Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-07-03
CORRESPONDENCE
Love Is The Theme.


ing all subjects DER and DER again,
I have concluded to trangress the
laws of custom and try to write OIL
the subject Of love.
No doubt many will smile when
The four rays of light emanating
from the letters of my word-sub-
ject fall gently upon the retlnas of
their eyes and is transmitted in the
form of molecular motion over the
optic nerve to the brain centres,
where. through the energizing of
nerve cells, it is supposed to come
in contact with the conscious Ego.
Would that all men could laugh
now and then, and when | say all
men | do not mean man as IN con-
tradistinction to woman. but both.
Most men are so burdencd with
the cares of life, aud so hcartsick,
at the demolition of splendid "Air
Castles" which their own fertile
imaginations alone could erect that
they scarcely ever find time for a
good hearty laugh. Their moments
of genuine enjoyment on earth are
few. AS for me, shall never hes
itate to do Il thing that will tehd
to produce smiles upon the human
face rather than tears. | would
feel that l had lived a useful and
noble life, il, when overtaken BY
gray hairs, | could glance back
ward and in my minds eye see
multitudes laughing and enjoying
few moments -even OH this rug
ged pathway-over something |
bad written.
So while Pedagogue the Great
and his accomplished opporent are
discussing great subtle questions
of state, l shall turn aside with
those who wish to accompany me
and talk of this grand old subject
of love. ! don't remember Emer-
son's exact words, but IN substance
he saws that, q man who has grown
SO cold as to never be able %
arouse in some measure his once
youthful feelings. those blessed
hopes and experiences which he
once had, has passed beyond all
extraordinary terrestrial happi-
ness; and he might have added
that such man has lost his mem
ory since old age looks backwards
while youth looks forwards. Says
Mr.. DAVIS in his great Psychology {:
"Love is a complex feeling con-
sisting of three elements-desire,
emotion, and sentiment" Then
be goes on and explains that "sen-
timent is the rational element in
this noble feeling which subdued
Antony and inspired Shakespeare" :"
Washington Irving realized what
the word love meant when he said:
''My observations of human ma
ture have convinced me that how
ever the surface of the character
may be chilled and frozen by the
cares of the world or cultivated
into mere smiles by the arts Of So
ciety, still there are dormant fires
lurking in the depths of the cold
est bosom, which, when ohce en-
iindled, become impetuous, and
are sometimes desolating in their
effects They seemed TO have
their desolatipg effect upon lr-
wing himself for the young lady OF
his choice died just before the time
for the consummation of their be-
trothment, and Irving wandered
over the world celibate the re-
mainder of his life. 1t is said
that he visited the shrine of her
interment when he was an old
man and completely broke down
under a flood of tears.
In this age of machination, | do
not believe we ever have many
cases of true love. Especially is
this the case in states where di-
vorces can be secured. In this
state where Il man is expected to
live with his wife all his life, and
she with HIM, they seem to be a
little more particular, but even
here the most of our love is policy
love. If young man wants to
have good time with the girls and
get married easy, he must turn out
to be a "Jim Dandy Dude" A
young man who works on the farm
with sunburnt hands is not in the
fight except when war, comes on
As rule young women are poor
judges of true manhood, and they
often wake up to this truth after
their destiny is fixed. They see
only the surface when they should
probe to the heart and find out the
characteristics of . man.
That love of which poets write
and minstrels sing seems to be a
lost faculty, if ! may so term it,
in this age. Science seems to be
taking the place of poetry and CO.
quetry the place of true :ove. It
is seldom that one ever hears a
love song any more, but in its
stead you hear the complicated
medley which no one but a fine
musician can enjoy. The art OF
human ingenuity may flourish for
awhile, but if art conflicts with
nature the artmust give way, fol
the hand that formed .he human
personality can never be surpassed
Yes, the poets song of love will
live forever, because it is the out,
pouring of human passion. Sci.