Page:The Relations Tolstoy.pdf/27

 law," says Spencer, "contributes to the welfare of the human race, human nature will necessarily subordinate itself to it, so that obedience will become pleasant to man," and therefore, we must not, say the author, rely too much on the established customs and conditions which now surround us, but rather regard the conditions man should and may attain in the brilliant future awaiting him. The substance of all that has been said the author expressed thus: The fundamental theory of Diana is that relations between the sexes have two functions: the productive and the loving; and that the sexual instinct, if only the conscious desire for children is absent, should always be directed into the channel of love. The result of this instinct depends upon reason and habit; and therefore the gradual bringing of reason into conformity with the principle here expressed and the gradual formation of parallel habits, will deliver men from much suffering and give them satisfaction in their sexual propensities. At the end of the book a remarkable letter to parents and teachers, by Eliza Burns, is given. This letter, notwithstanding that it treats of questions regarded as indecent (calling things by their names -it is impossible to do otherwise), this letter might have so beneficial an influence upon those unhappy youths who suffer from excesses and irregularities that its circulation amongst these youths, so unnecessarily wasting their best powers and welfare, and above all amongst the poor boys in families and schools, and especially in collages and military establishments, who are perishing merely from ignorance, would be a veritable godsend.