Upon all these has Love shed its lustre, and at every stage and turn of life its power is felt and understood. Something every one must love; for Love is the oil which feeds the lamp of life. When the power of Love departs, Hope sinks despairingly to the ground; and thus life without love is like a body without a soul-the animal functions still going on, but without thought to elevate or reason to fire. And thus it is that Love so powerfully contributes to promote the happiness of the human family: vivifying the imagination and making brilliant the fancy-exalting reason and purifying desire, it would seem to follow, as cause follows effect, that by love, happiness is most fully enjoyed.

In conclusion, we may add that should this undertaking prove successful and this volume meet with a due share of patronage, it is intended to follow it by others of a similar nature on the different feelings, passions, and sentiments of the human heart- The Physiology of Marriage, with Hints on Happiness, forming the second of the series.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

IN peace, love tunes the shepherd's reed;
In war he mounts the warrior's steed;
In halls, in gay attire is seen;
In hamlets, dances on the green.
Love rules the court, the camp, the
And men below, and saints above;
For love is heaven, and heaven is love.

grove,

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

-LOVE 's sooner felt than seen:

Oft in a voice he creeps down through the ear; Oft from a blushing cheek he lights his fire;

Oft shrouds his golden flame in likest hair;

Oft in a soft, smooth cheek doth close retire;
Oft in a smile, oft in a silent tear;

And if all fail, yet Virtue's self will lure!

PHINEAS FLETCHER.

THE PHYSIOLOGY OF LOVE.

INTRODUCTION.

"The sage's and the poet's theme,
In every clime, in every age;
Thou charm'st in fancy's idle dream,
In reason's philosophic page."

ROGERS.

THE subject of Love is one which, upon the mere mention of its name, commends itself to all minds. Who, at one period or another of life, has not loved? There must have been moments, even in minds the most gloomy-minds. which seem to derive no pleasure from anything, and whose possessors are too proud to say that they feel pain;—in minds even like these, we say, there must have been felt, at some time, the power of love-a love, compelling them to seek for happiness by sharing life with another-with a second self; to look with another's eyes; to B 2

speak with another's lips; to be joyed by another's pleasures, and be pained by another's griefs. Love is the life of the universe, and it is emphatically the life of man :—

""Tis nature's second sun,

Causing a spring of virtues where he shines.
And as without the Sun, the world's Great Eye,
All colours, beauties, both of art and nature,
Are given in vain to man; so without Love,
All beauties bred in women are in vain,
All virtues born in men lie buried;

For love informs them as the sun doth colours,
And as the Sun, reflecting his warm beams
Against the earth, begets all fruit and flowers,
So Love, fair shining in the inward man,
Brings forth in him the honourable fruits
Of valour, wit, virtue, and haughty thoughts,
Brave resolution, and divine discourse."

We find it existing everywhere—in the highest and lowest grades of being, uniting itself at once with matter and with mind; it sustains worlds, it renews nature, it opens out to us infinity. This love is the mighty governor of the heart; for it kingdoms have been sold, captivity endured, and death embraced.

This is the mighty power which holds mankind in slavery; but, unlike other tyrants, it binds the heart and leaves the limbs unfettered.

The most glorious and blissful period in mortal's lifetime, is the moment when lovers have