Ed appena vorrei Cangiar questo mio viver dolce amaro.19 Perhaps the reader may excuse another quotation as illustrative of this state of mind, which, in a philosophical point of view, is really a curious phenomenon. After having given a most beautiful description of Laura as she first appeared to him, amidst a shower of flowers, Petrarch says, Quante volte diss' io Allor pien di spavento: Costei per fermo nacque in Paradiso! Cosi carco d' obblio, Il divin portamento, M' aveano, e sì diviso Dall' imagine vera, Ch'i' dicea sospirando: Qui come venn' io, o quando? Credendo esser in ciel, non là dov'era.20 3. The greatest drawback to love is Jealousy. We have already explained the nature of this passion, and shown that, while in pure benevolence it can have no place, when self is looked to, then it may spring up. Fear and a malevolent desire are its component ele ments; and in the case of love, it is the affections and the exclusive possession of the person which we fear to lose. Now, the more we value these, the more must we hate any one who should attempt to deprive us of them; and consequently, the stronger the love, the more dreadful will be the jealousy. And should we suspect that the very object of our affections may be herself in league against us, we shall then 19 Petrarca, Canzone xvii. 20 Canzone xiv. direct our hate against her, and pass from the extreme of one passion to the extreme of its opposite. These results, which may be deduced from the nature of the human mind, are amply confirmed by experience; for we know that violent love often passes into deadly hate. This effect, however, is not brought about at once; nay, within certain limits, jealousy may foster love, as is often said. Jealousy and Absence have long been thought to fan the tender flame. According to this view, jealousy, which is a consequence of love, afterwards reacts as a cause. Supposing this to be true, on what principle can it be explained? The effects both of jealousy and absence may, I think, be accounted for from two principles of human nature, to be afterwards dwelt upon, the principle of variety and that of privation. The pains of jealousy interrupt that perfect satisfaction of love which is apt at last to pall, and make us feel more sensibly returning confidence and joy. And as we never value any thing so much as when we have actually lost it, or even fear to lose it, so the fear, which is an element of jealousy, causes us to cling to our affection with redoubled ardour. The same principles explain the effects of absence, for absence is both a change and a privation. To a certain extent, then, it is probable that jealousy does encourage love; but, when carried far, it extinguishes it altogether. When the pains which it causes become so frequent and lasting, as greatly to over-balance the pleasure derived from the intercourse, then hatred becomes the prevailing passion; and as much as we formerly loved the being who was the source of all our delight, so much do we now detest the object which is associated chiefly with misery. Jealousy can exist only so long as there is doubt; for when doubt is at an end, there is either pure love or hate. Suspense would appear to be sometimes the most intolerable state of all: O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock : But O, what damned minutes tells he o'er, Othello. Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy, With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt, No, Iago; I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; So insupportable is the doubt, that a little further on, Othello seems to wish that the worst were proved to him: Villain, be sure thou prove my love a- -; [Taking him by the throat. Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul, Make me to see it; or, (at the least) so prove it, Even when jealousy is at an end, and hate becomes the predominant passion, love still enters at times; for an affection once strong cannot be utterly destroyed in a moment, even by the proof of unfaithfulness. The mind, like the body, is very liable to relapses, and easily falls back into a train of thought or feeling which once was habitual. Thus, in the intervals of hate, love will still recur, as may be illustrated from Othello, who, just before putting his deadly purpose in execution, thus speaks: Yet, I'll not shed her blood; Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, * When I have pluck'd thy rose, I cannot give it vital growth again, It needs must wither:-I'll smell it on the tree. [Kissing her. O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Justice to break her sword!-One more, one more.― But they are cruel tears: This sorrow's heavenly; A writer less acquainted with human nature would, probably, never have thought of putting such words into the mouth of one who was about to do a deed of hate; but we feel them to be perfectly suitable to the former depth of the Moor's affection, which was suddenly recalled by the prospect of its object being speedily severed from him for ever. 21 Act v. Since love is the cause of jealousy, it might be supposed that, when the cause has ceased, the effect must terminate along with it: but such is not always the case; and for this reason, that love is not the only cause of this evil passion. An excess of jealousy puts an end to love; but jealousy may still survive; for what began from affection may be continued from vanity and this occurs the more readily on the principle of custom, as, every day, we see that opinions, feelings, and practices long out-live the causes that first gave rise to them. Thus, even when the original cause has ceased, many incidents, in themselves insignificant, may rouse the jealousy of one who had long been used to such a feeling. The only difference will be, that vanity, not love, will now take the alarm; for a blow that cannot reach the heart, may wound our self-complacency. Original conformation of mind, and particular circumstances, may greatly favour jealousy. Some minds are particularly prone to this passion; and it would be difficult to imagine any more unfavourable to happiness. Not only is it a perpetual thorn in the breast of him who harbours it, which irritates and may kill the sweet and delicate plant of love; but it also inflicts a wound in its innocent object, and a wound that may be fatal. He who is constantly exposed to unjust suspicion, must at last be alienated 22 66 La jalousie naît toujours avec l'amour, mais elle ne meurt pas toujours avec lui." Rochefoucauld, Max. 383. Il y a dans la jalousie plus d'amour-propre que d'amour." Id. 331. |