Youthful love has a romantic, idealistic character. It elevates the beloved object to apotheosis. In its inception it is platonic, and turns to forms of poetry and romance. With the awakening of sensuality there is danger that this idealizing power may be brought to bear upon persons of the opposite sex who are mentally, physically, and socially of inferior station. Thus there may occur _méssalliances_, seductions, and errors, with the whole tragedy of a passionate love that comes in conflict with the dictates of social position and prospects, and sometimes terminates in suicide or double suicide. Over-sensual love can never be lasting and true. For this reason the first love is, as a rule, very fleeting; because it is nothing else than the flare of a passion, the flame of a fire of straw. Only the love that rests upon a recognition of the social qualities of the beloved person, only a love which is willing not only to enjoy present pleasures, but to bear suffering for the beloved object and sacrifice all, is true love. The love of a strongly constituted man shrinks before no difficulties or dangers in order to gain and keep possession of its object. Love expresses itself in acts of heroism and daring. Such love is in danger, under certain circumstances, of becoming criminal, if moral principles be weak. Jealousy is an ugly spot in this love. The love of a weakly constituted man is sentimental. It sometimes leads to suicide when it is not returned or meets with obstacles, while, under like conditions, the strongly constituted man may become a criminal. Sentimental love is in danger of becoming a caricature, _i.e._, when the sensual element is weak (the Knight of Toggenburg, Don Quixote, many minnesingers and troubadours of the Middle Ages). Such love is flat and soft, and may be even silly; but the true expression of this powerful feeling awakens appropriate pity, respect, or sorrow in the hearts of others. Frequently this weak love expresses itself in equivalents—in poetry, which, however, under such circumstances, is effeminate; in æsthetics which are overdrawn; in religion, in which it gives itself up to mysteries and religious enthusiasm; or, where there is a more powerful sensual foundation, founds sects or expresses itself in religious insanity. The immature love of the age of puberty has something of all this in it. Of all the poems and rhymes written at this time of life, they only are readable that are the product of poets divinely endowed. Notwithstanding all the ethics which love requires in order to develop into its true and pure form, its strongest root is still sensuality. Platonic love is an impossibility, a self-deception, a false designation for related feelings. In as far as love rests upon sensual desire, it is only conceivable in a normal way as existing between individuals of opposite sex and capable of sexual intercourse. If these conditions are wanting or destroyed, then, in the place of love, comes friendship.