This latter intimacy is more dangerous than
the former because the heart, not thinking itself interested, is less
upon its guard, and consequently more exposed to suffer from the
poison concealed in words and examples.
Be assured of the nature of the attraction you feel. See if it is
founded upon solid qualities, capable of making an impression upon an
upright and serious mind, or upon those superficial qualities which
the world esteems, and which allure volatile minds. In the latter
case, you cannot, without danger, engage in relations; the inevitable
effect of which must be either to fortify your present defects, or
add to them others which you have not at present. If your love for
any one be founded on trivial motives, and if you dispense yourself
from the obligation of restraining your affections, let me entreat
you to take at least all the precautions that prudence requires to
prevent you from becoming the dupe of a foolish fondness. But if your
affections are founded on sympathy of character, on a concurrence of
holy thoughts and sentiments, with a view to strengthen the love and
practice of virtue; then the attainment of their object is highly
commendable and praiseworthy; and you may justly hope to secure the
happiest results from it.
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