Excerpt: “Many young people, particularly of the male kind, imagine themselves in love when in truth they are not. Their supposed passion is but a fancy of the moment. An ardent young man is introduced to a pretty or interesting girl, and after a quarter of an hour’s conversation is (in his own opinion) over head and ears in love with her. If he is a sensible man he will not betray his weakness, for should the result prove the correctness of his first impression, there can be no harm of concealing the sudden passion. If, on the contrary, he declares his partiality, either by words or absurd behavior, the flirt, if she be sensible, will be apt to look upon him with distrust, or as a silly fellow with little or no stability of character. It is impossible to know that you have a genuine feeling of love until long and intimate relations reveal to you the ways, the disposition, and even the inmost thoughts of the heart of your companion. Supposing, then, that there is no deception on either side—that two lovers have faithfully laid open their most secret feelings, and mutually understand each other’s tastes, dislikes, peculiarities and habits. If all this knowledge increases rather than diminishes their friendship, they may then begin to suspect that they are in love. If all young couples would strictly adhere to this test before thinking of matrimony, there would be few ill-assorted matches and a great many more happy homes."
