A man of delicacy oft betrays his passion by his too great anxiety to
conceal it; especially if he has little hopes of success. True love, in
all its stages, seeks concealment, and never expects success. It renders
a man not only respectful, but timid, to the highest degree, in his
behaviour to the woman he loves.
To conceal the awe he stands in of her, he may sometimes affect
pleasantry, but it fits awkwardly on him; and he quickly relapses into
seriousness, if not dullness. He magnifies all her real perfections in
his imagination, and is either blind to her failings, or converts them
into beauties. Like a person conscious of guilt, he is jealous that
every eye observes him: and to avoid this he shuns all the little
observances of common gallantry.
His heart and his character will be improved in every respect by his
attachment. His manners will become more gentle, and his conversation
more agreeable; but diffidence and embarrassment will always make him
appear to disadvantage in the company of his mistress. If the
fascination continues long, it will depress his spirit, and extinguish
every vigorous and manly principle of his mind.
* * * * *