PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE 



spontaneous disorder, because it is a forced and pre- 

 mature finality, an inopportune turning of the vital 

 river out of its course. 



Sexual selection is probably not a source of variation 

 (i. e., of type) ; its role is, on the contrary, to keep the 

 specie in statu quo. The causes of variation are prob- 

 ably changes of climate, the nature of the soil, the general 

 milieu, and also disease, the troubles of blood and nerve 

 circulation perhaps certain sexual aberrations. I say. 

 "perhaps," for the cross-breeding between individuals ol 

 different species, living in liberty, seems difficult, as soon 

 as the species is really something different from a variety 

 in evolution, a form still seeking itself. At that stage 

 anything is possible; but one is speaking of species 

 (i. e., set species). Mules, bardots, leporides are artificial 

 products; one has never found them in free nature. 

 It is very difficult to obtain the copulation of a hare and 

 she-rabbit; the she-rabbit is refractory and the hare 

 lacking enthusiasm. The mare very often refuses the 

 ass; if she turns her head at the moment of his mounting, 

 one has to bandage her eyes to overcome her disgust; it is 

 the same with the she-ass whom one offers a stallion for 

 producing the bardot. As for the product of bull and 

 mare, the celebrated jumart is a chimaera: comparison of 

 the meagre prong of the bull to the massive one of the 

 stallion is enough to convince one that such dissimilar 

 instruments can not replace each other. Nevertheless it 

 would be imprudent wholly to rule out this form of 

 sexual aberration from the causes of variability of species. 

 That is perhaps one of its justifications. 



Of all sexual aberrations perhaps the most curious is 

 I7S 



