aspect of the relation is all important. The higher side of sex, or
what we may call the psychical secondary sex characters, seem to
extend through the whole range of mental and spiritual activities.
Because of this there is freshness of contact in mental and spiritual
intercourse between men and women which differs somewhat from that
between individuals of the same sex, and very much of the joy of life
springs from the impact of these differing yet completing selves the
one upon the other.

Where the whole being enters into the union of the sexes the complete
joy of marriage is realised, the characteristic of which is that it
does not fade, but becomes ever deeper and more fully realised, a sure
indication that the highest pleasure of sex union is only attained
when it consummates a love which involves mutual sympathy and
consideration. Physical union alone produces dissatisfaction the more
quickly in proportion as it is physical only; on the other hand, when
all parts of the nature find their counterpart in another, the joy of
such intercourse pervades the whole life, and frequent repetition of
physical intercourse is not essential to its highest development.

This is well known to all true lovers who have for varied reasons
exercised some voluntary self-control in regard to the physical side
of sex in marriage, either in deference of the one to the desire of
the other, or to avoid too frequent child-bearing, or in special
seasons such as Lent.

On the other hand it has been observed by most people that many
marriages which seem to promise well, quickly lose even to the eye of
the outsider all the romance of the days of courtship. Is not too
frequent physical indulgence sometimes the cause?

Even the time of courtship is spoiled by unrestrained demonstration of
affection, and the beauty of the higher side of love is apt to lose
its delicate bloom by over accentuation of the physical in marriage;
husband and wife sadly admit to themselves that disillusionment has
come--the real truth being that in seeking only physical satisfaction
in each other, their eyes have become blinded to those higher
qualities which each glimpsed in the other during the happier days of
courtship, and the "road of the loving hearts," which they hoped to
tread through life, has been missed because they have forgotten that
"man is a spirit and doth not live by bread alone."

To many the introduction of this aspect of the question may seem