Love makes those young whom age doth chill, and whom he finds

In the words of William Cartwright, “Love makes those young whom age doth chill, and whom he finds young keeps young still.” This line, written by a poet of the seventeenth century, shines like a timeless jewel of truth. It speaks to the power of love—that divine and eternal force which defies decay, softens the passage of years, and keeps the soul alive long after the body begins to tire. Cartwright, a man of learning and faith, understood that the human heart, when kindled by love, resists the chill of time itself. He saw love not merely as passion, but as the vital flame that renews life, infusing vigor where weariness dwells and light where darkness gathers.

To say that love makes those young whom age doth chill is to proclaim that love is stronger than time. For though the body may bend and wrinkle under the weight of years, the heart that loves deeply remains ever radiant. It remembers joy, hope, and wonder as though it were still young. The old man who loves his wife as tenderly as when he first met her, the grandmother whose eyes sparkle at the laughter of her grandchildren—these are not victims of time, but victors over it. In their affection lives an eternal youth, not of flesh, but of spirit. Age may chill the bones, but love warms the soul.

In the world of the ancients, such wisdom was revered. The philosopher Plato, in his Symposium, wrote that love was the striving of the soul toward immortality. To love is to reach beyond oneself, to participate in something divine and unending. It is why poets through the ages have said that love never grows old—it is born fresh each moment it is given. Cartwright’s words, then, are not the sigh of a romantic, but the revelation of a mystic: that love is the elixir of life, the secret that makes the mortal eternal.

Consider the story of Antony and Cleopatra, whose love defied empires and history itself. Though their affair ended in tragedy, their passion burned so brightly that it made them immortal in the memory of the world. For while their bodies perished, their love outlived them, carried in art, in poetry, in the hearts of those who read their story centuries later. Such is the alchemy of love—it transforms fleeting moments into everlasting light. And even in the humblest lives, that same alchemy can be found: the couple who, after decades, still hold hands as though discovering each other anew; the artist whose love for his craft keeps his eyes bright with curiosity long after others have grown weary.

Cartwright’s second line—“and whom he finds young keeps young still”—is equally profound. It teaches that love not only revives the old; it preserves the youth of the young. The child who grows up surrounded by love becomes fearless and kind; the youth who loves truly walks through life with purpose. Love anchors them to what is real and pure, guarding them from the cynicism that often accompanies age. The heart that loves never grows bitter; it remains open, curious, and alive to beauty. This is why those who love much seem untouched by the world’s hardness—they are sustained by a force that renews itself endlessly.

And yet, my child, do not mistake this love for the fleeting fire of desire alone. The love that keeps one young is not born of pleasure, but of devotion—to others, to the world, to life itself. It is the kind of love that forgives, that endures, that gives without measure. It is the love of the parent for the child, of the healer for the suffering, of the friend for the fallen. Such love does not fade when beauty fades, nor tremble when sorrow comes. It deepens, grows steadier, and becomes a source of strength through every season of life.

The lesson, then, is clear: if you would stay young, love greatly and love truly. Let love be your exercise, your nourishment, your prayer. Seek not merely to be loved, but to love—with patience, with generosity, with courage. For every act of genuine affection is a defiance of death, a renewal of the soul’s youth. When the years advance and the body weakens, it is love that will keep your eyes bright and your spirit strong. As Cartwright taught, time can chill the flesh, but it cannot freeze the heart that burns with love. Therefore, cherish it, nurture it, and carry it within you always—for love is not only the fountain of youth, but the flame of eternity.