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Letter to Editor
July 17, 1772
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
A poetic defense of love as the noblest human passion, criticizing men's indifference to it as a sign of insensibility and meanness, and asserting that true happiness is found only in union with a virtuous woman.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
PORTS MOUTH
Messieurs Fowles, Please to insert the following.
Love defended.
Love, the most noble Passion, rules the Soul.
It is common for Men to ridicule what they do not understand, and despise what they never felt; hence it is, that so many affect to ridicule the most agreeable Passion in the human Mind. LOVE. When a noble Object is presented to View, which is in it's Nature suitable to Man, not to love it, discovers In sensibility and Meanness. To hear a Gentleman discourse with, or about an amiable LADY, with the same Air of Indifference as if conversing about a Marble Statue, is an infallible Mark of want of elevated Sentiments and delicate Passions. He that can behold a blooming Fair, in whose Breast the most shining Virtues meet, where the noble Passions reign, and give to Beauty every Charm, unmoved, and feel no Transports of Joy, no Emotions of Pleasure in his Mind-- is little better than a Block, scarcely more alive than his primeval Dust!
O! ADAM! look down and scorn thy degenerate Sons, who cease to love thy fair and lovely Daughters!
In vain Man seeks for Happiness in Gold, in Power, Titles, Equipage or Sound, all is empty Air,-- he can taste no solid Bliss 'till Heaven gives him a joyous Nymph, one to his Wish, exactly to his Heart's Desire, to bless his circling Years, and fill his Cup of Pleasure full! Then sweet as the rosy Morn, bright as the burning Noon, serene as the smiling Eve, his Life rolls on! Like the Sun and Moon, the King of Day, and Queen of Night, the happy Pair shine in their Orbits, scatter Blessings in their Spheres, and glance propitious Smiles on all around!
Ye Sons of Science, who ken the planetary World, and trace the Stars in their winding Maze, to please a curious Mind, turn from those distant tasteless Scenes, and fix your Eyes on your Kindred Fair, made for Man's Delight! Ye ruddy Swains, who till the Soil or plow the Main, to find the shining Dust, give o'er your vain Pursuits, and seek the Fair, who far outshine all glittering Things beneath the Sun, and are the Source of sublunary Bliss. All ye that sit on lofty Thrones, or move in humbler Spheres embrace the virtuous Fair, and find the solid Joy unknown before! In this delightful Circle spend thy golden Time, and know this important Truth, LOVE, and BLISS, are one.
MARS.
Messieurs Fowles, Please to insert the following.
Love defended.
Love, the most noble Passion, rules the Soul.
It is common for Men to ridicule what they do not understand, and despise what they never felt; hence it is, that so many affect to ridicule the most agreeable Passion in the human Mind. LOVE. When a noble Object is presented to View, which is in it's Nature suitable to Man, not to love it, discovers In sensibility and Meanness. To hear a Gentleman discourse with, or about an amiable LADY, with the same Air of Indifference as if conversing about a Marble Statue, is an infallible Mark of want of elevated Sentiments and delicate Passions. He that can behold a blooming Fair, in whose Breast the most shining Virtues meet, where the noble Passions reign, and give to Beauty every Charm, unmoved, and feel no Transports of Joy, no Emotions of Pleasure in his Mind-- is little better than a Block, scarcely more alive than his primeval Dust!
O! ADAM! look down and scorn thy degenerate Sons, who cease to love thy fair and lovely Daughters!
In vain Man seeks for Happiness in Gold, in Power, Titles, Equipage or Sound, all is empty Air,-- he can taste no solid Bliss 'till Heaven gives him a joyous Nymph, one to his Wish, exactly to his Heart's Desire, to bless his circling Years, and fill his Cup of Pleasure full! Then sweet as the rosy Morn, bright as the burning Noon, serene as the smiling Eve, his Life rolls on! Like the Sun and Moon, the King of Day, and Queen of Night, the happy Pair shine in their Orbits, scatter Blessings in their Spheres, and glance propitious Smiles on all around!
Ye Sons of Science, who ken the planetary World, and trace the Stars in their winding Maze, to please a curious Mind, turn from those distant tasteless Scenes, and fix your Eyes on your Kindred Fair, made for Man's Delight! Ye ruddy Swains, who till the Soil or plow the Main, to find the shining Dust, give o'er your vain Pursuits, and seek the Fair, who far outshine all glittering Things beneath the Sun, and are the Source of sublunary Bliss. All ye that sit on lofty Thrones, or move in humbler Spheres embrace the virtuous Fair, and find the solid Joy unknown before! In this delightful Circle spend thy golden Time, and know this important Truth, LOVE, and BLISS, are one.
MARS.
What sub-type of article is it?
Poetic
Persuasive
Emotional
What themes does it cover?
Morality
Social Issues
What keywords are associated?
Love
Passion
Virtue
Happiness
Marriage
Sensibility
Women
What entities or persons were involved?
Mars.
Messieurs Fowles
Letter to Editor Details
Author
Mars.
Recipient
Messieurs Fowles
Main Argument
love is the most noble and agreeable passion in the human mind; ridiculing or feeling indifference toward it reveals insensibility and meanness, while true happiness and bliss are achieved only through union with a virtuous woman.
Notable Details
References To Adam And His Daughters
Metaphors Comparing Happy Couple To Sun And Moon
Exhortations To Men Of Science, Farmers, And Rulers To Embrace Love