Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.
The Conquest of Happiness
Sounds quite modern, doesn’t it – agony aunt material? But I like the similar advice given by Sir John Suckling (1609-1642) even more vigorously in the early seventeenth century:
Why so pale and wan fond lover?
Prithee why so pale?
Will, when looking well can’t move her,
Looking ill prevail?
Prithee why so pale?
Why so dull and mute young sinner?
Prithee why so mute?
Will, when speaking well can’t win her,
Saying nothing do’t?
Prithee why so mute?
Quit, quit for shame, this will not move,
This cannot take her;
If of herself she will not love,
Nothing can make her;
The devil take her.
The illustration is copyright: Everett Collection via Shutterstock
About layanglicana
Author of books on Calcutta, Delhi and Dar es Salaam, I am now blogging as a lay person about the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. I am also blogging about the effects of World War One on the village of St Mary Bourne, Hampshire.
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