Page:The astral world, higher occult powers; (IA astralworldhighe00tiff).pdf/223

 *mate cloying and disgust; and to remedy that, it must have change.

That this is the nature of that impulse which free lovers mistake for love, is further evident from its associations. The plea they set up is, that every one is free to seek happiness; and consequently when one relation or pursuit fails to conduce to that end, they should be permitted to change the relation or the pursuit, and seek happiness in another. They make the seeking after happiness the great end of life; hence they have adopted very appropriate language, such as "passional attraction," "passional affinity," etc.

For this reason, in their assemblies they aim at self-*gratification. Each is striving to beget pleasure. Their assembly-rooms are full of amusements and "innocent recreations," singing, dancing, playing at different games, chatting, etc., all pursued in respect to the pleasures they promise, and not in respect to the good irrespective of the pleasure. The plea is, the people demand cheap amusements, or rather need them. Cheap amusements are the very things they ought not to have. It is but another name for cheap dissipation. But the advocate for free love complains that the law and public sentiment hold him to his choice, when he has made a bad one. The uses and benefits of the law are seen in this, that they do hold all such to their choice, and by so doing avoid a multiplicity of bad matches.

The individual who is out seeking passional affinities is under the influence of lust, and the sooner he or she is caught and caged the better; such can gain nothing by being permitted to experiment. Until they