Year: 1873

sluiccs, whole torrent of emotion
rushes into the channel provided for it,
and we attribute to the one external and
assignable cause what really results
from our own states of feeling. because
particular match has exploded the
magazine, we absurdly argue that no
other match would have done equally
WELL We set up the first idol t at
comes to hand, and suppose that its
perfections are the sole cause OF our
worship, when, in fact, the desire to
worship something has prepared us to
PROSTATE ourselves before any shrine
that offers itself. Love being a COM
pound of so many forces, any one which
is set in action draws all the rest after it
by the principle of association. But
all this does not answer the question as
to how our choice is first determined.
A young gentleman in London may see
some hundreds Of young ladies before
he is brought down by one who is per-
haps among the least apparently attrac-
tive of the whole number. That is the
puzzle which is constantly recurring
and solution of it would be of immense
value to all match-makers, whether OF
the loftier or the baser variety. What
is the most promising method Of attack =?
Which of all the causes that may pre-
cipitate the passion is the most general
y available? Ifphilosophers couldtell
as that, they would have taken the first
step toward placing an occupation, now
pursued on purely empirical principles,
upon true scientific grounds.


To such question we can, OF course,
give no satisfactory answer. 1t may be
observed, however, that it has been very
much obscured by the labors of novel
lists. Novels are supposed to be the
embodiment of the authors knowledge
ofhuman nature--a supposition to which
there is the trihing objection that very
few novelties know anything of human
nature, and that, ut most, they are
familiar with particular instances and not
with general principles. They, OF
course, go upon the general assumption
that their hero and heroine are to be as
attractive as possible; and they lay
particular stress upon the merit most
,asily descrbed--that of personal
beauty. "Jane Eyre" for n time set the
fashion of ugly heroines, but we have
long since reverted to the old system
Accordingly, IN exaggerated estimate is
placed upon the charms of beauty, and
lpon the amiable qualities of mind and
person which form part Of the ordinary
IDEAL of feminine merit The error in
volved in this doctrine is that it lays
far too much stress on the objective
ls distinguished from tho subjective
causes of falling in love. 1t assumes
hat the passion is determined by the
External rather than by the internal i'm
pulses-that II person falls in love be-
.ause an attractive object is presented
TO him or her, and not because he or
she is prepared for passion Of some
iind. When the true principle is firm
v grasped, it is obvious that the most
,uccpssful match-m makers must be those
Who adopt different line of attack,
Among the passions, for example, which
20 to form the aggregate is the desire
Tor sympathy. Suppose, then, that II
Gentleman has taste for political econo-
ny or pigeon-shooting. He may be as
sailed more effectively bv plain young
woman who will submit to hear him
occurring on the theory of rent and the
incidence OF taxation, or who will ap-
plaud his successful slaughter of birds,
than by the most beautiful girl who
will not condescend to take an interest
IN his pursuits. The great art of fiat
terry provides the most efficient instru-
nents for bringing down game of this
Kind. A clever man often prefers u fool
70 clever woman, because the fool has
the one talent of listening, and the clever
woman may have the vanity to keep
opinions of her own. The brilliant man
Of fashion is attracted by the apparently
nninteresting old maid, because nothing
is more fattering than that humble
alteration which Other women are too
| proud to bestow. Almost all eases of
perverse matches may be explained after
the event by the skill or the accidental
felicity with which a commerce OF re-
cprocal fattery has been established.
Once put two people in that relation,
and all the associated emotions may
easily be INTRODUCED. 1t is as easy to
produce an aesthetic admiration by
working upon the desire for sympathy
rs to proceed in the inverse method ;
and the assumption that we should al





ways begin with what is supposed to
be the natural beginning is the cause OF
half our perplexities. But, though
these seem to be the first principles OF
the science, we admit that its complexi-
ty battles all attempts at a systematic
deduction OF its remoter doctrines.
Luckily or otherwise, some people have
developed 80 much practical skill in ap-
plying the most efficient methods that q
philosophy of the art seems to be super
fiuous as well as chimerical. London
Saturday ReUiet0.


A CURIOUS letter has found its way in
to print, and which shows that Garibal


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