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ing； to get a wife as some people do clothes； not to their own order； but ready made； all the more reason when the bargain is for one's son； not one's self。 So the Far East； which looks at the thing from a strictly paternal standpoint and ignores such trifles as personal preferences； takes its boy to the broker's and fits him out。 That the object of such parental care does not end by murdering his unfortunate spouse or making way with himself suggests how dead already is that individuality which we deem to be of the very essence of the thing。
Marriage is thus a species of investment contracted by the existing family for the sake of the prospective one； the actual participants being only lay figures in the affair。 Sometimes the father decides the matter himself； sometimes he or the relative who stands in loco parentis calls for a plebiscit on the subject； for such an extension of the suffrage has gradually crept even into patriarchal institutions。 The family then assemble； sit in solemn conclave on the question； and decide it by vote。 Of course the interested parties are not asked their opinion； as it might be prejudiced。 The result of the conference must be highly gratifying。 To have one's wife chosen for one by vote of one's relatives cannot but be satisfactoryto the electors。 The outcome of this ballot； like that of universal suffrage elsewhere； is at the best unobjectionable mediocrity。 Somehow such a result does not seem quite to fulfil one's ideal of a wife。 It is true that the upper classes of impersonal France practise this method of marital selection； their conseils de famille furnishing in some sort a parallel。 But； as is well known； matrimony among these same upper classes is largely form devoid of substance。 It begins impressively with a dual ceremony； the civil contract； which amounts to a contract of civility between the parties； and a religious rite to render the same perpetual； and there it is too apt to end。
So much for the immediate influence on the man； the eventual effect on the race remains to be considered。 Now； if the first result be anything； the second must in the end be everything。 For however trifling it be in the individual instance； it goes on accumulating with each successive generation； like compound interest。 The choosing of a wife by family suffrage is not simply an exponent of the impersonal state of things； it is a power toward bringing such a state of things about。 A hermit seldom develops to his full possibilities； and the domestic variety is no exception to the rule。 A man who is linked to some one that toward him remains a cipher lacks surroundings inciting to psychological growth； nor is he more favorably circumstanced because all his ancestors have been similarly circumscribed。
As if to make assurance doubly sure； natural selection here steps in to further the process。 To prove this with all the rigidity of demonstration desirable is in the present state of erotics beyond our power。 Until our family trees give us something more than mere skeletons of dead branches； we must perforce continue ignorant of the science of grafts。 For the nonce we must be content to generalize from our own premises； only rising above them sufficiently to get a bird's…eye view of our neighbor's estates。 Such a survey has at least one advantage： the whole field of view appears perfectly plain。
Surveying the subject； then； from this ego…altruistic position； we can perceive why matrimony； as we practise it； should result in increasing the personality of our race： for the reason namely that psychical similarity determines the selection。 At first sight； indeed； such a natural affinity would seem to have little or nothing to do with marriage。 As far as outsiders are capable of judging； unlikes appear to fancy one another quite as gratuitously as do likes。 Connubial couples are often anything but twin souls。 Yet our own dual use of the word 〃like〃 bears historic witness to the contrary。 For in this expression we have a record from early Gothic times that men liked others for being like themselves。 Since then； our feelings have not changed materially； although our mode of showing them is slightly less intense。 In those simple days stranger and enemy were synonymous terms； and their objects were received in a corresponding spirit。 In our present refined civilization we hurl epithets instead of spears； and content ourselves with branding as heterodox the opinions of another which do not happen to coincide with our own。 The instinct of self…development naturally begets this self…sided view。 We insensibly find those persons congenial whose ideas resemble ours； and gravitate to them； as leaves on a pond do to one another； nearer and nearer till they touch。 Is it likely； then； that in the most important case of all the rule should suddenly cease to hold？ Is it to be presumed that even Socrates chose Xantippe for her remarkable contrariety to himself？
Mere physical attraction is another matter。 Corporeally considered； men not infrequently fall in love with their opposites； the phenomenally tall with the painfully short； the unnecessarily stout with the distressingly slender。 But even such inartistic juxtapositions are much less common than we are apt at times to think。 For it must never be forgotten that the exceptional character of the phenomena renders them conspicuous； the customary more consorted combinations failing to excite attention。
Besides； there exists a reason for physical incongruity which does not hold psychically。 Nature sanctions the one while she discountenances the other。 Instead of the forethought she once bestowed upon the body； it receives at her hands now but the scantiest attention。 Its development has ceased to be an object with her。 For some time past almost all her care has been devoted to the evolution of the soul。 The consequence is that physically man is much less specialized than many other animals。 In other words； he is bodily less advanced in the race for competitive extermination。 He belongs to an antiquated； inefficient type of mammal。 His organism is still of the jack…of…all…trades pattern； such as prevailed generally in the more youthful stages of organic lifeone not specially suited to any particular pursuit。 Were it not for his cerebral convolutions he could not compete for an instant in the struggle for existence； and even the monkey would reign in his stead。 But brain is more effective than biceps； and a being who can kill his opponent farther off than he can see him evidently needs no great excellence of body to survive his foe。
The field of competition has thus been transferred from matter to mind； but the fight has lost none of its keenness in consequence。 With the same zeal with which advantageous anatomical variations were seized upon and perpetuated； psychical ones are now grasped and rendered hereditary。 Now if opposites were to fancy and wed one another； such fortunate improvements would soon be lost。 They would be scattered over the community at large even it they escaped entire neutralization。 To prevent so disastrous a result nature implants a desire for resemblance； which desire man instinctively acts upon。
Complete compatibility of temperament is of course a thing not to be expected nor indeed to be desired； since it would defeat its own end by allowing no room for variation。 A fairly broad basis of agreement； however； exists even when least suspected。 This common ground of content consists of those qualities held to be most essential by the individuals concerned； although not necessarily so appearing to other people。 Sometimes； indeed； these qualities are still in the larvae state of desires。 They are none the less potent upon the man's personality on that account； for the wish is always father to its own fulfilment。
The want of conjugal resemblance not only works mediately on the child； it works mutually on the parents； for companionship； as is well recognized； tends to similarity。 Now companionship is the last thing to be looked for in a far…eastern couple。 Where custom requires a wife to follow dutifully in the wake of her husband； whenever the two go out together； there is small opportunity for intercourse by the way； even were there the slightest inclination to it； which there is not。 The appearance of the pair on an excursion is a walking satire on sociability； for the comicality of the connection is quite unperceived by the performers。 In the privacy of the domestic circle the separation； if less humorous； is no less complete。 Each lives in a world of his own； largely separate in fact in China and Korea； and none the less in fancy in Japan。 On the continent a friend of the husband would see little or nothing of the wife； and even in Japan he would meet her much as we meet an upper servant in a friend's house。 Such a semi…attached relationship does not conduce to much mutual understanding。
The remainder of our hero's uneventful existence calls for no particular comment。 As soon as he has children borne him he is raised ipso facto from the position of a common soldier to that of a subordinate officer in the family ranks。 But his opportunities for the expression of individuality are not one whit i