Inspired by his unrequited passion for the Countess Dembowska, Stendhal brings together logical, clear-sighted analysis with all-consuming emotion to remarkable effect in this unique treatise. Stendhal begins his study by classifying the different types of love—romantic, passionate, or courtly—and then muses on the causes of love’s birth. He identifies the seven stages of falling in love and proffers wise advice for the ardent lover on a variety of topics, including how to “crystallize” the object of one’s desire. Yet beneath these clever philosophical musings, Stendhal makes a desperate attempt to reconcile and dispel his own tortured emotions.
