Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-03-02
DISSERF ATION ON LOVE.
The Affections Analysed Friendship
Killed by Familiarity, Love
by Indifference.
Let Mutual Joys Our Mutual Trust
Combine and Love and Love
Born Confidence be Thine

and Is selffeeding like the sun" rms
is doubtless true Of love in its perfect
state, and the purer, more genuine
and finely attuned it is, the more
nearly 1t approaches this ideal. Yet,
az man Ia imperfect ia every other
respect, 30 he Is in his aifec'
tions, and they, like the other
parts of bis nature, still need culture
and nourlshment TO develop the beauty
and richness OF which tney are
capable. 1t Is well TO look courageous
ly in the face OF whatever is, however
sadly ii may contrast with what
ought TO be; and we cannot behold |
The affections that actually subsist |
between friends or lovers without a
sorrowful consciousness that however
sincere and earnest they may be they
to) often lose their bloom and their
beauty, and even sometimes their
very life. Hopes are shatter.
ed, promises broken, conf
dence shaken. trust oveIthrown
and the love that was once the source
OF 70 much joy pines away, aud gives
| place either 10 cold inditleientism or
TO an inward repulsion. Mon denOunce
these things, or mourn over them as
| showing the iicklenees Of human ma
| ture, but rarely examine into the causes
OF such detection with view TO their
removal. With all the zeal for culture
of various kinds, the culture OF tho.af-
fiction seems 10 have escaped no.
tice.
True, love is spontaneous ii will
not be driven; no compulsion can
either create or retain It, Yet 1t may
he either fed and nourished into fuller
and deeper life or starved into decay or
premature death. We must accept
the fact that as most OF us are not yet
noble enough or spiritual enough to
breathe forth a love that is eternal in
itself, requiring no other sustenance
than its own life sfIords, SO we must
either nouIish and cherish the love we
, do feel, or submit to see II fade away.
This alluslon Is not TO matrimonial af-
fiction In any exclusive sense. That
of course demands, ] think, even a
more ylgilant care than any other to
preserve II In all lta beauty ard fullness
E and TO cause 10 to deepen and
: strengthen az life gees on. But 1t is
desired here to emphasize what Is
! seldom insisted on, viz: the sacred
: ness OF all love-that of parents and
!, children, brotherB and sisters, friends
: and associates, as well as that Of nearer
and dearer ties. He who realizes and
r upholds the hsllowed character of love
y in all its forms will never slight II In
7, its highest and hottest; and he who
=. holds loosely the love OF "A friend or i
u brother Is unworthy to take upon him
u self and obligation more sacred 81
binding.
= One means Of confirming and estab
llsning ones affections Is by serving
Y. the loved, Nothing endears one per
" son TO another so much as aiding au(
o serving him, especially If selfsacrific,
+. IL involved. Giving what ls valued
~ always increases affections to the re
8. clpients, even II II be only materla
benefits that are conferred, mucl
M more when 1t IL our time, our labo
Of and ourselves. Much Of the love tina
W promises to he eternal fades ana pale
- from the lack Of this mutual service
Friends, at first eager to pour out thei
10 loveiu every possible way, thinking n,
n task too hard and no sacrifice too great
- that may add to the happiness of eacl
~ other, after awhile relax their efforts
or perhaps unconsciuusly. Each one
he however, is kcenly alive to the chang
- In the other, and hence arise suspicion
NJ and distruHt and n sense OF injury, an
he love in such an atmosphere Ia sure I
I'll lapguish. To impart literally of whs
we have, OF what we do, and OF whs
= we are. is necessary to the health
Inv growth of affection; and although
v perfect love would OF itself rtompt nm
j encourage this, the lcve that ia n,
perfect may be- exalted and sustaine
thereby.
IL Another means of keeping aflectio
fresh aud pure Is the maintenance
n. Justice. Ii may be said that ave tran
al ecends and iRcludes Justice; but thi
- unhappily, is true only of that loN
rs when IL untouched by human bien
. ish. The idea that justice is superlll
Gus where love reigns, is n worm tint
has dwelt at the core OF many ia
household and many n warm ffien,
! ship, and has gradually wrought
them decay and bitterness, The III
s! fair use Of power, the sharp criticism
the light banter which disparages OF
nd Intellect, our capacities or our IN
tlves, the tone Of distrust al
, suspicion, the readiness to see and
by magnify faults and errors-these al
similar unjust thoughts, words al
acts arc the ahadows that too oftt
hide real affection in a gloom 80 thi,
and impenetrahle that It emergts
more. This Justice that ahould ev
attend aud walt upon affection |
|. cludes tri,st and respect The love th
,Y. Is not based upon these Is as unre
/. and transient as fevered dreai
They are not glfts TO be granted
withheld ut pleasure, but debts Ia
q 70 sre owing to the loved ones, and Ia
Justice will not suffer TO be repudiate
There Is a certain familiarity that
said to breed contempt, and Of all on
~, mics % love none Is 80 perniciot
I'N' There Ia 40 individuality In our fIiel
that We are bound to respect, and
ourselves that we are bound TO mai
roS. tain. Tho love that would break n
. m down IL destined 20 be short live
! m. Those who probe curiously into Tn,
: M. friends secret thoughts or heart. w
-