Nothing New Walking the Street

It's often said "there's nothing new under the sun." This applies to most areas of living and the experiences gained thereby, especially when it comes to romance.

Shakespeare knew it in the 17th century. Goethe really, really drove the point home in the 18th century. And Jane Austin reminded everyone of it in the early 19th century, while George Gissing let it be known in the late 19th century.

(I guess most of us know that nobody could shut up about it for even ten minutes during the 20th century, regardless of two world wars and the torment we endured at the hands of USA for Africa when they released "We Are the World.")

I think about the sameness of love in a changing world all the time, but it was a quote by Gissing from New Grub Street that caught my eye today:

"Man has a right to nothing in this world that he cannot pay for. Did you imagine that love was an exception? Foolish idealist! Love is one of the first things to be frightened away by poverty."

If the phrase "sad but true" means anything, this is one of the saddest things I've ever heard.