becomes insensible to every vital love, especially to conjugial love,
from which as from a fountain issue the activities and alacrities of
life. Conjugial cold with such is different from what it is with others;
it is indeed the privation of conjugial love, but arising from defect.

250. XIV. OF EXTERNAL CAUSES OF COLD THE FIFTH IS, INEQUALITY OF
EXTERNAL RANK AND CONDITION. There are several inequalities of rank and
condition, which while parties are living together put an end to the
conjugial love which commenced before marriage; but they may all be
referred to inequalities as to age, station, and wealth. That unequal
ages induce cold in marriage, as in the case of a lad with an old woman,
and of a young girl with a decrepit old man, needs no proof. That
inequality of station has a similar effect, as in the marriage of a
prince with a servant maid, or of an illustrious matron with a servant
man, is also acknowledged without further proof. That the case is the
same in regard to wealth, unless a similitude of minds and manners, and
an application of one party to the inclinations and native desires of
the other, consociate them, is evident. But in all such cases, the
compliance of one party on account of the pre-eminence of station and
condition of the other, effects only a servile and frigid conjunction;
for the conjugial principle is not of the spirit and heart, but only
nominal and of the countenance; in consequence of which the inferior
party is given to boasting, and the superior blushes with shame. But in
the heavens there is no inequality of age, station, or wealth; in regard
to age, all there are in the flower of their youth, and continue so into
eternity; in regard to station, they all respect others according to the
uses which they perform. The more eminent in condition respect inferiors
as brethren, neither do they prefer station to the excellence of use,
but the excellence of use to station; also when maidens are given in
marriage, they do not know from what ancestors they are descended; for