them. If it was from an enemy they got the advice there is no fear that they would take it. Often a man has done what was good for him by refusing the advice of an enemy. It is not from an enemy that a person is ever in danger of doing what is harmful to him, but from his friend. The dearer the friend the greater the danger and the worse the harm, because the readier the yielding. If it be Jove for a woman that is driving a man to his bane, there is an end of good counsel, and there is an end of the man's defending himself. There is an end of that man's sense and wisdom and understanding and judgment. The more worthy the woman the more complete the senselessness in the man. If a charming, good, sensible, handsome young woman gives the love of her heart completely to that man, and he to her, that man will wrong his own judgment, and he will do what is against his real welfare with his eyes open, sooner than he would do what he thinks she would not like; and she will do the same thing exactly, sooner than do what she thinks he would not like. The proverb is at sea in that one matter at all events. 'Downright wantonness' is a good thing to send a man to the bad, and extreme poverty is a good thing to send a man to the bad, but there is a thing that is better than either of them for the purpose, and that is love, and friendship and affection. I have people now below in hell, people who have worked their own ruin on account of love or of friendship, and there is no danger that they would be there had there been nothing to send them there but wantonness or poverty. There is many a man and woman to whom I failed completely to do any
