Formality Quote by Fanny Burney
“No man is in love when he marries. He may have loved before; I have even heard he has sometimes loved after: but at the time never. There is something in the formalities of the matrimonial preparations that drive away all the little cupidons.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Evelina by Fanny Burney, 1778
Marriage often replaces romantic love with duty, making love feel absent at the ceremony.
In simple terms: Marriage can feel formal and distant from love.
Key Takeaway
Recognize love’s shift after vows.
Themes
marriage
love
formalities
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
observational
literary
When to use this quote
- wedding planning
- first night
- family gatherings
Key Concepts
romantic idealism
social expectations
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you think love can survive formal rituals?
- How do expectations shape marital feelings?
A Different Perspective
Love may reemerge later, but not at the moment of vows.
![“I never pretend to be so superior a being as to be above having and indulging a hobby horse [her journal writing], and while I keep mine within due bounds and limits, nobody, I flatter myself, would wish to deprive me of the poor animal: to be sure, he is not formed for labour, and is rather lame…” quote by Fanny Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d52/fanny-burney-7403_animal_i-never-pretend-to-be-so-superior-a-bein_485407.jpg)
![“The laws of custom make our [returning a visit] necessary. O how I hate this vile custom which obliges us to make slaves of ourselves! to sell the most precious property we boast, our time;--and to sacrifice it to every prattling impertinent who chooses to demand it!” quote by Fanny Burney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d6b/fanny-burney-7403_boast_the-laws-of-custom-make-our-returning-a_580819.jpg)
