109. For the SIXTH time the angel drew out a paper, from which he read as follows: "We compatriots, from our fraternity, have considered the causes of the origin of conjugial love, and have agreed upon two, one being the right education of children, and the other the distinct possession of inheritances. We have assumed these two because they look to and aim at one mark, namely, the public good. This is secured [by marriage] because children conceived and born of conjugial love become truly one's own, being members of the family by birth; and from parental love, exalted because the offspring is of legitimate descent, such children are educated as heirs of all their parents' possessions, both spiritual and natural. That the public good is founded on the right education of children, and on the distinct possession of inheritances, is evident to reason. There is love of the sex and there is conjugial love. The latter love appears as though it were one with the former, but it is distinctly different. Nor are the two collateral, but the one is within the other, and what is within is more noble than that which is without. We saw, that from creation conjugial love is within love of the sex, being concealed therein as an almond in its shell. Therefore, when conjugial love is drawn out from its shell, which is love of the sex, it shines before the angels like a gem, a beryl, and an asteroid, and this because on conjugial love is inscribed the welfare of the whole human race, which is what we mean by the public good. This is our judgment respecting the origin of this love. As to the origin of its virtue or potency, we have concluded from a consideration of its causes that it is the withdrawal and separation of conjugial love from love of the sex. This is effected on the man's part by means of wisdom, and on the wife's by means of love of the man's wisdom. Love of the sex is a love held in common with beasts, but conjugial love is proper to man. So far, therefore, as conjugial love is withdrawn and separated from love of the sex, man is a man and not a beast; and man acquires virtue or potency from his love, and the beast from its." This was subscribed with the letter G.
