Conjugial Love (Acton) n. 99

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99. X. THAT WHEN CONJUGIAL LOVE HAS BEEN IMPLANTED, LOVE OF THE SEX IS INVERTED AND BECOMES CHASTE LOVE OF THE SEX. It is said that love of the sex is then inverted, because, while conjugial love is coming to its origin which is in the interiors of the mind, it sees love of the sex not in front of itself but behind, that is, not above itself but below. Thus it sees it as something which it leaves behind in passing, in like manner as is the case when one climbs from one office, through other offices, to an office of supereminent dignity, and then looks back or below to the offices through which he has passed; or, as when one intends a journey to the court of some king, and after his arrival, turns his gaze back to the things which he saw on the way. That with those who are in love truly conjugial, love of the sex then remains and becomes chaste, and yet sweeter than the former love, can be seen from its description by those who are in the spiritual world, as given in the two Memorable Relations therefrom, nos. 42, 44.


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