as they grow older, and is
part of the instinctive aesthetic sentiment of woman.

At the orgies and fetes held among savages the women cover their
sexual organs with certain objects, as a means to excite the men.
Complete nudity is found more often in savage women than in the men.

Later on when it became the custom to wear clothes, nudity became
attractive and was considered shameful. This is why the Chinese feel
shame at exposing their feet, the Mahometans their faces, and some
savages even the ends of their fingers.

Certain customs, like circumcision among the Jews, Polynesians and
Australians; the artificial elongation of the lips of the vulva in
Hottentots, Malays, and North American Indians, originated, according
to Westermark, in the intention of exciting the sexual appetite, or of
introducing variety into its satisfaction. Later on routine, which
sanctions everything, transferred these customs into religious cult.
It is possible, however, that among the Jews, who are a practical
race, the hygienic advantage of circumcision took a part in its
transformation into a rite.

To resume, everything derogatory to established custom excites the
sentiment of shame or modesty, not only in sexual matters but in
others. Most children are ashamed of not behaving exactly as their
comrades or their brothers and sisters, and are very uncomfortable if
they are obliged to behave otherwise. All sentiments of morality and
modesty rest on conventionalities. The savage women burst into
laughter when the naked companions of Livingstone turned their backs
from modesty. The sentiment of modesty or shame thus depends only on
exceptional violation of an old custom. This is why unconventional
ways in one of the sexes (especially in woman) tend to offend the
sentiments of modesty, and usually excite the sexual appetite of the
other sex.

LIBERTY OF CHOICE IN MARRIAGE--PATRIARCHISM

Among savages, the women sometimes have the right of giving their hand
in marriage, sometimes not. The latter case is not surprising in
countries where women are considered as merchandise. Among the
Esquimaux every girl is betrothed from birth. Among the Boschimans,
Ashantis, etc., the unborn girl is even betrothed while she is in her
mother's womb! These betrothals are generally arranged by the maternal
parents together with the mother.

Very often, however, the consent of the woman is required; or, the
marriage may be only valid after the birth of t