So he gives her lessons in philosophy, physics, mathematics, history, and everything else.  Sophy is delighted to share his enthusiasm and to try and profit by it.  How pleased Emile is when he can get leave to give these lessons on his knees before her!  He thinks the heavens are open.  Yet this position, more trying to pupil than to teacher, is hardly favourable to study.  It is not easy to know where to look, to avoid meeting the eyes which follow our own, and if they meet so much the worse for the lesson.

Women are no strangers to the art of thinking, but they should only skim the surface of logic and metaphysics.  Sophy understands readily, but she soon forgets.  She makes most progress in the moral sciences and aesthetics; as to physical science she retains some vague idea of the general laws and order of this world.  Sometimes in the course of their walks, the spectacle of the wonders of nature bids them not fear to raise their pure and innocent hearts to nature’s God; they are not afraid of His presence, and they pour out their hearts before him.

What!  Two young lovers spending their time together talking of religion!  Have they nothing better to do than to say their catechism!  What profit is there in the attempt to degrade what is noble?  Yes, no doubt they are saying their catechism in their delightful land of romance; they are perfect in each other’s eyes; they love one another, they talk eagerly of all that makes virtue worth having.  Their sacrifices to virtue make her all the dearer to them.  Their struggles after self-control draw from them tears purer than the dew of heaven, and these sweet tears are the joy of life; no human heart has ever experienced a sweeter intoxication.  Their very renunciation adds to their happiness, and their sacrifices increase their self-respect.  Sensual men, bodies without souls, some day they will know your pleasures, and all their life long they will recall with regret the happy days when they refused the cup of pleasure.

In spite of this good understanding, differences and even quarrels occur from time to time; the lady has her whims, the lover has a hot temper; but these passing showers are soon over and only serve to strengthen their union.  Emile learns by experience not to attach too much importance to them, he always gains more by the reconciliation than he lost by the quarrel.  The results of the first difference made him expect a like result from all; he was mistaken, but even if he does not make any appreciable step forward, he has always the satisfaction of finding Sophy’s genuine concern for his affection more firmly established.  “What advantage is this to him?” you would ask.  I will gladly tell you; all the more gladly because it will give me an opportunity to establish clearly a very important principle, and to combat a very deadly one.