POLYGAMY 187 



system founded by Mahomet; Hinduism and Buddhism 

 sanction it ; barbarous races in all quarters of the 

 globe know no other law. At a modest estimate, 

 500,000,000 or two-thirds of mankind are poly- 

 gamous. The forms of polygamy vary, but they have 

 this in common, that the woman is treated as the 

 inferior animal, and is allowed little or no voice in 

 the disposal of her person. Schopenhauer declared 

 polygamy to be the natural and proper condition of 

 mankind. Eegarding women as fit only to be house- 

 keepers and concubines, he reserved his bitterest 

 sarcasms for the European " lady " — that " monstrous 

 product," as he called her, "of Germano-Christian 

 stupidity, with her ridiculous claims to respect and 

 veneration." ^ But the German philosopher, while 

 possessing a clear insight into many of the problems 

 of life, was hopelessly warped and prejudiced in his 

 views of womankind, and his admiration of polygamy 

 was certainly not based upon truth. It is a matter 

 of common remark that the Oriental harem has at 

 least the advantage of abolishing prostitution. That 

 is so. In polygamous countries every woman finds 

 a home and a master. But this advantage, if it be 



1 Chapter " Ueber die Weiber " in Die Welt als Wille und For- 

 stellung. 



