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still on earth。 Well； the means will be found： the brain will not
fail when the will is in earnest。 The day is coming when great
nations will find their numbers dwindling from census to census；
when the six roomed villa will rise in price above the family
mansion； when the viciously reckless poor and the stupidly pious
rich will delay the extinction of the race only by degrading it；
whilst the boldly prudent； the thriftily selfish and ambitious；
the imaginative and poetic； the lovers of money and solid
comfort； the worshippers of success； art； and of love； will all
oppose to the Force of Life the device of sterility。
THE STATUE。 That is all very eloquent； my young friend； but if
you had lived to Ana's age； or even to mine； you would have
learned that the people who get rid of the fear of poverty and
children and all the other family troubles； and devote themselves
to having a good time of it； only leave their minds free for the
fear of old age and ugliness and impotence and death。 The
childless laborer is more tormented by his wife's idleness and
her constant demands for amusement and distraction than he could
be by twenty children； and his wife is more wretched than he。 I
have had my share of vanity； for as a young man I was admired by
women； and as a statue I am praised by art critics。 But I confess
that had I found nothing to do in the world but wallow in these
delights I should have cut my throat。 When I married Ana's
motheror perhaps； to be strictly correct； I should rather say
when I at last gave in and allowed Ana's mother to marry meI
knew that I was planting thorns in my pillow； and that marriage
for me； a swaggering young officer thitherto unvanquished； meant
defeat and capture。
ANA。 ＇scandalized＇ Father！
THE STATUE。 I am sorry to shock you； my love； but since Juan has
stripped every rag of decency from the discussion I may as well
tell the frozen truth。
ANA。 Hmf！ I suppose I was one of the thorns。
THE STATUE。 By no means： you were often a rose。 You see； your
mother had most of the trouble you gave。
DON JUAN。 Then may I ask； Commander； why you have left Heaven to
come here and wallow； as you express it； in sentimental
beatitudes which you confess would once have driven you to cut
your throat？
THE STATUE。 ＇struck by this＇ Egad； that's true。
THE DEVIL。 ＇alarmed＇ What！ You are going back from your word。 ＇To
Don Juan＇ And all your philosophizing has been nothing but a mask
for proselytizing！ ＇To the Statue＇ Have you forgotten already the
hideous dulness from which I am offering you a refuge here？ ＇To
Don Juan＇ And does your demonstration of the approaching
sterilization and extinction of mankind lead to anything better
than making the most of those pleasures of art and love which you
yourself admit refined you； elevated you； developed you？
DON JUAN。 I never demonstrated the extinction of mankind。 Life
cannot will its own extinction either in its blind amorphous
state or in any of the forms into which it has organized itself。
I had not finished when His Excellency interrupted me。
THE STATUE。 I begin to doubt whether you ever will finish； my
friend。 You are extremely fond of hearing yourself talk。
DON JUAN。 True； but since you have endured so much。 you may as
well endure to the end。 Long before this sterilization which I
described becomes more than a clearly foreseen possibility； the
reaction will begin。 The great central purpose of breeding the
race； ay； breeding it to heights now deemed superhuman： that
purpose which is now hidden in a mephitic cloud of love and
romance and prudery and fastidiousness； will break through into
clear sunlight as a purpose no longer to be confused with the
gratification of personal fancies； the impossible realization of
boys' and girls' dreams of bliss； or the need of older people for
companionship or money。 The plain…spoken marriage services of the
vernacular Churches will no longer be abbreviated and half
suppressed as indelicate。 The sober decency； earnestness and
authority of their declaration of the real purpose of marriage
will be honored and accepted； whilst their romantic vowings and
pledgings and until…death…do…us…partings and the like will be
expunged as unbearable frivolities。 Do my sex the justice to
admit； Senora； that we have always recognized that the sex
relation is not a personal or friendly relation at all。
ANA。 Not a personal or friendly relation！ What relation is more
personal？ more sacred？ more holy？
DON JUAN。 Sacred and holy； if you like； Ana； but not personally
friendly。 Your relation to God is sacred and holy： dare you call
it personally friendly？ In the sex relation the universal
creative energy； of which the parties are both the helpless
agents； over…rides and sweeps away all personal considerations
and dispenses with all personal relations。 The pair may be utter
strangers to one another； speaking different languages； differing
in race and color； in age and disposition； with no bond between
them but a possibility of that fecundity for the sake of which
the Life Force throws them into one another's arms at the
exchange of a glance。 Do we not recognize this by allowing
marriages to be made by parents without consulting the woman？
Have you not often expressed your disgust at the immorality of
the English nation； in which women and men of noble birth become
acquainted and court each other like peasants？ And how much does
even the peasant know of his bride or she of him before he
engages himself？ Why； you would not make a man your lawyer or
your family doctor on so slight an acquaintance as you would fall
in love with and marry him！
ANA。 Yes； Juan： we know the libertine's philosophy。 Always ignore
the consequences to the woman。
DON JUAN。 The consequences； yes： they justify her fierce grip of
the man。 But surely you do not call that attachment a sentimental
one。 As well call the policeman's attachment to his prisoner a
love relation。
ANA。 You see you have to confess that marriage is necessary；
though； according to you； love is the slightest of all the
relations。
DON JUAN。 How do you know that it is not the greatest of all the
relations？ far too great to be a personal matter。 Could your
father have served his country if he had refused to kill any
enemy of Spain unless he personally hated him？ Can a woman serve
her country if she refuses to marry any man she does not
personally love？ You know it is not so： the woman of noble birth
marries as the man of noble birth fights； on political and family
grounds； not on personal ones。
THE STATUE。 ＇impressed＇ A very clever point that； Juan： I must
think it over。 You are really full of ideas。 How did you come to
think of this one？
DON JUAN。 I learnt it by experience。 When I was on earth； and
made those proposals to ladies which； though universally
condemned； have made me so interesting a hero of legend； I was
not infrequently met in some such way as this。 The lady would say
that she would countenance my advances； provided they were
honorable。 On inquiring what that proviso meant； I found that it
meant that I proposed to get possession of her property if she
had any； or to undertake