Ch. ii. of moral Restraint. 273 



These considerations shew that the virtue of 

 chastity is not, as some have supposed, a forced 

 produce of artificial society ; but that it has the 

 most real and solid foundation in nature and rea- 

 son ; being apparently the only virtuous means of 

 avoiding the vice and misery which result so often 

 from the principle of population. 



In such a society as we have been supposing, 

 it might be necessary for some of both sexes to 

 pass many of the early years of life in the single 

 state ; and if this were general, there would cer- 

 tainly be room for a much greater number to 

 marry afterwards, so that fewer, upon the whole, 

 would be condemned to pass their lives in celi- 

 bacy. If the custom of not marrying early pre- 

 vailed generally, and if violations of chastity 

 were equally dishonourable in both sexes, a more 

 familiar and friendly intercourse between them 

 might take place without danger. Two young 

 people might converse together intimately with- 

 out its being immediately supposed that they 

 either intended marriage or intrigue ; and a much 

 better opportunity would thus be given to both 

 sexes of finding out kindred dispositions, and of 

 forming those strong and lasting attachments, 

 without which the married state is generally more 

 productive of misery than of happiness. The 

 earlier years of life would not be spent VN^ithout 

 love, though without the full gratification of it. 

 The passion, instead of being extinguished, as it 

 now too frequently is, by early sensuality, would 

 only be repressed for a time, that it might after- 



VOL. II. 'f 



