[A]s people are beginning to see that the sexes form in a certain sense a continuous group, so they are beginning to see that Love and Friendship which have been so often set apart from each other as things distinct are in reality closely related and shade imperceptibly into each other. Women are beginning to demand that Marriage shall mean Friendship as well as Passion; that a comrade-like Equality shall be included in the word Love; and it is recognised that from the one extreme of a 'Platonic' friendship (generally between persons of the same sex) up to the other extreme of passionate love (generally between persons of opposite sex) no hard and fast line can at any point be drawn effectively separating the different kinds of attachment. We know, in fact, of Friendships so romantic in sentiment that they verge into love; we know of Loves so intellectual and spiritual that they hardly dwell in the sphere of Passion. Edward Carpenter
About This Quote

Friends frequently will say that they love each other, yet there is a lack of passion. It's a friendship that has become a love. Friendship also has a deeper meaning than just a relationship with a close friend. A friendship can be a very close relationship between two individuals who care about each other and support one another in difficult times.

Women have been accused of being flirtatious and having shallow love relationships. However, this quote from John Stuart Mill shows that the true definition of the word Love is Friendship as well as Passion. In this quote it can be seen that there is no hard and fast line between the different kinds of Love.

Source: The Intermediate Sex: A Study Of Some Transitional Types Of Men And Women

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  1. [A]s people are beginning to see that the sexes form in a certain sense a continuous group, so they are beginning to see that Love and Friendship which have been so often set apart from each other as things distinct are in reality closely related...
  2. In the case of Michel Angelo we have an artist who with brush and chisel portrayed literally thousands of human forms; but with this peculiarity, that while scores and scores of his male figures are obviously suffused and inspired by a romantic sentiment, there is...
  3. That men of this kind despise women, though a not uncommon belief, is one which hardly appears to be justified. Indeed, though naturally not inclined to 'fall in love' in this direction, such men are by their nature drawn rather near to women, and it...
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  5. Anyhow, with their extraordinary gift for, and experience in, affairs of the heart from the double point of view, both of the man and of the woman it is not difficult to see that these people have a special work to do as reconcilers and...
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