re than two women without
exhausting the forces a man requires to cultivate each of the domains.
We thus see that certain forms of polygamy, combined with
matriarchism, are compatible with high social position of the wife,
for among the Goajires and other Indian tribes the man passes from one
wife to the other, while it is the wife who is mistress of the house,
the children and the domain.

However, we may say that on the whole monogamy reigns where there is
more altruism, respect for women and sentiment for family life; for
instance, in Nicaragua, among the Dyaks, the Andamanese, etc., in whom
the wife is highly esteemed and possesses political influence. The
wife is also proprietor of the house among the Santalese and
Mounda-Kols.

In the question we are considering the nature of the amorous passions
also plays a great part. When they are purely sensual they do not last
long as a rule; but when love arises from mental affinities it may be
prolonged till old age. Bain remarks that other passions, such as
maternal love, hatred, the desire of domination may be extended to
many objects, while love has a tendency to concentrate itself on a
single one which then takes preeminence over the others and tends to
monogamy. We have seen that birds and monkeys generally love only one
female. With some conjugal love is so strong that one of the conjoints
cannot survive the other; this fact has been observed with certainty,
even when the survivor was provided with another mate. Thus, the male
of a certain species of monkey (_Hapale jacchus_) after the death of
his mate, covers his eyes with his hands, ceases to eat and remains in
the same position till he dies. Suicide for love is not rare among
certain savage races; a point to which we shall return later.

Westermark is certainly right in considering this tendency of love to
concentrate itself on a single object as one of the most powerful
factors in monogamy. Jealousy is no doubt the reverse of such
sentiment, but is the profound despair at seeing the sole object of
love desert or become unfaithful. On the other hand, this
concentration of love, which may be excellent for isolated families
living alone after the manner of wild beasts, is in no way adapted to
a society of which all the members are responsible. This is a point we
must insist upon. There is certainly a real antinomy which is
difficult to reconcile between this dual egoism of exclusive and
concentrated love and so