Novels and all the various methods by which youth in civilized life are led to a knowledge of the existence of passions before they really feel them, had produced a strong effect on him who was so peculiarly susceptible of every impression.

At eleven years of age Diana was his favourite playmate but he already talked the language of love.

Although she was elder than he by nearly two years the nature of her education made her more childish at least in the knowledge and expression of feeling; she received his warm protestations with innocence, and returned them unknowing of what they meant.

She had read no novels and associated only with her younger sisters, what could she know of the difference between love and friendship?
And when the development of her understanding disclosed the true nature of this intercourse to her, her affections were already engaged to her friend, and all she feared was lest other attractions and fickleness might make him break his infant vows.
But they became every day more ardent and tender.

It was a passion that had grown with his growth; it had become entwined with every faculty and every sentiment and only to be lost with life.