THE INDIVIDUAL LIFE CYCLE 179 



scapegoat of sex, and to interpret as disharmonies 

 what are really due to a poverty of nature, a dearth of 

 sound human interests, and an absence of real respon- 

 sibilities. 



§ 7. Falling in Love — or. Rather, Rising 

 The natural climax of adolescence is a genuine fall- 

 ing in love — not a passing fancy, nor a sudden impulse 

 of the flesh — ^but a reaching out of the whole being, — 

 impulsively rather than dehberately, intuitively rather 

 than rationally. It normally includes (1) an instinc- 

 tive organic attraction, (2) an aesthetic attraction to 

 quahties of voice, eyes, gesture, manner, and dress, 

 and (3) a sentimental psychical attraction of person- 

 ahty for personaUty. Love is an affair of body, sense, 

 and mind. Those who have given special attention to 

 the subject declare that the least successful fallings in 

 love are those which are the outcome of a too specialised 

 attraction, too purely physical, too purely aesthetic, too 

 purely intellectual. The lasting basis is manifold, 

 not simple. It has been well said that " There is gold 

 and clay, sunhght and savagery in every love-story." 

 But if the root of the matter be there — and the profounder 

 tendernesses in which seH is half forgotten, then even 

 if the turtle-doving seems silly let us not greet it with 

 a superior smile, and even if the captivation seems mad 

 let us not ban it. As Meredith says, " Love is a mad- 

 ness, but with heaven's wisdom in it — a spark. Even 

 when it is driving us on the breakers, call it love ; and 

 be not unworthy of it, hold to it." 



