JEALOUSY by Sir Arthur Helps

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 8, 1877

JEALOUSY

By Sir Arthur Helps

Jealousy is such a stupid, illogical passion. Somebody likes you better than me, therefore I am to hate you. Thus jealousy reasons, and seems to forget one of the most obvious facts in life, namely, that one is liked by any person accordingly as one presents a likeable appearance to that person. Nothing can prevent the operation of this natural law. It is no good your urging that you are the father, mother, brother, sister, husband, or lover, of the person by whom you wish to be supremely loved. If you are not lovable to him, or her, all argument, all exhortation, all passion, which is intended to produce love, is thrown away. You can force the outward show, but not the inward feeling. A jealous person will exclaim, “Why don’t you confide in me?” The real answer is, “You are not a person to be confided in;” and all claims for confidence come to nothing when confronted with that important fact. Jealousy is, therefore, the peculiar vice of stupid people.—Sir Arthur Helps.