THE HISTORY OF HUMAN

MARRIAGE

VOL. III

HUMAN

MARRIAGE

BY

EDWARD WESTERMARCK

PH.D.; HON. LL.D., ABERDEEN

MARTIN WHITE PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY AT THE ACADEMY OF ABO (FINLAND)
AUTHOR OF "THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MORAL ideas,' MARRIAGE
CEREMONIES IN MOROCCO, ETC.

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOL. III

FIFTH EDITION REWRITTEN

THE ALLERTON BOOK COMPANY

NEW YORK

1922

WX2
1922

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXVII

MONOGAMY AND POLYGYNY

Monogamy and polygyny among the lower races, pp. 1-38.-In America,

pp. 1-6.-In Asia, pp. 6-13.-In the Indian Archipelago and the

islands of the Pacific Ocean, pp. 13-19.—In Tasmania and Australia,

p. 19 sq.-In Africa, pp. 20-25.-Their prevalence at different grades

of economic culture, pp. 26-28.-Polygyny modified in a monogamous

direction both from the social and the sexual point of view, pp. 28-38.-

One of the wives, generally the first married, holding a higher social

position than the rest or regarded as the principal wife, pp. 29-36.-

The husband cohabiting with his wives in turn, p. 36 sq.-One of
the wives for the time being the favourite, p. 37 sq.-Polygyny or
concubinage among peoples of archaic culture, pp. 38-50.-In
Christian countries, p. 50 sq.

CHAPTER XXVIII

MONOGAMY AND POLYGYNY

(Concluded)

The numerical proportion between the sexes a cause of monogamy or

polygyny, pp. 52-64.-Causes of the preponderance of women,

pp. 60-64.--Various reasons why a man may desire to have more

than one wife, pp. 64-84.-Monogamy requires of him temporary

continence, pp. 64-70.-He is attracted by female youth and beauty,

p. 70 sq.-At the lower stages of civilisation women seem to get old

much sooner than among ourselves, pp. 71-74.-Man's taste for

variety, p. 74.-His desire for offspring, particularly male offspring,

and for a large progeny, pp. 75-78, 80.-The families of savages often

small, pp. 78-80.-A man's wealth increased through the labour of

his wives, pp. 80-82.-Unequal distribution of wealth a cause of

polygyny, p. 82.-A man's social importance, reputation, and

authority increased by a multitude of wives, p. 82 sq.-Polygyny a

more or less definite class distinction, p. 83 sq.-Social influence or

authority a cause of polygyny, p. 84.-The levirate a cause of it,

ibid.-Obstacles to polygyny, PP. 84-104.-Polygyny checked by

the necessity of paying a bride price, p. 85.-By the difficulty in

maintaining a plurality of wives, p. 85 sq.-By marriage by service,

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