New-York tribune., 1871-08-24
HENRY JAMES ON FREE LOVE,
q N, Editor Of The Tribupe.

TO the Editor OF The TrtbUHe.
SIR 1t is very well that you should defend
yourself from tho unjust assault Of The Cincinnati Com
Taorcial hut it is all well that you should Incl
dcnJay do great injustice, which you do when You
refer to our old controversy about Marriage in terms
which imply that i had some sympathy with what ls
callel Free Love.
Our controversy in respect TO Marriage was never
mutyed by any sympathy my part with the doctrine
IN question: so far from this indeed, that al the very
time controversy gong on was engaged IN NOT
poemc against Mr. Andrewss views on that SUBJECT IN
your paper never tempted TO the least comphci!
with those views because they seemed to me so utterly
void of intellectual basis For love Is an organic pason
OF the soul and If anything is clear to cuuVateu eA
perience OF he Il is that however free man may ieoi
himself TO he i'm the moral sphere or sphere o "''o'
he never can conceive himself be similarly free IN lhe
organic sphere which is that OF appetite ana PASSION o
must on the contrary If he reflects al all perceive mn
self 70 he in HELPLESS bondage. Hence IL is that oNo'
when it is pure, always aspres to marriage aS J." w
heaven of lts felicity. For marriage " Hee' i ~ l''
essential freedom; that the lover WHO hab o"s
rn5cr the TYRANNY OF passion is sooner marred-tht
is brought into spiritual or living ana inorganic
ton with woman-han he feels hlmseii eInShcip"''"
from animal bondage and elevated for the first time TO
human form and order Holding Marriage tneh L" nave
This intrinsic dimity-seelng 1t to De the CONTAMINATION
of mans life and destny-I maintained against yOu'
,n on t NJ once 10 be divestcd of all those sanctions
pf Tut
and their sLepucal imagination have hitherto crippled
st. free activity aud obScured its essential divine luser
W. might fer to any extent in opinion 10 the best
method of organizing divorce for the present time; but
tt seemed 10 me that good ought not 10 differ in SEN
timent as 10 the essential freedom of Marriage con-
seouenty as the general legislative relief which its
admnisra requires before 1t purify existing
sexual morality by ecvatng love out OF the mere animal
passion II is in most men into the beautiful human
activity IL is in the bosom of most women.
Our technical OF leEay reconstructed marriage has been
an Invaluable type Of true marriage inasmuch as 1t
guarantees the union OF the parties against all outward
desccTaton But it is only type; for its methods OF
force have not the least power TO guarantee the tie
against inward blight and decay This can be done only
by cgsatyCy acknowledging the essential freedom OF
The marriage relation; which acknowledgment iself
the making divorce perfectly free and honorable
within of course limits exact justice TO the inter
Gets of Third parties, namely, chldrcn-whenever the
welded p-i agree recprocally to invoke it, No doubt
procatc persons may avail themselves of this liberty 10
prosecute their own candestne ends. But surely II is
much better that should be left free occasionally to
Impose upon themselves and Others than that all freedom
Of action should be absolutely denied them Yours truly,
CGiaGridge Aug. 16. HENRY JAMES
[Mr. James we viii not doubt, understands
himself, aud has clear distinction in his own
mind between his idea of making divorce
free and honorable" and what we detest as
Free Love That distinction, however, is not
apparent to us.-Edl