cial activity, the sexual passions and their
psychic irradiations often interact directly or indirectly in a
mischievous way. Mistresses and courtesans have always played a
considerable part in political intrigue.

It is not necessary to have such a tragic scandal as that which caused
the assassination of the king and queen of Servia. Everyday
influences, even the smallest and most dissimulated, are often the
most efficacious. Sexual intrigues have at all times influenced and
directed the fate of nations. History relates a number of cases of
this kind, but there are many more which have never been revealed to
the public. It is sufficient to mention this fact. Every one who
reflects will find an illustration of it, in the history of the past
as well as in the politics of the present, in the courts of monarchs
and in small democracies, in the local history of provinces, in his
own parish, and lastly among his own relatives, friends and
acquaintances.

=Sexual Life in Social Action.=--The socialist who said that the
social question was exclusively a question of stomach mistook its
scope as well as human psychology. However admirably the economic
relations of men and their work may be regulated, the introduction of
sexual passions into social life will never be eliminated. All that
can be done is to give both sexes an education which will elevate
their social conscience and attenuate the evil influences exercised by
personal sexual sentiments on social actions.

The sexual question, therefore, intervenes in politics and in the
whole of social life. Moreover, if the deplorable social influence of
money and the attraction it exerts could be eliminated, antisocial
acts, which only depend indirectly on the sexual passions, would lose
much of their danger and infamy.

=The Role of Women.=--Here again, much may be expected from the free
emancipation of woman, and from her work in social questions in
conjunction with man. This work in common will make them more clearly
understand the high importance of their social task. Then sexual life
will encourage social development instead of hindering it; it will
cease to be considered as an egoistic pleasure but as a means of
procreation, and will become the acme of an existence founded on the
joy of work.

We can already see, in countries where women have a vote, that they
know very well how to benefit by social progress. If it is objected
that woman is more conservative and more r