_ XVI. _The delights
of adulterous love are the pleasures of insanity; but the delights of
conjugial love are the delights of wisdom._ We proceed to an explanation
of each article.
424. I. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHAT ADULTEROUS LOVE IS, UNLESS IT BE KNOWN WHAT
CONJUGIAL LOVE IS. By adulterous love we mean the love of adultery,
which destroys conjugial love, as above, n. 423. That it is not known
what adulterous love is, unless it be known what conjugial love is,
needs no demonstration, but only illustration by similitudes: as for
example, who can know what is evil and false, unless he know what is
good and true? and who knows what is unchaste, dishonorable, unbecoming,
and ugly, unless he knows what is chaste, honorable, becoming, and
beautiful? and who can discern the various kinds of insanity, but he
that is wise, or that knows what wisdom is? also, who can rightly
perceive discordant and grating sounds, but he that is well versed in
the doctrine and study of harmonious numbers? in like manner, who can
clearly discern what is the quality of adultery, unless he has first
clearly discerned what is the quality of marriage? and who can make a
just estimate of the filthiness of the pleasures of adulterous love, but
he that has first made a just estimate of the purity of conjugial love?
As I have now completed the treatise ON CONJUGIAL LOVE AND ITS CHASTE
DELIGHTS, I am enabled, from the intelligence I thence acquired, to
describe the pleasures respecting adulterous love.
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