Love in the Western World

WELL, we have read it — read every line of it — and if any other adventurous soul cares for a dizzy spin through the literary stratosphere we urge him to follow suit. The book is a study of the theory and practice of love as exhibited in Western literature from the myth of Tristan down even unto this day; or, as the author describes it, it is ‘a kind of outline-history of the cult of passion’; and the wealth and gorgeousness of its deductions leave one dumb in a stupor of boozy admiration. The only comparison that occurs to us is the daily morning’s miracle of converting a homely speck of shaving soap into an incredible volume of luscious suds.

We are in earnest about recommending this work. We are not spoofing; the author’s analysis of the Tristan romance alone is worth far more than the price of admission; and the rest of the work is an equally inspiring example of what free imagination and enterprise can do when they choose to spread themselves. Furthermore, as a cure for the blues we have seen nothing like it since the great work of G. Ragsdale McClintock called The Enemy Conquered; or, Love Triumpbant, which Mark Twain brought into public notice years ago; and in these depressing days such a book is more to be desired than gold or precious stones.