ions. Since his laws permit
him several wives, it is his duty to love them all, and his heart rises
to the occasion. Do you mean to tell me that his is a different love to
ours? Upon what grounds? What do you know about it? Cannot you
understand the charms of the obligation he is under to protect them all,
in this equal distribution of his affections? It comes to this, in fact,
that our ideas on the point are simply and always a question of latitude
and of climate. We love like poor helpless creatures of circumstances.

It is these very psychological considerations which form the basis of
the social argument which I intend to demonstrate in the important work
which I am preparing for the Academy of Science, and which I introduce
as follows:--

"Revered Mother,

"Among the learned and celebrated members of whom your illustrious
Society so justly boasts, the most competent have already determined to
their satisfaction the general principles which should regulate the
study of biology. It would be the height of presumption on my part to
set up my unworthy opinion against theirs, were it not for the fact that
I can adduce, as a justification for doing so, certain data in my own
possession which very few, probably, of these highly-respected
authorities could have procured under such favourable conditions as I
have been enabled to do. As the nephew of a Pasha I have, &c."

As you perceive, this modest preface is well calculated to soothe the
delicate susceptibilities of the Institute.

The civilization of my Kondje-Gul has become quite the most delightful
subject of study for me. It presents a complete romance in itself, and
the denial which I have imposed upon myself adds a certain charm to it.
I must tell you that her stay with Madame Montier has gradually produced
a number of unforeseen complications. Commodore Montague has returned;
one of the consequences of which is that the intimacy between the Misses
Maud and Suzannah Montague and the ward of worthy Omer-Rashid-Effendi,
which has seemed to him a most desirable one, has been so much
encouraged that they have become inseparable, and Kondje-Gul has of
course been invited by her young friends to entertainments given by
their father--invitations which she has been unable to decline for fear,
thereby, of arousing suspicions.

Discretion on my part, you will thus perceive, has become more than ever
necessary, so long as Kondje-Gul remains with Madame Montier. Our
amo