Is not love with a married partner the
love of the sex, which is so universal that it exists even among birds
and beasts? What is conjugial love but the love of the sex? and the love
of the sex is free with every woman. The reason why civil laws are
against adulteries is, because lawgivers have believed that to prohibit
adultery was connected with the public good; and yet lawgivers and
judges sometimes commit adultery, and say among themselves, 'Let him
that is without sin cast the first stone.' Who does not know that the
simple and religious alone believe adulteries to be sins, and that the
intelligent think otherwise, who like us view them by the light of
nature? Are not adulteries as prolific as marriages? Are not
illegitimate children as alert and qualified for the discharge of
offices and employments as the legitimate? Moreover families, otherwise
barren, are provided with offspring; and is not this an advantage and
not a loss? What harm can come to a wife from admitting several rivals?
And what harm can come to a man? To say that it brings disgrace upon a
man, is a frivolous idea grounded in mere fancy.
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