good, unless, indeed,
the whole character is so depTavrd that it no
longer has power to do so. But | do not see
that proud man can arrive at this state I'm
less he be wrongly taught in his youth.
| might write column about other kinds
of love. which evidently are a part of our
character, but "a suggestion to wiser heads
than mine is all | wish to make; besides, /
must cOndense, or my readers will be weary.
come, then, to the noblest. purest and
hottest love which animates the minds of our
race. Man can never take in fully the vast
grandeur and greatness of God. 1t is only
through his love that he can get, as il were. a
faint gIimmer from the Eternal world Who
shall dare to say that the love man gives to
his fellow is one and the same with that which
he gives to his God? The love of God must
be complete. 1t must absorb all other love,
and make it tributary. To fear God is not
10 love Him. To seek Him because you wish
happiness in the hereafter is not to love Him.
Unless man fit himself for Heaven here he
can not enjoy it.
But come to Him because he is Just, and
holy, and wise and good. and potent. and
feel that you are not even worthy TO be crea-
ted by so great God, and render your whole
being. time, money, reputation all that you
are worth, to his service, and that is to love
Him. That is the love he blesses-aIl Other
love is mockcry and Hypocrisy We should
thank God for every breath of air. We should
thank God for every drop of water for every
crumb of bread We should worship in our
thoughts, and not alone in idle. outside.
meaningless FORMS | need no temple but
the broad sky to give God Inv homage: |
need no shrine but the gIittering star-worlds
which fill his immense creation. | do not
wait for the church bell to tell me it is time
to worship. Do not think by this that |
chosen one, and hold the faith firmly; but
sometimes my longing soul scars forth to the
stars, goes forth among the flowers, the birds,
the wonders of science, and learns there bet
ter TO love and adore.
MORTu Inlx