THE CYCLE OF SEX 131 



Schopenhauer recognised the value of fall- 

 ing in love, regarding it as an expression of 

 an instinct, which by the attraction of the 

 mutually pleasing, works for the eugenic 

 welfare of the race. Fere, on the other hand, 

 looking at the facts with a sceptical scientific 

 eye, declares that the most impulsive and 

 instinctive unions are most frequently the 

 worst as regards progeny. The probability 

 is that Fere's conclusion is too much based 

 on the study of pathological cases, for de- 

 generates and perverts attract one another 

 strongly. 



Alienists and others who have given special 

 attention to the subject, whose judgment is 

 of more value than any number of uncritical 

 opinions, declare that the least successful 

 marriages are those which arose from a too 

 specialised attraction too purely physical, 

 too purely aesthetic, too purely intellectual. 

 Marriage based solely on the attraction for 

 high moral and intellectual qualities may 

 be as unsuccessful (particularly as regards 

 progeny) as marriage on a sensory basis. The 

 lasting basis is manifold, not simple. As 

 F6r6 sa}^s, " the harmonious union of medi- 

 ocre people often works out better than 

 the discordant union of those endowed with 

 superior qualities." 



All this is of course but outline analysis, 

 but it is fundamental. The normal love of 

 civilised man and woman is like a tree with 

 deep roots, going far down into animal 

 nature roots that may be pruned, but never 

 wholly cut but with lofty branches that rise 

 into the sunlight and bear the fruits of the 



