to the varieties in heaven,
thus by perpetual diversities. From these considerations it is evident
what is perceived by infinite variety and infinite diversity. The case
is the same in marriages, namely, that there are infinite varieties with
those who are in conjugial love, and infinite varieties with those who
are in adulterous love; and hence, that there are infinite diversities
between the latter and the former. From these premises it follows, that
the varieties and diversities in marriages of every genus and species,
whether of a youth with a maiden, or of a youth with a widow, or of a
widower with a maiden, or of a widower with a widow exceed all number:
who can divide infinity into numbers?

325. VIII. THE STATE OF A WIDOW IS MORE GRIEVOUS THAN THAT OF A WIDOWER.
The reasons for this are both external and internal; the external are
such as all can comprehend; as: 1. That a widow cannot provide for
herself and her family the necessaries of life, nor dispose of them when
acquired, as a man can and as she previously did by and with her
husband. 2. That neither can she defend herself and her family as is
expedient; for, while she was a wife, her husband was her defence, and
as it were her arm; and while she herself was her own (defence and arm),
she still trusted to her husband. 3. That of herself she is deficient of
counsel in such things as relate to interior wisdom and the prudence
thence derived. 4. That a widow is without the reception of love, in
which as a woman she is principled; thus she is in a state contrary to
that which was innate and induced by marriage. These external reasons,
which are natural, have their origin from internal reasons also, which
are spiritual, like all other things in the world and in the body;
respecting which see above, n. 220. Those external natural reasons are
perceived from the internal spiritual reasons which proceed from the
marriage of good and truth, and principally from the following: that
good cannot provide or arrange anything but by truth; that neither can
good defend itself but by truth; consequently that truth is the defence
and as it were the arm of good; that good without truth is deficient of
counsel, because it has counsel, wisdom, and prudence by means of truth.
Now since by creation the husband is truth, and the wife the good
thereof; or, what is the same thing, since by creation the husband is
understanding, and the wife the love thereof, it is evident that the