The reasons why those who had lived in truly conjugial love do not wish to remarry after the death of their partner are as follows:

1. Because they are united in their souls, and thus in their minds. This union, being spiritual, is the real attachment of the soul and mind of one to that of the other, and this cannot be undone. I have showed in many passages above that this is the nature of spiritual linking. 2. They are also physically united by the wife receiving the reproductive element of the husband's soul, and so by having his life introduced into her own, so that she turns from maiden into wife; and in the other case by the husband receiving the wife's conjugial love. This adjusts the inner regions of the mind, and at the same time the inner and outer parts of his body, to become capable of receiving love and perceiving wisdom, a state which turns him from a young man into a husband. (On these changes see 198 above.) 3. The sphere of love emanating from the wife, and the sphere of intellect emanating from the husband are constantly flowing, so making their linking more perfect, and it surrounds them with its pleasant aura and unites them (see also 223 above). 4. A married couple who are thus united have their thoughts and aspirations fixed on eternity; and this idea is the foundation of their everlasting happiness (see 216). 5. These two factors are responsible for them being no longer two, but one person, that is, one flesh. 6. Such a one cannot be broken up by the death of the other, as is perfectly plain to the sight of the spirit. 7. To this I will add a new point. The two are still not parted by the death of one, since the spirit of the dead man or woman constantly lives with the spirit of the one who is not yet dead. This continues up to the death of the other, when they meet again and are re-united, loving each other more tenderly than before, because they are then in the spiritual world.

The incontrovertible consequence of these facts is that those who had lived in truly conjugial love do not wish to re-marry. If, however, they subsequently contract something like a marriage, this is for reasons which have nothing to do with conjugial love. All such reasons are outward ones; as for instance, if the household contains young children, and provision must be made for their care; if the household is wealthy and well provided with servants of either sex; if business abroad distracts the mind from family affairs at home; if there is need of mutual help and services, and other similar things.