FORNICATION means the lust of a grown up man or youth with a woman, a harlot, before marriage; but lust with a woman, not a harlot, that is, with a maiden or with another's wife, is not fornication; with a maiden it is the act of deflowering, and with another's wife it is adultery.

FORNICATION means the lust of a grown up man or youth with a woman, a harlot, before marriage; but lust with a woman, not a harlot, that is, with a maiden or with another's wife, is not fornication; with a maiden it is the act of deflowering, and with another's wife it is adultery.

In order therefore that the love of the sex may be distinctly known as to that part by which it inclines and makes advances to adulterous love altogether opposite to conjugial love, it is expedient to examine its beginning, which is fornication; and this we will do in the following series: I. Fornication is of the love of the sex.

Fornication is of the natural man.

Fornication is lust, but not the lust of adultery.

The lust of fornication is more grievous, as it verges to the desire of varieties and of defloration.

The sphere of the lust of fornication, such as it is in the beginning, is a middle sphere between the sphere of adulterous love and the sphere of conjugial love, and makes an equilibrium.

We say that fornication is of the love of the sex, because it is not the love of the sex but is derived from it.

Who can draw the conclusion, that he that has committed fornication cannot be more chaste in marriage? 446.

This article is adduced to the intent, that the birth of the love of the sex, and thence of fornication, may be known, as taking place when the understanding begins of itself to become rational, or from its own reason to discern and provide such things as are of emolument and use, whereto in such case what has been implanted in the memory from parents and masters, serves as a plane.

The reasons why fornication is lust are, 1.

The reason why this is seen from common perception is, because fornication is not opposed to conjugial love as adultery is.

From these considerations reason may see, that the lust of limited fornication is, in respect to the lust of adultery, as the first warmth is to the cold of mid-winter in northern countries.

V. WITH SOME MEN THE LOVE OF THE SEX CANNOT WITHOUT HURT BE TOTALLY CHECKED FROM GOING FORTH INTO FORNICATION.

X. THE SPHERE OF THE LUST OF FORNICATION, SUCH AS IT IS IN THE BEGINNING, IS A MIDDLE SPHERE BETWEEN THE SPHERE OF ADULTEROUS LOVE AND THE SPHERE OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, AND MAKES AN EQUILIBRIUM.

It is said the lust of fornication such as it is in the beginning, because at that time it is in a middle state.

The case is similar in regard to the lust of fornication, while a man's love is becoming conjugial.

In the preceding chapter, in treating on fornication, we treated also on keeping a mistress; by which was understood the connection of an unmarried man with a woman under stipulated conditions: but by concubinage we here mean the connection of a married man with a woman in like manner under stipulated conditions.

Fornication is of the natural man, n. 447.

With some men, the love of the sex cannot without hurt be totally checked from going forth into fornication, n. 450.

Fornication is light, so far as it looks to conjugial love, and gives this love the preference, n. 452.

The lust of fornication is grievous, so far as it looks to adultery, n. 453.

The lust of fornication is more grievous as it verges to the desire of varieties and of defloration, n. 454.

The sphere of the lust of fornication, such as it is in the beginning, is a middle sphere between the sphere of adulterous love and the sphere of conjugial love, and makes an equilibrium, n. 455.

Under the canon law, even more resources are open for the man who is tired of his wife; by the doctrine, namely, of "spiritual fornication.