Racine: Phaedra

THE MISANTHROPE 293
AcASTE. I see her endowed with beauty and attractions; but
if she has any defects, I fail to see them.
Alceste. I see them all, and, far from affecting to be blind
to her faults, she will tell you that I take great care to
reproach her with them. The more devotedly we love,
the less we ought to flatter. True love shows itself in not
passing over anything ; and, for my part, I would banish
from my presence all those mean-spirited lovers so sub-
missive to what I say or think, and whose tame obsequi-
ousness panders to all my vagaries.
Celimene. In a word, according to you, when we are truly
in love we ought to banish all tenderness, and to believe
that the highest aim of perfect sympathy is to upbraid
sharply those with whom we sympathize.
Eliante. This is not generally the way of love, and lovers
ever extol the object of their choice. They can see nothing
to blame, and everything becomes charming. They
think faults perfections, and invent endearing terms by
which to call them. She who is pale vies in fairness with
the jessamine ; the negress is an adorable brunette ; a
grace the lean and spare ; she who is stout, has a bearing
full of majesty ; the slattern, with but few charms, passes
for a careless beauty; the giantess becomes a goddess,
and the dwarf an epitome of Heaven's wonders ;
haughty beauty has a soul worthy of a diadem ;
the
deceitful-
ness passes for wit, and stupidity for good nature ; the
over-talkative is of a cheerful disposition, and she who is
mute has retiring ways. Thus it is that a passionate lover
cherishes even the defects of her he adores.
Alceste. And I maintain . . .
Celimene. Let us drop the subject, and go and take a turn
or two in the gallery. What ! are you going, gentlemen ?
Clitandre, Acaste [together]. No, madam.
Alceste. The fear of losing them greatly troubles you. Go
when you please, gentlemen ; but I warn you that I shall
only leave after you are gone.
Acaste. Unless my presence should prove importunate, noth-
ing calls me elsewhere to-day.
Clitandre. As for me, provided I am in time for the petit
coucher, I have no other engagement to call me away.