From Note Book 3 of ‘In Woods of God-Realization’
What is Love? Is a good experiment to try, but only once in life, not every day. See it once and leave it. It is a storm, an ague, a fever. Never be misled by praises of love by fools who have not tried it. Having once tried Love and suffered from its pangs, never read anything about it, just discard all Literature concerning this passion. Throw off anything concerning it, as you have thrown off the primary-school books.
Prem is no solution of the question. O Saviour of the world, from your suffering the future suffering of the world from the same cause ought to be mitigated. You suffer to find out the remedy so that others may not suffer. The proper way of handling it (which is) discovered by you must be shared by others.
It is not possible to ride a camel and avoid jolting. The bark goes smooth and soft on the calm surface of a lake; but if we sit in the bark enticed by its gentle course, we find it, no easy sailing. Both will sink.
Emerson’s conclusions about Love are far from being the Truth. The poor fellow had missed the mark.