第55章

What，then，istheconductwhichPurityforbids(fortheprincipleismoreeasilydiscussedinitsnegativeaspect)？Asthenormalandobviousendofsexualintercourseisthepropagationofthespecies，somehavethoughtthatallindulgenceofappetite，exceptasameanstothisend，shouldbeprohibited。ButthisdoctrinewouldleadtoarestrictionofconjugalintercoursefartoosevereforCommonSense。Shallwesay，then，thatPurityforbidssuchindulgenceexceptundertheconditionsofconjugaluniondefinedbyLaw？Butthisanswer，again，furtherreflectionshowstobeunsatisfactory。For，first，weshouldnot，onconsideration，callaconjugalunionimpure，merelybecausethepartieshadwilfullyomittedtofulfillegalconditions，andhadmadeacontractwhichthelawdeclinedtoenforce。Wemightcondemntheirconduct，butweshouldnotapplytoitthisnotion。And，secondly，wefeelthatpositivelawmaybeunfavourabletoPurity，andthatinfactPurity，likeJustice，issomethingwhichthelawoughttomaintain，butdoesnotalways。Wehavetoask，then，whatkindofsexualrelationswearetocallessentiallyimpure，whethercountenancedornotbyLawandCustom？Thereappeartobenodistinctprinciples，havinganyclaimtoself-evidence，uponwhichthequestioncanbeansweredsoastocommandgeneralassent。Itwouldbedifficulteventostatesuchaprinciplefordeterminingthedegreeofconsanguinitybetweenhusbandandwifewhichconstitutesaunionincestuous；althoughtheaversionwithwhichsuchunionsarecommonlyregardedisapeculiarlyintensemoralsentiment；andthedifficultybecomesindefinitelygreaterwhenweconsidertherationaleofprohibiteddegreesofaffinity。Again，probablyfewwouldstigmatisealegalpolygynousconnexionasimpure，howevertheymightdisapproveofthelawandofthestateofsocietyinwhichsuchalawwasestablished:

butiflegalPolygynyisnotimpure，isPolyandry，whenlegalandcustomary——asisnotunfrequentlythecaseamongthelowerracesofman——tobesocharacterised？

andifnot，onwhatrationalprinciplecanthenotionbeappliedtoinstitutionsandconduct？Again，wheredivorcebymutualconsent，withsubsequentmarriage，islegalised，wedonotcallthisanoffenceagainstPurity:andyetiftheprincipleoffreechangebeonceadmitted，itseemsparadoxicaltodistinguishpurityfromimpuritymerelybylessrapidityoftransition；

andtocondemnasimpureeven`FreeLove’，insofarasitisearnestlyadvocatedasameanstoacompleterharmonyofsentimentbetweenmenandwomen，andnottomeresensuallicense。

Shallwe，then，fallbackuponthepresenceofmutualaffection(asdistinguishedfrommereappetite)asconstitutingtheessenceofpuresexualrelations？Butthis，again，whiletoolaxfromonepointofview，seemsfromanothertoosevereforCommonSense:aswedonotcondemnmarriageswithoutaffectionasimpure，althoughwedisapproveofthemasproductiveofunhappiness。Suchmarriages，indeed，aresometimesstigmatisedas``legalisedprostitution’’，butthephraseisfelttobeextravagantandparadoxical；anditisevendoubtfulwhetherwedodisapproveofthemunderallcircumstances；as(e。g。)inthecaseofroyalalliances。

Again，howshallwejudgeofsuchinstitutionsasthoseofPlato’sCommonwealth，establishingcommunityofwomenandchildren，butatthesametimeregulatingsexualindulgencewiththestrictestreferencetosocialends？Ourhabitualstandardsseeminapplicabletosuchnovelcircumstances。

Thetruthseemstobe，thatreflectiononthecurrentsexualmoralitydiscoverstoustwodistinctgroundsforit:firstandchiefly，themaintenanceofacertainsocialorder，believedtobemostconducivetotheprosperouscontinuanceofthehumanrace:and，secondly，theprotectionofhabitsoffeelinginindividualsbelievedtobegenerallymostimportanttotheirperfectionortheirhappiness。Wecommonlyconceivethatboththeseendsaretobeattainedbythesameregulations:andinanidealstateofsocietythiswouldperhapsbethecase:butinactuallifethereisfrequentlyapartialseparationandincompatibilitybetweenthem。Butfurther，iftherepressionofsexuallicenseisprescribedmerelyasameanstotheseends，itdoesnotseemthatwecanaffirmasself-evidentthatitisalwaysanecessarymeansineithercase:onthecontrary，itseemsclearthatsuchanaffirmationwouldbeunreliableapartfromempiricalconfirmation。Wecannotreasonablybesure，withoutinductionfromsociologicalobservations，thatacertainamountofsexuallicensewillbeincompatiblewiththemaintenanceofpopulationinsufficientnumbersandgoodcondition。

Andifweconsiderthematterinitsrelationtotheindividual’sperfection，itiscertainlyclearthathemissesthehighestandbes