appiness comes of true love, and true love should be
independent of external influences. It should live upon itself
and by itself--in itself love should live for love alone!

BALLAD--ALEXIS

Love feeds on many kinds of food, I know,
Some love for rank, some for duty:
Some give their hearts away for empty show,
And others for youth and beauty.
To love for money all the world is prone:
Some love themselves, and live all lonely:
Give me the love that loves for love alone--
I love that love--I love it only!

What man for any other joy can thirst,
Whose loving wife adores him duly?
Want, misery, and care may do their worst,
If loving woman loves you truly.
A lover's thoughts are ever with his own--
None truly loved is ever lonely:
Give me the love that loves for love alone--
I love that love--I love it only!

ALINE Oh, Alexis, those are noble principles!
ALEXIS Yes, Aline, and I am going to take a desperate step
in support of them. Have you ever heard of the firm of J. W.
Wells & Co., the old-established Family Sorcerers in St. Mary
Axe?
ALINE I have seen their advertisement.
ALEXIS They have invented a philtre, which, if report may
be believed, is simply infallible. I intend to distribute it
through the village, and within half an hour of my doing so there
will not be an adult in the place who will not have learnt the
secret of pure and lasting happiness. What do you say to that?
ALINE Well, dear, of course a filter is a very useful thing
in a house; but still I don't quite see that it is the sort of
thing that places its possessor on the very pinnacle of earthly
joy.
ALEXIS Aline, you misunderstand me. I didn't say a
filter--I said a philtre.
ALINE (alarmed) You don't mean a love-potion?
ALEXIS On the contrary--I do mean a love potion.
ALINE Oh, Alexis! I don't think it would be right. I
don't indeed. And then--a real magician! Oh, it would be
downright wicked.
ALEXIS Aline, is it, or is it not, a laudable object to
steep the whole village up to its lips in love, and to couple
them in mat