370. From these considerations it is plainly seen what is the quality of
the fire of jealousy into which polygamical conjugial love enkindles
itself,--that it is into anger and revenge; into anger with the meek,
and into revenge with the fierce. The reason of this effect is, because
their love is natural, and does not partake of anything spiritual. This
is a consequence of what is demonstrated in the chapter on
Polygamy,--that polygamy is lasciviousness, n. 345; and that a
polygamist, so long as he remains such, is natural, and cannot become
spiritual, n. 347. But the fire of jealousy is different with natural
monogamists, whose love is inflamed not so much against the women as
against those who do violence, becoming anger against the latter, and
cold against the former: it is otherwise with polygamists, whose fire of
jealousy burns also with the rage of revenge: this likewise is one of
the reasons why, after the death of polygamists, their concubines and
wives are for the most part set free, and are sent to seraglios not
guarded, to employ themselves in the various elegant arts proper to
women.
Pages:
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689