PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

210 Polygamy.
laUy as, by giving to Adam more wives than one~
the multiplication of the bUffian race would have proceeded
with a quicker progress.
Polygamy not only violates the constitution of na.
ture, and the apparent design of the Deity, but produces
to the parties themse~ves, and to the pubiic,
the following bad eifects: cpntests a!ld jealousies
amongst the wives of the sa~e husband; distracted
affections, or the loss of all affection in the husband
himse!f; av~luptuot1sness in the rich which di~solves
the vigour of their intellectual as wen as active facul.
ties, producing that indolence and imbecility both
of mind . and body, which have long characterized
the nations of the East; the abasement of one half
of the human species, who, in countries where polygamy
obtains, ar~ degraded int-o mere instrulnents
of phjysical pkv.l~ure to the other half; neglect of
children; and tile manifold, and SODletimes unnat­
'Ural mischiefs, which arise from a scarcity of \l'omen.
To c~mpensate for these evils, polygamy does not
offer a si~gle advantage. In the article of population,
which it has be~n thougllt to promote~ tpe comnlUnity
gain pothing:* for the question is not, whether
one man will have more children by five or more
~ives tha~ by one ; bu~ ",hether tpese five wives
\vould not bear the sa~e, o~ ~ greater number ~f
childrell, to five sepa.rate hpsbands. And as to the
care of the children when produced, and the sending
of t11eIll in~o the worl~ in sit~ations i~ which
• Nothing, 1 mean 1 compared with a state in which marriaee is nearly
universal. Wbere marriages are I~ general, and many w~mcn unfruitful
from the w~nt of hu~band8, 'polygamy Dlight at first ~clti ~ little to popu]ation
; and but a little: for, as a variety of \\·jveft would be sought c-hilfly
frottl temp~atjon8 of voluptpo~ene~s, it \v01.J1cl rather increase th,. dem apd
for femelle beautv· than for- the sex at Jar~~e. And this Jitll~ wpuld ~OD be
made fes! by mailY deductions. :For, fir5t~ a~ none but the opulent can
maintain a plurality of \y;ves, where polyganlY obtair.s, the rirh jnd~Jge
in it, while the rest take up with a VilA'UC and barren il1continency And,
secondly, women ,,90uld gro~ less jealous of their "irtul.', ,"'hen they had
Jlothing for which to re$erve it, but a chamher in the l,or,1m; \\,hen their
~h~.tl~ wa~ no J~nger to be rewarded with the rights an,! h?rpjn('s~ of a
wife, as enjoyed under the marriage of one \vonJ;Jl1 to oue mdn. 'fllcse
~'on&ideratiorJs m:ly be added to what' is mentioned in the text, concerning
f~e easy and early settlement of chiJdrc~ ill th~ \\·qrl~. .