In this change of manners the disgraceful plague of public prostitution
will perish of itself. It is especially at the time when the man
possesses the frankness and timidity of adolescence, that in his
pursuit of happiness he is competent to meet and struggle with great
and genuine passions of the heart. The soul is happy in making great
efforts of whatever kind; provided that it can act, that it can stir
and move, it makes little difference, even though it exercise its power
against itself. In this observation, the truth of which everybody can
see, there may be found one secret of successful legislation, of
tranquillity and happiness. And then, the pursuit of learning has now
become so highly developed that the most tempestuous of our coming
Mirabeaus can consume his energy either in the indulgence of a passion
or the study of a science. How many young people have been saved from
debauchery by self-chosen labors or the persistent obstacles put in the
way of a first love, a love that was pure! And what young girl does not
desire to prolong the delightful childhood of sentiment, is not proud
to have her nature known, and has not felt the secret tremblings of
timidity, the modesty of her secret communings with herself, and wished
to oppose them to the young desires of a lover inexperienced as
herself! The gallantry of the Franks and the pleasures which attend it
should then be the portion of youth, and then would naturally result a
union of soul, of mind, of character, of habits, of temperament and of
fortune, such as would produce the happy equilibrium necessary for the
felicity of the married couple. This system would rest upon foundations
wider and freer, if girls were subjected to a carefully calculated
system of disinheritance; or if, in order to force men to choose only
those who promised happiness by their virtues, their character or their
talents, they married as in the United States without dowry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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