THE INDIVIDUAL LIFE CYCLE 183 



of a mate has been in infra-human evolution an age- 

 long stimulus against slackness ; it has made for ad- 

 venture, for prowess, for alertness. It has been an 

 organic spur for milhons of years ; can we suppose it 

 is to cease to be potent in mankind, because for the 

 time being we have too much allowed things to get 

 into the saddle ? Permanent monogamy seems an 

 ideal —in many cases a happy reahty — worth keeping 

 as intact as possible. It has had a chequered history, 

 but in most conditions it has proved itself the best 

 arrangement for the reahsation of mutual affection on 

 the one hand, and for the welfare of the family on the 

 other hand. Monogamy commends itself ethically, 

 and hkewise socially — it is the best method of rearing 

 the next generation. 



We have said above " as intact as possible," for 

 we recognise the need for some changes ; it may be 

 necessary to change some of the marriage laws, for 

 instance. To many it seems regrettable that in some 

 countries a marriage cannot be dissolved for insanity, 

 or for crime, or for cruelty, or for desertion, or for adul- 

 tery by both parties. It may be said that if the bodily 

 tie becomes intolerable separation may be possible, 

 though divorce is not. But separation is a luxury 

 beyond the means of many. In his recent book on 

 what he calls social reconstruction Mr. Bertrand Rus- 

 sell proposes to permit divorce by mutual consent. 

 In this he is surely arguing from his own fine nature 

 and forgetting the frailties of the average man. He 

 says : " Lifelong monogamy is best when it is success- 



