love the thought of another woman is uninteresting, if not repulsive. Constancy is human nature. Instead of love being the occasion of all the misery of this world, as is sung by fantastic bards, _I believe that the misery of this world is occasioned by there not being love enough_.... Happiness is only to be found in a recurrence to the principles of human nature, and these will prompt very simple manners. For myself, I believe that permanent unions of the sexes should be early encouraged; nor do I conceive that general happiness can ever flourish but in societies where it is the custom for all males to marry at eighteen. This custom, I am informed, is not unusual in the United States of America, and its consequence is a simplicity of manners and purity of conduct _which Europeans cannot comprehend, but to which they must ultimately have recourse_. Primeval barbarism and extreme civilisation must arrive at the same results. Men under these circumstances are actuated by their structure; in the first instance instinctively, in the second philosophically. At present[168] we are all in the various gradations of the intermediate state of corruption.” At all events, his own compositions were conspicuously spotless; and it may be said of him, as it was of Addison--so unlike otherwise--“No whiter page remains.” Such, then, are some of Disraeli’s main ideas on the outward forms and inward spirit of society. Fashionable “society” he played with, and he used--it amused him; but he never cherished, rather he scorned it. Power he valued; and fame--“the opinion of mankind after death”--for him meant power. There was once a certain rather fussy Radical member who had long been anxious to make his acquaintance. When _Lothair_ appeared, he rushed up to Disraeli excitedly, with many apologies for the intrusion, and begged him to receive the assurance of his daughter’s intense admiration for that work. “Thank you ever so much,” returned Disraeli, “_and this is fame_!”