--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The wooing of those days was prompt and…" description: "\"“The wooing of those days was prompt and practical. There was no time for the gradual approaches of an idler and more conventional age. It is related o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/john-hay-27858_courtship_the-wooing-of-those-days-was-prompt-and_1193755.jpg" --- # The wooing of those days was prompt and practical. There… ![“The wooing of those days was prompt and practical. There was no time for the gradual approaches of an idler and more conventional age. It is related of one Stout, one of the legendary Nimrods of Illinois, who was well and frequently married, that he had one unfailing formula of courtship. He…” quote by John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/john-hay-27858_courtship_the-wooing-of-those-days-was-prompt-and_1193755.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/john-hay-27858_courtship_the-wooing-of-those-days-was-prompt-and_1193755.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/john-hay-27858_courtship_the-wooing-of-those-days-was-prompt-and_1193755.jpg) > ““The wooing of those days was prompt and practical. There was no time for the gradual approaches of an idler and more conventional age. It is related of one Stout, one of the legendary Nimrods of Illinois, who was well and frequently married, that he had one unfailing formula of courtship. He always promised the ladies whose hearts he was besieging that "they should live in the timber where they could pick up their own firewood.”” [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He advocated swift, practical courtship, offering women independence through self‑sufficiency rather than idle romance. **In simple terms:** Fast, practical romance with self‑reliance. Key Takeaway Offer independence, not idle promises. Themes courtship independence practicality Mood playful reflective Type advice historical When to use this quote - dating - marriage proposals - relationship advice Key Concepts self‑sufficiency gender roles social norms Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑reliance affect romantic dynamics? - Is practicality enough for lasting love? A Different Perspective May overlook emotional depth and mutual partnership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courtship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtship/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wooing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wooing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm past my wooing days now. See, I am an honest person. If I like a girl, I will go and tell her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuvraj-singh/i-m-past-my-wooing-days-now-see-i-am-an-honest-person-if-i-like-a/) [Yuvraj Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuvraj-singh/) > [Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-and-i-are-too-wise-to-woo-peaceably/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts To courtship and such fair ostents of love As shall conveniently become you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/be-merry-and-employ-your-chiefest-thoughts-to-courtship-and-such-fair/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ “What is wrong with the \[tale of\] Two Swords?" he asked, even more surprised. "Don't you care for it?" "There is too bloody much… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-kurland/what-is-wrong-with-the-tale-of-two-swords-he-asked-even-more/) [Lynn Kurland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-kurland/) > [“No: I shall not marry Samuel Fawthrop Wynne." "I ask why? I must have a reason. In all respects he is more than worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/no-i-shall-not-marry-samuel-fawthrop-wynne-i-ask-why-i-must-have-a/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [You must not contrast too strongly the hours of courtship with the years of possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/you-must-not-contrast-too-strongly-the-hours-of-courtship-with-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“I'll never miss a chance to remind you of what a brat you were. A gloriously beautiful and very spoiled brat. I was utterly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/i-ll-never-miss-a-chance-to-remind-you-of-what-a-brat-you-were-a/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-had-rather-hear-my-dog-bark-at-a-crow-than-a-man-swear-he-loves-me/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Women are angels, wooing: Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing: That she beloved knows naught, that knows not this-- Men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/women-are-angels-wooing-things-won-are-done-joy-s-soul-lies-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I was supposed to be a romancer, either wooing the leading lady or competing with the leading man for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/i-was-supposed-to-be-a-romancer-either-wooing-the-leading-lady-or/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) > [“The first six months are what I call the La La Land phase. This is what a lot of romantic novels, songs, and movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-cummins/the-first-six-months-are-what-i-call-the-la-la-land-phase-this-is/) [Pamela Cummins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-cummins/) > [I didn't want to tell the story of what makes two people come together, although that's a theme of great power and universality. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-didn-t-want-to-tell-the-story-of-what-makes-two-people-come/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Love is a blazing, crackling, green-wood flame, as much smoke as flame; friendship, married friendship particularly, is a steady,intense, comfortable fire. Love, in courtship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/love-is-a-blazing-crackling-green-wood-flame-as-much-smoke-as-flame/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [“Courtship is an activity whereby one losses oneself … whilst trying to win someone’s love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/courtship-is-an-activity-whereby-one-losses-oneself-whilst-trying-to/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Courtship is the time during which the girl decides whether or not she can do any better. Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/courtship-is-the-time-during-which-the-girl-decides-whether-or-not/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) ## More by John Hay > [I think that saving a little child And bringing him to his own, Is a derned sight better business Than loafing around the throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/i-think-that-saving-a-little-child-and-bringing-him-to-his-own-is-a/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [Make all good men your well-wishers, and then, in the years' steady sifting, Some of them turn into friends. Friends are the sunshine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/make-all-good-men-your-well-wishers-and-then-in-the-years-steady/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [Break not the rose; its fragrance and beauty are surely sufficient, resting contented with these, never a thorn shall you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/break-not-the-rose-its-fragrance-and-beauty-are-surely-sufficient/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [There are occasions when you can hear the mysterious language of the Earth, in water, or coming through the trees, emanating from the mosses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/there-are-occasions-when-you-can-hear-the-mysterious-language-of-the/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [Speak with the speech of the world; think with the thoughts of the few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/speak-with-the-speech-of-the-world-think-with-the-thoughts-of-the-few/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [At my door the Pale Horse stands to carry me to unknown lands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/at-my-door-the-pale-horse-stands-to-carry-me-to-unknown-lands/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [There are three species of creatures who when they seem coming are going, when they seem going they come: diplomats, women, and crabs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/there-are-three-species-of-creatures-who-when-they-seem-coming-are/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [“This beach I voyage on leads me through the earth's immortal consistencies. Each form I encounter obeys the principles of perfection and trial, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/this-beach-i-voyage-on-leads-me-through-the-earth-s-immortal/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [It would never occur to most of us that 'plants' say anything at all, except in terms of what we read into them, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/it-would-never-occur-to-most-of-us-that-plants-say-anything-at-all/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [Dealing with a government with whom mendacity is a science is an extremely difficult matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/dealing-with-a-government-with-whom-mendacity-is-a-science-is-an/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [The best loved man or maid in the town would perish with anguish Could they hear all that their friends say in the course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/the-best-loved-man-or-maid-in-the-town-would-perish-with-anguish/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [The people will come to their own at last,-God is not mocked forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/the-people-will-come-to-their-own-at-last-god-is-not-mocked-forever/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [What is first love worth, except to prepare for a second? What does second love bring? Only regret for the first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/what-is-first-love-worth-except-to-prepare-for-a-second-what-does/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [“In a society so estranged from animals as ours, we often fail to credit them with any form of language. If we do, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/in-a-society-so-estranged-from-animals-as-ours-we-often-fail-to/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) > [Unto each man comes a day when his favorite sins all forsake him, And he complacently thinks he has forsaken his sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hay/unto-each-man-comes-a-day-when-his-favorite-sins-all-forsake-him-and/) [John Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) [Explore all 20 John Hay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hay/) ## More Courtship quotes > [There are so many spiders, and their rituals, their mating rituals, their courtship ritual, can be very, very different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-rossellini/there-are-so-many-spiders-and-their-rituals-their-mating-rituals/) [Isabella Rossellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-rossellini/) > [“Courtship is the time during which the girl decides whether or not she can do any better. Anonymous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/courtship-is-the-time-during-which-the-girl-decides-whether-or-not/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) > [“Courtship is an activity whereby one losses oneself … whilst trying to win someone’s love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/courtship-is-an-activity-whereby-one-losses-oneself-whilst-trying-to/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Love is a blazing, crackling, green-wood flame, as much smoke as flame; friendship, married friendship particularly, is a steady,intense, comfortable fire. Love, in courtship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/love-is-a-blazing-crackling-green-wood-flame-as-much-smoke-as-flame/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [So far, I haven't met anyone, and with an average fifteen-hour workday schedule, I hardly think it's probable... For the sake of my making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-burr/so-far-i-haven-t-met-anyone-and-with-an-average-fifteen-hour-workday/) [Raymond Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-burr/) > [I didn't want to tell the story of what makes two people come together, although that's a theme of great power and universality. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-didn-t-want-to-tell-the-story-of-what-makes-two-people-come/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Women are angels, wooing: Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing: That she beloved knows naught, that knows not this-- Men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/women-are-angels-wooing-things-won-are-done-joy-s-soul-lies-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The first six months are what I call the La La Land phase. This is what a lot of romantic novels, songs, and movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-cummins/the-first-six-months-are-what-i-call-the-la-la-land-phase-this-is/) [Pamela Cummins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-cummins/) > [Ladies, A real man does more than loving and caring for you¦He loves Jesus more than you could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loveleah/ladies-a-real-man-does-more-than-loving-and-caring-for-you-he-loves/) Loveleah > [Over the years of courtship and being together, we realized that there was no value left for anything. People just want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareena-kapoor/over-the-years-of-courtship-and-being-together-we-realized-that-there/) [Kareena Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareena-kapoor/) > [“Courtship had a new rule book. Somewhere. She’d never read it and doubted anyone else in her generation had either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-lomax/courtship-had-a-new-rule-book-somewhere-she-d-never-read-it-and/) Carrie Lomax > [When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/when-you-are-courting-a-nice-girl-an-hour-seems-like-a-second/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The loss of courtship in modern days - like, people don't court anybody anymore. There's no beauty about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vassilieva/the-loss-of-courtship-in-modern-days-like-people-don-t-court-anybody/) [Sofia Vassilieva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vassilieva/) > [“Careful,” he said. “If you keep blushing like that I may do more than just draw you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/careful-he-said-if-you-keep-blushing-like-that-i-may-do-more-than/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [The natural world is full of females falling hard for stupid male display behavior, including bright feathers, big antlers, and bombastic courtship rituals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-conniff/the-natural-world-is-full-of-females-falling-hard-for-stupid-male/) [Richard Conniff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-conniff/) [Browse all 245 Courtship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courtship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The wooing of those days was prompt and practical. 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