Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-04-25

passage or two in Rob Roy, would give
me very much the same effect. These
are great names and what is more to
the purpose) strong, healthy, high
strung, and generous natures, of whom
the reverse might have been expected.
AS for the innumerable army of
anemic and taillorish persons who oc-
cupy the face of this planet with so
much propriety, it is palpably absurd
to imagine them in any such situation
as q love affair. A wet rag goes safely
by the fire; and if man is blind, he
cannot expect to be much impressed
by romantic scenery. Apart from all
this, many loveable people miss each
other IN the world, or meet under some
unfavOrable star. There is the nice and
critical moment of declaration to be got
over. From timidity or lack of oppor.
tunity 3 good half of possible love
cases never get so far, and at least an
other quarter do there cease and de-
termine. a. very adroit person, to be
sure, manages to prepare the way and
out with his declaration in the nick of
time. And then there is q fine solid
sort OF man, who goes on from snub to
snub; and If he has to declare forty
times, will continue impcrturbably de-
claring, amid the astonished considera-
ton Of men and angels, until he has q
favorable answer. [ dare say, if one
were woman, one would like to marry
q man who WAS capable of doing this,
but not quite one who had done SO. 1t
is just g. little bit abject, and somehow
Just little bit gross; and marriages in
which one of the parties has been thus
battered into consent scarcely form
agreeable subje for meditation. Love
should run out to meet love with open
arms. Indeed, the ideal story is that
of two people who 60 into love step for
step. with futtered consciousness, like
8 pair of children venturing together
into dark room. From the first mo-
ment when they see each other, with q
pang of curiosity, through stage after
stage of growing pleasure and embar
rassment, they can read the expression
of their own trouble in each others
eyes. There is here no declaration
properly 80 called; the feeling is SO
plainly shared that as soon as the man
knows what is in his own heart, he is
sure of what is in the woman's This
simple accident of falling in love is as
beneficial as astonishing. Itarrests the
petrifying influence of years. disproves
cold-blooded and cynical conclusions,
and awakens dormant sensibilities.
Hitherto the man had found it good
policy to disbelieve the existence of any
enjoyment which was out Of his reach,
and thus he turned his back upon the
strong, sunny parts of nature, and &C
customed himself to look exclusively
on what WIGS common and dull. He
accepted prose ideal, let himself go
blind of many sympathies by
disuse; and if he were young
and witty, or beautiful, willfully
forewent these advantages. He
joined himself to the following of what,
IN the old mythology of love, was pref
tily called aaonckoloir; and in an odd
mixture of feelings, q fling of self
respect, preference for selfish liberty
and great dash of that fear with which
good people regard serious interests,
kept himself back from the straightfor-
ward course of life among certain
selected activities. And now, all of q
sudden, he is endorsed, like St. Paul,
from his infdel afectation. His heart
which has been ticking accurate sec
onds for the last year, gives bound
and begins to beat high and irregular
in his breast. It seems as if he had
never heard or felt or seen until that
moment; and by the report of his
memory, he must have lived his past
life between sleep and waking, or with
the pre-occupied attention of a brown
study. He is practically incommoded
by the generosity of his feelings. smiles
much when he is alone, and develops
habit of looking rather blankly upon
the moon and stars. But it is not at all
within the province of q prose kessayist
to give picture of this hyperbolical
frame OF mind; and the thing has been
done already, and that to admiration.
In Ade5aide, in Tennyson's Maud, and in
some Of Heine's songs, you get the alb
solute expression of this mldsumm er
spirit. Romeo and Juliet were very
much in love; although they tell me
some German critics are Of diff
opinion, probably the same who would
have us think Mercutio was dull fell
low. Poor Antony was IN love, and no
mistake. That lay figure Marius, in
Les Misera6Ies, is also a genuine case in
his own way, and worth observation.
IA good many of George Sands people
are thoroughly in love; and SO are
good many of George Meredith's. AL
together, there is plenty to read on the
subject. If the root of the matter be
in him, and if he has the requisite cords
to set it in vibration, a young man
may occasionally enter, with the key
of art, into the land of Beulah, which is
upon the borders of Heaven and within
sight of the City of Love. There let
him sit awhile to hatch delightful hopes
and perilous Illusions CoraahiH Moga-
zine.
Fashion Notes.
WIGS are now fashionable for ladies
ia Paris.
Cur jet is used not only for mourn
ing, but for fancy jewels.