There cannot be found in Europe a hundred husbands of each nation
sufficiently versed in the science of marriage, or if you like, of life,
to be able to dwell in an apartment separate from that of their wives.
The power of putting this system into practice shows the highest degree
of intellectual and masculine force.
The married couple who dwell in separate apartments have become either
divorced, or have attained to the discovery of happiness. They either
abominate or adore each other. We will not undertake to detail here the
admirable precepts which may be deduced from this theory whose end is to
make constancy and fidelity easy and delightful. It may be sufficient
to declare that by this system alone two married people can realize the
dream of many noble souls. This will be understood by all the faithful.
As for the profane, their curious questionings will be sufficiently
answered by the remark that the object of this institution is to give
happiness to one woman. Which among them will be willing to deprive
general society of any share in the talents with which they think
themselves endowed, to the advantage of one woman? Nevertheless, the
rendering of his mistress happy gives any one the fairest title to glory
which can be earned in this valley of Jehosaphat, since, according to
Genesis, Eve was not satisfied even with a terrestrial Paradise. She
desired to taste the forbidden fruit, the eternal emblem of adultery.
But there is an insurmountable reason why we should refrain from
developing this brilliant theory. It would cause a digression from the
main theme of our work. In the situation which we have supposed to be
that of a married establishment, a man who is sufficiently unwise to
sleep apart from his wife deserves no pity for the disaster which he
himself invites.
Let us then resume our subject. Every man is not strong enough to
undertake to occupy an apartment separate from that of his wife;
although any man might derive as much good as evil from the difficulties
which exist in using but one bed.
We now proceed to solve the difficulties which superficial minds may
detect in this method, for which our predilection is manifest.
But this paragraph, which is in some sort a silent one, inasmuch as we
leave it to the commentaries which will be made in more than one home,
may serve as a pedestal for the imposing figure of Lycurgus, that
ancient legislator, to whom the Greeks are indebted for their
profoundest thoughts on the subject of marriage. May his system be
understood by future generations! And if modern manners are too much
given to softness to adopt his system in its entirety, they may at least
be imbued with the robust spirit of this admirable code.