It is a question which woman after woman has put herself, in vain,
whether 't would have been wiser to have accepted and retained the
romantic love of unthinking youth, or to have waited for the more sober
affection of the years of discretion.
Perhaps a girl hardly knows all that is meant by that thing called "love"
or what is entailed upon her by that thing called an "engagement". She
has played with love so much, that when a real and serious love is
offered her, she still thinks it the toy that amused her. But
Soon enough does the man, if he is earnest--and a man never proposes
unless he is in earnest--enlighten the girl of his choice: for
To a man, love never is a toy--though mere lust may be:
Men never play with love, as do girls: they play with lust,--as they
play with bats and balls and fire-arms;