Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: policy, as well as a high duty, for the better informed to endeavour, by frank and full discussion, to change them into right opinions. But, knowing how varied circumstances and springs of action mould thought and character into all their diversities, a true fraternity will treat discordant opinions with tenderness and discretion, —with reverence even,—not rudely plucking up the tares, lest thereby the good wheat also be uprooted. ON SOME SOCIALISTIC VIEWS OF MARRIAGE. On certain matters in the social life of the future which only concern that future, which do not at all affect present purposes and developments, and which it is simply a usurpation of future rights to meddle with, some of our modern Socialists have uttered their authoritative .hronuntiamento. We have alluded to the questions of the future of religion and of the care of the young, we now instance that of marriage. The question of sex meets us, not merely in its broadest purpose and distinction, but at every turning in life. Its influence broods over society, over literature and art; it enters with us into nature's solitudes; monastery and nunnery walls cannot shut out this essential factor in the constitution of humanity. In the consideration of any proposed change, social or political, it is of equal importance to enquire—how would this change affect women, will it raise or lower their character and position, will it expand or contract the development of their womanhood ? as it is to enquire—how will it affect men ? The relationship of the sexes has varied considerably in the historical past; but the general rule, even in savage life, has been a persistent and an abiding union between one man and one woman, joining to each other in early maturity; the man, as a rule, providing the necessary subsistence...