He had met the scientifically smattered young woman before, but Frona had something more than smattering.

Further, she gave new life to old facts, and her interpretations of common things were coherent and vigorous and new.

Though his acquired conservatism was alarmed and cried danger, he could not remain cold to the charm of her philosophizing, while her scholarly attainments were fully redeemed by her enthusiasm.

Though he could not agree with much that she passionately held, he yet recognized that the passion of sincerity and enthusiasm was good.
But her chief fault, in his eyes, was her unconventionality.

Woman was something so inexpressibly sacred to him, that he could not bear to see any good woman venturing where the footing was precarious.