"Obtrusiveness is a crime, forwardness is a crime, and both disgust; but love! no purest angel need blush to love. And when I see or hear either man or woman couple shame with love, I know their minds are coarse, their associations debased. Many who think themselves refined ladies and gentlemen, and on whose lips the word 'vulgarity' is for ever hovering, cannot mention 'love' without betraying their own innate and imbecile degradation. It is a low feeling in their estimation, connected only with low ideas for them."
"You describe three-fourths of the world, Caroline."
"They are cold--they are cowardly--they are stupid on the subject, Shirley! They never loved--they never were loved!"
"Thou art right, Lina. And in their dense ignorance they blaspheme living fire, seraph-brought from a divine altar."

"Forwardness is a crime; but love! No-one need blush to love. When I hear anyone couple shame with love, I know their minds are coarse and debased. Many who think themselves refined ladies and gentlemen cannot mention 'love' without betraying their own innate degradation. It is connected only with low ideas for them."
"You describe three-fourths of the world, Caroline."
"They are cold - they are stupid, Shirley! They never loved - they never were loved!"
"Thou art right, Lina."
