regard to the origin of youthful love-or, as he expresses it, Fancy: "Tell me, where is Fancy bred, To us, the answer does not appear entirely satisfactory; but it was perhaps as much so as could be given in the days of Shakspeare. He could go no farther than outward manifestation, and he has mentioned two circumstances which distinguish the passion; its intimate connexion with the organs of sight, and its transitory existence, fading almost in the moment when it reaches to its desired consummation :"It is engendered in the eyes By gazing fed-and Fancy dies "In the cradle-where it lies." We are now, perhaps, able to go a little deeper into the subject, though, so far as this description goes, we have nothing to object to its accuracy. We may only remark in passing, that we may perhaps now answer more confidently one of the questions proposed as to the origin of Fancy. The same end is often brought about by various means; and a union between the sexes comes recommended to us by such a variety of motives and feelings, that it is hard, or perhaps impossible, to say when or how love first enters the heart. But, if I was asked at what particular period the emotion first begins to take that decided hold of the mind as to entitle it to the name of passion,—when it is that simple liking begins to ripen into love,-I would be inclined to answer, that it is at the moment when, in addition to any other feelings which may attract us towards such an object, the affection of Adhesiveness is called into a state of activity; and, for reasons which will be afterwards mentioned, this affection is seldom excited to a full, an unreserved, or a permanent state of action, unless when the sentiment is in some respect mutual. We may often be struck with admiration of one who, we find, is utterly cold and indifferent towards us;-in such case our * Vide Johnson's Dictionary. 5 affections are seldom irretrievably engaged; nor, in the general case, do we allow them to become so until we first begin to suspect that an object, in other respects worthy of our desires, entertains for us a kindred affection. I would not say, certainly, that this is always the case; there are exceptions, doubtless, which may deserve to be separately considered; but, in the generality of cases, I believe this to be the circumstance which decides and rivets our choice-this, the spark which sets fire to the train, and induces us to yield ourselves entirely to love's delicious dream; and how suddenly, how rapidly, and how irretrievably, love may fix itself in the mind, we have only to look at actual life, and the evidence of every day's experience, to be satisfied. I wish to describe the nature and effects of this passion upon those in whom it exists in its most genuine purity; in those whose powers and sentiments are already fully developed and prepared for their office, but are as yet unworn and unsullied,—free from the contaminating taint of vice,-free even from that experience which is consistent with virtue,retaining all their original freshness and bloom, as when they came from the hands of the bountiful Creator. Let us consider what are the powers which are concerned in the passion, and we will cease to wonder at its occasional violence, or at the influence which it has, in all ages, possessed over mankind. In the first place, we conceive that the first origin and root from which all affection of this kind takes its rise is the amative propensity. This seems to operate, not merely in its own direct way, in giving rise to the sexual feeling, but indirectly in stimulating to increased activity all the other powers and sentiments which can in any respect be brought into co-operation with it. The original and direct action of this propensity, when unconnected with the sentiments, is always the feeling of animal desire; but, in its indirect effects, it acts as a powerful and subtle flame, pervading every faculty and feeling of our nature,-raising them to a more VOL. III.-No IX F sensitive and even a more delicate action, and melting and amalgamating the whole into one harmonious tide of pleasing emotion. Shakspeare, in language almost phrenological, has told us that Love, first learned in a lady's eyes, "Lives not alone immured in the brain, "But, with the motion of all elements, "Courses as swift as thought through every power, "Still climbing trees in the Hesperides? "Subtle as Sphinx, as sweet and musical "As bright Apollo's lute, strung with his hair ; But although this propensity be the original root from which the passion of love takes its rise, we consider its proper and only fixed and permanent seat to lie in the organ of Adhesiveness,-giving rise to that twofold desire of loving, and of being loved, which is so strongly interwoven with our nature. This, when excited to full activity by the sexual propensity, we consider the centre of true affection, all the other feelings which are concerned being auxiliaries merely. Of these one of the chief is the Love of Approbation, leading us to seek the good opinion or esteem of those we love or admire. Conscientiousness itself may assist in persuading us to be grateful, and in satisfying us that no return of love and tenderness that we can bestow is too great a recompence to be offered to him or her who is ready to sacrifice every thing for us. Next to this Hope is excited,-painting the future in her gayest and most attractive colours,-presenting to our minds all that we would most wish to believe,-affection that is never to be shaken by time or circumstance, and happiness without alloy, that is to end only with life. Benevolence is also active, making us happy in the belief that we are contributing to the happiness of another;-Veneration is probably not awanting, leading us to clothe the objects of our affection with all imaginable excellence,—and setting them before us as the first of earthly creatures. Ideality throws an enchantment over the whole,-discovering to us charms and beauties which are invisible to other eyes,-and lending to every thing connected with our passion and its object an air of romantic interest which belongs not to any of the actual realities of life.-Concentrativeness directs the whole of these powers and sentiments with their full force towards a single object. Lastly, Firmness comes in to clench the whole, and to give permanence and stability to this state of the affections, which, if excited in the full and undivided manner we have supposed, will probably endure with life itself, and only be put an end to by that stroke which terminates our mortal existence. If this statement be correct, it may enable us to account, in a manner more satisfactory than has yet been done, for that phenomenon which doubtless has sometimes occurred, and which, perhaps, occurs oftener than is commonly supposed, love at first sight. Suppose a pair, in whom all the requisite feelings are perfect, unengaged with any other object, and with sufficient exterior attractions, to meet for the first time; -the amative propensity, in particular, (for that is an indiɛpensable requisite), being arrived at its full maturity,—a single interview, and almost a single glance, may suffice to prove to them the mutual influence of these upon each other. All the propensities and sentiments possess a natural language which speaks in the looks, tones, gestures, and expression of the countenance, and which is instinctively felt by those who have corresponding feelings, without teaching, or the use of words. A youthful pair in this state of susceptibility are attracted to one another as strongly and naturally as iron is to the magnet; and this mutual attraction having once taken effect, and excited the adhesive propensity to action, it will probably, if not hindered or interrupted by some opposing sentiment, run the complete course of the other powers and sentiments we have mentioned, until the whole soul is irretrievably fixed as one exclusive object. The Juliet of Shakspeare, if Shakspeare be allowed, in pourtraying his character, to have followed nature, may be cited as an instance in point. She sees Romeo once, and but once, when she is instantly smitten, he has but time to declare his flame, and to imprint upon her lips the first kiss of love, but it is sufficient; she catches the soft infection, and her love blazes up at once with all the strength of a confirmed passion. Even her innocent and unsuspecting nature contributes to this rapid seizure of her affections, as no feeling of a contrary nature interferes to oppose or counteract them. Even the outward obstacles, which in a more mature and prudent mind might have produced a degree of hesitation and suspense, have with her no other effect, than that partial covering of a flame which makes it burn the fiercer: Quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis æstuat ignis." Instances of this sometimes appear in real life, when persons of either sex, even those of the most soft and yielding nature, have, in a very short intimacy at least, if not in a single interview, conceived so fixed an affection towards a particular object, that no argument or reasoning, no considerations of prudence, no authority of parents or friends, nor any earthly concern of whatever kind, can have the smallest effect in removing it. Love will not be controlled by ad"vice," nor will "Cupid our mothers obey." This proves the folly of those persons who attempt to trade and traffick in affairs of the affections, and who would make the feelings of ardent and susceptible youth the subject of commodity and barter. The suddenness and violence of attachments like this induced the vulgar, in an age of ignorance, to attribute them to enchantment, to "glamour," to potions, and philtres. It led the poets to ascribe them to the darts of |