appiness to him.
Where now is the plighted faith! Where now is the tree, its branches and
leaves with their buds and blossoms, and what is the fruit? Where now is
that pure love which he promised when they became united and which
should forever bind them together, and who has almost severed that love?
Has not the little that remains become merely carnal, on his part at
least? Where is that union of mind and communion of soul that lifts one
above sensualism; and without which, sensualism is the only link and
quality left to keep the two together, until death dissolves the union?

CHAPTER VII.

Marriage [continued].

The Wife.

Young ladies, why do you marry? Through infancy, childhood and
adolescence you have been watched over most tenderly and cared for most
lovingly; you have been protected and educated, and have been made as
happy under the paternal roof as circumstances would allow; and this
very book has been written largely on _your_ account. It has been the
custom from time immemorial, as it always will be, for girls to complete
their education and then to marry. But alas! how very few seem to
realize what married life really is and what will be expected in it;
what its duties and responsibilities are, or even what leads to
marriage. But to the question why do you even think of getting married?
The answer is, "Because it is inherent in the mind of every true female
character. It was ordained of God in her creation, spiritually,
mentally, and physically--from her inmost being to her complete
ultimation. It was in the very design of her creation that she should
love and be loved, that she should be sought after by the male sex, and
that she should become a wife and mother."

First, let us understand what "marriage" signifies. The word itself
has the same meaning as the Latin word _conjugium_ and represents
a conjunction or union together. Carried out to its higher or more
interior meaning, marriage signifies the joining of good and truth--the
"good" being represented by the woman and "truth" being represented by
the man. Hence it denotes the spiritual conjunction of minds, and thence
of bodies, in contradistinction to the merely natural conjunction or
joining together of bodies only. So, to secure a real marriage, there
must be a spiritual conjunction of minds; and the conjunction of bodies
in wedlock is simply the ultimation, or manifestation of spiritual
principles in marriage.

The true reason why