FE BEFORE MARRIAGE ARE
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY ARE AFTERWARDS. Before marriage, each sex
passes through two states, one previous and the other subsequent to the
inclination for marriage. The changes of both these states, and the
consequent formations of minds, proceed in successive order according to
their continual increase; but we have not leisure now to describe these
changes, which are various and different in their several subjects. The
inclination to marriage, previous to marriage, are only imaginary in the
mind, and become more and more sensible in the body; but the states
thereof after marriage are states of conjunction and also of
prolification, which, it is evident, differ from the forgoing states as
effects differ from intentions.

191. VI. WITH MARRIED PARTNERS THE STATES OF LIFE AFTER MARRIAGE ARE
CHANGED AND SUCCEED EACH OTHER ACCORDING TO THE CONJUNCTIONS OF THEIR
MINDS BY CONJUGIAL LOVE. The reason why changes of the state and the
successions thereof after marriage, with both the man and the wife, are
according to conjugial love with each, and thus are either conjunctive
or disjunctive of their minds, is, because conjugial love is not only
various but also different with conjugial pairs: various, with those who
love each other interiorly; for with such it has its intermissions,
notwithstanding its being inwardly in its heat regular and permanent;
but it is different with those who love each other only exteriorly; for
with such its intermissions do not proceed from similar causes, but from
alternate cold and heat. The true ground of these differences is, that
with the latter the body is the principal agent, the ardour of which
spreads itself around, and forcibly draws into communion with it the
inferior principles of the mind; whereas, with the former, who love each
other interiorly, the mind is the principal agent, and brings the body
into communion with it. It appears as if love ascended from the body
into the soul; because as soon as the body catches the allurement, it
enters through the eyes, as through doors, into the mind, and thus
through the sight, as through an outer court, into the thoughts, and
instantly into the love: nevertheless it descends from the mind, and
acts upon the inferior principles according to their orderly
arrangement; therefore the lascivious mind acts lasciviously, and the
chaste mind chastely; and the latter arranges the body, whereas the
former is arranged by the body.

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