The Physiology of Marriage, CompleteBalzac, Honoré de
General
The Physiology of Marriage, Complete
Balzac, Honoré de
Marriage -- Humor
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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