at least permitting a
wrong thing to be done, and this holds back the proper growth of her
passion, hinders the tumescence of her sex organs, delays the flow
of the precoital secretion, and so keeps her from becoming properly
prepared for her share of the mutual act.

Again, her fear of pregnancy may still further retard her coming into
a proper condition. Indeed, this last is the almost common cause for
her failing to be in readiness for meeting her husband. All of
which items must be taken into account by both husband and wife,
and intelligently, lovingly dealt with, if the best results for both
parties are attained.

As regards the item of possible pregnancy, special note will be made
of this feature later on. It is here placed in abeyance for the time
being, because its consideration can be better provided for after some
other points have been studied.

Now the one easily understood (and as easily practiced as understood)
direction as to what to do by way of preparation for the act of coitus
is: _do as lovers do when they are "courting."_ And everybody knows
what that is! And note this--that _nobody ever hurries when they are
courting!_ They delay, they protract, they dilly-dally, they "fool
around," they pet each other in all sorts of possible and impossible
ways. They kiss each other--"long and passionate kisses, they again
and again give and receive"--they hug each other, nestle into each
other's arms--in a word, they "play together" in a thousand-and-one
ways which the "goody-goods" declare to be wrong, and the cold-blooded
call nonsense or foolishness, but which all _lovers_ know is an
_unspeakable delight_ ("unspeakable" is the word, for who wants to
_talk_ when these blissful experiences are going on!).

Now, these things, and the likes of these things, in limitless supply,
should always precede the act of coitus. It is right there that this
part of the first act of this wonderful four-act drama or play should
be wrought out, and if they are omitted or disregarded, the play
will end in _tragedy, with all the leading actors left dead upon the
stage_!

Now the chief, if not the only, reason why this part of the supreme
act of married life is not always preluded in this way is found in
the _false view_ of what the _marriage ceremony means_, and a wrong
impression as to what it confers upon the parties who say "yes" to
its prescriptions. That is, the common idea is, that the taking of
"marriage vows" besto