The Descent of Man

Although the manner of development of the
marriage tie is an obscure subject, as we may
infer from the divergent opinions on several
points between the three authors who have
studied it most closely, namely, Mr. Morgan,
Mr. M'Lennan, and Sir J. Lubbock, yet from the
foregoing and several other lines of evidence it
seems probable (8. Mr. C. Staniland Wake argues
strongly ('Anthropologia,' March, 1874, p.
197) against the views held by these three writers
on the former prevalence of almost promiscuous
intercourse; and he thinks that the classificatory
system of relationship can be otherwise
explained.) that the habit of marriage, in any
strict sense of the word, has been gradually
developed; and that almost promiscuous or
very loose intercourse was once extremely
common throughout the world. Nevertheless,
from the strength of the feeling of jealousy all
through the animal kingdom, as well as from
the analogy of the lower animals, more particularly
of those which come nearest to man, I