(    154   )
 

CHAPTER  LXIX.

ON  MATRIMONY,  THE MENSTRUAL  COURSES,   EMBRYOS,
AND CHILDBED.

Necessity of No  uatiou cau cxist without a regular married  life,

ma rimony. ^^^ ^^ prevcuts the uproar of passions abhorred by
the cultivated mind, and it removes all those causes
which excite the animal to a fury always leading to
harm. Considering the life of the animals by pairs,
how the one member of the pair helps the other, and
how the lust of other animals of the same species is
kept aloof from them, you cannot help declaring matri-

Page 278. mony to be a necessary institution ; whilst disorderly
cohabitation or harlotry on the part of man is a shame¬
ful proceeding, that does not even attain to the standing
of the development of animals, which in every other
respect stand far below him'.

Law of            Every nation has particular   customs   of  marriage,

and especially those who claim to have a religion and
law of divine origin. The Hindus marry at a very
young age; therefore the parents arrange the marriage
for their sons. On that occasion the Brahmans perform
the rites of the sacrifices, and they as well as others
receive alms. The implements of the wedding rejoic¬
ings are brought forward. No gift is settled between
them. The man gives only a present to the wife, as he
thinks fit, and a marriage gift in advance, which he has
no right to claim back, but the wife may give it back
to him of her own will. Husband and wife can only
be separated by death, as they have no divorce.
 

marriage.