"Sentiment reasons, and is capable of devotion. Sentimentality excludes reflective thought and ignores generosity.
"We are capable of sacrificing ourselves for sentiment.
"Sentimentality exacts the sacrifice of others.
"Therefore, profiting by the principles already developed, he who cultivates common sense will never fail to reason in the following manner:
"Opening the symbolic fan, he will encounter, after perfection, the memory which will suggest to him the recollections of personal and strange experiences and he will record this fact: abegation is rarely encountered.
"The inclination of our thoughts will suggest to us the difficulties there are in searching for it.
"Deduction will acquaint us with the temerity of this exaction, and precaution will attract our thoughts to the possibility of suffering which could proceed from disillusion.
"Following this, reasoning and judgment will intervene in order to hasten the conclusion formulated by common sense.
"It follows then that, abnegation being so rare, common sense indicates to me that it would be imprudent for me to allow my happiness to rest upon the existence of a thing so exceptional.
"For this reason this sentimental defect will find common sense armed against this eventuality.