That is the prima-facie aspect of the case.

The Court of Nature assumes the law to be, that all men do so; and the individual man is bound to show cause why he does not love any particular woman.

A man, says one of my old black-letter law-books, may show divers good reasons, as thus: He hath not seen the person named in the indictment; she is of tender age, or the reverse of that; she hath certain personal disqualifications,--as, for instance, she is a blackamoor, or hath an ill-favored countenance; or, his capacity of loving being limited, his affections are engrossed by a previous comer; and so of other conditions.

Not the less is it true that he is bound by duty and inclined by nature to love each and every woman.
Therefore it is that each woman virtually summons every man to show cause why he doth not love her.

This is not by written document, or direct speech, for the most part, but by certain signs of silk, gold, and other materials, which say to all men,--Look on me and love, as in duty bound.