177 



It would seem so indeed, but I ask why do none of 

 these evil consequences ensue from early marriages? These 

 consequences arise only from indiscriminate intercourse, 

 and from this they ensue notwithstanding all precautions, 

 and are carried by the simplest forms of contagion into the 

 bosoms of families entirely innocent of moral transgression. 

 In any case, however we explain this disease, the fact 

 is certain that it almost invariably presents itself as the 

 punishment of immoral relations and neglect to establish 

 an early family. Nature demands neither forms nor cere- 

 monials but it demands the fact of an early and firm union, 

 and complete devotion of two individuals; and this state of 

 normal intercommunion is the highest humanity can reach. 

 As to marriage forms these take different shapes in 

 different nations, and the well-known philosopher Benja- 

 min in analysing them remarks that in essence c a man 

 and woman who love one another with exclusive devotion: 

 are already wedded". 



In the world of spheres naturally we should not ex- 

 pect to find traces of human ceremonial, but we can find 

 there those natural laws which determine the formation 

 of double stars. We can note that in the first place 

 double-stars are generally of equal growth, and in the 

 second that parent suns never unite with their spherical 

 offspring, though such unions are always between relatives 

 of a single system. Hence the ancient usage of mar- 

 riage between brothers and sisters has its counterpart in 

 the laws of nature. 



The early Christian church admitted no marriages within 

 the seventh degree of consanguinity, but at the present 

 time the clergy admit marriage under special circum- 

 stances within the third. There is little doubt but that, 

 with the increase and evolution of mankind, we shall 

 imitate once more the biblical examples of marriage founded 

 on the natural laws of approximation, inasmuch as the 

 similarity of vital training and custom, and culture are in 

 the closest manner connected with the happiness of con- 

 jugal life. 



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