The Star in the West

70 THE STAR IN THE WEST woman towards woman and man . The first is gener ally considered to be purer and more ideal , but this idea has only grown out of man's entire ignorance regarding the physical relationships . The mother is in no way purer than the wife , neither is the virgin purer than the mother . The truest definition of chas tity is that as given by Benjamin Franklin , which de fines chastity as “ the regulated and strictly temperate satisfaction without injury to others , of those desires which are natural to all healthy adult beings .” The reason for this idea of uncleanliness though certainly obscure is traceable more particularly to the utter mystery man saw in this supreme function , and also , that all hygienic laws being unknown to him , any disease resulting from the act was attributed indirectly to the woman -instead of to his own want of know ledge - and directly to the supernatural manifesting its wrath through her as a medium ; for the super natural to primitive man's understanding invariably took the shape of malevolent and not benevolent powers . This and the periodic functions of the woman , as well as , as Westermarck says , instinctive feeling against intercourse between mem bers of the same family or household ,” developed the conception of uncleanliness in an act which has been rightly stated by Geoffrey Mortimer as being “ the " the ? A disciple of Pythagoras once asked him , when was it permitted him to cohabit with his wife ? To which that philo sopher replied : “ When you are tired of resting .” Théano , wife of Pythagoras , was also once asked : “ How long does it take for a woman to be purified who has known a man ?” To which she answered : “ If it is with her husband , she is purified by the act , if with another she is for ever defiled ." For it is not marriage which sanctifies love , but love which justifies marriage . - EDOUARD SCHURÉ .