Passing strange is it too, to behold a young maiden upon whom affection has been richly poured from her cradle, who has literally been the idol of her home, turn from all these life-long worshippers to a comparative stranger, and cling to him with a tacit declaration that the love of all is outweighed by the love of one; that the very blame of that one is more precious than the praises of all others.
Strange, indeed, to find her ready to make any sacrifice, to renounce any happiness, to forego any advantage, that she may share his future. Alas! too often to see her willing to wound the tenderest of mothers, the truest of fathers, to save that stranger an hour's pain, or give him a moment's pleasure. At the first blush this reckless, unreasoning, all-absorbing devotion seems unnatural; and yet it is in strict accordance with Nature's unalterable law. Love—true Love is the supreme ruler; the omnipotent sovereign over the heart's whole empire, and all human affections are but its subjects.
True love? Where is the Ithuriel spear that will teach us to recognize this God-blessed Love from the "Puck of Passion"? Bring the one, great, unfailing touchstone, and try the thousand pleasant cheats we irreverently call "love," and how few will not melt at the touch, or assume some meaner form, and take some lower title! The only test of love is its immutability. The heavenly spark kin-
