John Oliver Hobbes

“ I am beginning to agree with many of your views on the soul, and death, and marriage, and things of that order!"
"Ah! never trust a man's opinion on any subject until he has been in love," said Wiche. "Love is the only thing which can make life as clear as noon-day."
"Then I suppose you still find it dark and perplexing! Dear me! how idly I talk. I meant to say— but would it be impertinent? I was only thinking that a day, an hour, perhaps a few words might make all the difference in your ideas!" "If I told you," said Wiche, "that sleeping and waking I heard but one voice, saw but one face." ”

“ But to Wiche their occasional meetings and interchange of ideas had meant much more; the man of letters [1] is not a man of letters if he accepts life and the circumstances of life as they appear at first sight—it is the prime instinct of his nature to reject what seems and to clutch—or die in failing to clutch—things not as they are, but as his imagination would have them. To be brief, our friend had fallen in love with the idea of loving Lady Mallinger. ”

“ Notes ↑ A man devoted to literary or scholarly activities: http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Man-of-Letters↑ Time alone.↑ Strong, rational.↑ Wiche expressing admiration for only one women↑ Gossiping↑ A malicious woman: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vixen↑ This reference to blue eyes could refer to a stereotype that people with blue eyes are untrustworthy, but could also refer to beauty, and thus imply beautiful women to be untrustworthy.↑ A clever scheme or artful plot. ”