Page:The Relations Tolstoy.pdf/94

 him in the same manner as you would wish to be treated yourself; in the same way as is deduced the rule not to steal, not to be idle, but to work ("he who will not work shall not eat.") All these rules, as well as many others, are the indications of wise religious teachers as to what, in practical life and its varied relations, flows from the fundamental rule. From the material relation flows the rule not to steal; in regard to the modes of making one's living the rule for one to labor one's self, and not to avail oneself of the labor of others; in regard to intercourse between men, the rule not to take revenge, not to retaliate against an offender, but to forbear and forgive; in regard to the sexes, for a man to keep to one wife, and for wife to keep to one husband. The religious teacher says that if one acts like that in all these relations it will be well, and better than to act as its customary in the world; that even if there might be cases in which non-adherence to these rules would create no evil at all, it would still be better to follow them, because infringement of these rules has produced, and now produces, numberless calamities. Besides, this very rule is based upon the fact that man, by having one wife, and a woman by having one husband, draws nearer to the Christian ideal of chastity than if this rule is violated. I wish you, as a young man, the nearest approach to this ideal and everything truly good, which consists in inner self perfection only.

I think that a man who has entered upon physical connection with a woman cannot, and must not, forsake her, especially when there is or may be a child.