311、⒂这就是婚姻之爱从最初之热发展到最初之火的正确次序和程序。之所以说“从最初之热到最初之火”，是因为生命之热就是爱，婚姻之热或爱会逐渐增长，直到最后可以说爆发为火焰或火炬。之所以说“到最初之火”，是因为我们指的是当这爱燃烧时，婚礼后的最初状态。前几节描述了随着婚姻持续，婚姻之爱在其最初之火后是何情形。这一部分的深入研究则解释了它从起点到这最初目标的次序。
一切次序皆从最初状态发展到最终状态，最终状态变成下一个次序的开始阶段；并且居间次序的一切事物就是在先次序的最终阶段和在后次序的最初阶段；目的就这样通过原因不断发展到结果。这一切从世上的可知可见之物足以向理性充分证实和说明。不过，由于此处讨论的主题只有一个，即：婚姻之爱从它的起点发展到它的目标所遵循的次序，故这些问题可以忽略过去。对此，我们只说明以下几点：这爱从最初之热发展到最初之火所遵循的次序性质如何，它在其随后发展中所固有的性质通常就如何。因为在这个过程中，它会照其最初之热的样子发展。如果这热是贞洁的，它的贞洁会随着它的发展得以强化；如果这热是不贞洁的，它的不贞洁也会随着它的发展增长，直到它丧失自订婚时外在而非内在所拥有的一切贞洁。
311、（15）这就是婚姻之爱发展的顺序，从最初的热情到它的第一个火焰。我们说从最初的热情到第一个火焰，是因为生命的热情就是爱，婚姻之爱会不断生长直至最的燃起火焰。我们说第一个火焰是指婚礼以后的第一阶段，这种爱刚刚开始燃烧。前几章已经讲过婚姻之爱中将会有怎样的情况。本章将讲述从其开始到第一个里程碑这一阶段。
在每一种发展之中都有始有终。一个终结可能是下一个过程的起点。发展过程中的每一个环节或元素都是后一个过程的终点。这一过程可以用可见的世间的现象来得到证明。但是，在此我们所要讲的是爱从其始点向爱的实现。所以我们只讲一下爱从其最初的热情发展到第一个火焰。这是他发展的主要部分，并且是它随后发展的方式。在这一过程中，最初的热情的性质将会展现出来，若它是非贞洁的，随着它的发展，它会变得更为不贞洁。直到它彻底失去在订婚时的外在的一点贞洁。
311. (xv) Such is the proper order and procedures of conjugial love, from its first heat to its first fire.
We say, from its first warmth to its first fire, because vital heat is love, and conjugial heat or love grows progressively until it, so to speak, bursts forth into flame or fire. We say, to its first fire, because we mean the first state after the wedding, when that love burns. What happens to it after this first fire, when the marriage continues, has been described in the preceding chapters. In this part of the study its sequence from the starting block to this first goal has been explained.
[2] Every sequence advances from the first state to the last, and the last becomes the first stage of a following sequence; and everything in an intermediate sequence is the last stage of an earlier and the first stage of a later sequence. Thus by causes ends advance continually towards effects. All this can be well enough proved and illustrated to the reason from what is known and can be seen in the world. But since the only subject under discussion here is the sequence in which love advances from its first stage to its goal, the general discussion can be omitted and here we shall only say that whatever was the nature of the sequence followed by this love from its first warmth to its first fire, such also is usually its nature inherent in its subsequent development. For in this it develops, as its first warmth was. If this was chaste, its chastity is strengthened as it advances; but if unchaste, its unchastity increases as it advances, until it is stripped of all the chastity it had outwardly, but not inwardly, from the time of the engagement.
311. 15. Such is the order and its steps by which conjugial love develops, from its first warmth to its first fire. We say, from its first warmth to its first fire, because the warmth of life is love, and conjugial warmth or love grows gradually until at last it bursts into flame or fire. We say, to its first fire, because we are referring to the first state following the wedding when this love is set ablaze. But what it is like after that fire, during the marriage itself, has already been described in previous chapters; and in this section of the discussion we have just laid out the course it follows from the initial starting point to this its first terminus.
[2] Every progression develops from initial elements to concluding ones; and the last elements become the first in some succeeding progression. So also, all the elements in an intermediate progression are the concluding elements of a prior progression and the first elements of a subsequent one; and thus do ends continually proceed through causes to effects. This can be demonstrated and illustrated satisfactorily to the sight of reason from phenomena recognized and visible in the world. But because we are dealing here with the proper order in which love progresses from its first point to its realization, we pass these considerations by and say on the subject only that as the development of this love is from its first warmth to its first fire, such is for the most part the development of it and the way it progresses afterwards. For in that progression what the first warmth was like within unveils itself. And if it was chaste, its chastity becomes stronger in its progressions. But if it was unchaste, its lack of chastity increases as it progresses, until it is stripped of any chastity it had adopted outwardly from the time of betrothal and failed to have within.
311. 15. This is the development of married love by proper stages from its first warmth to its first torch. We say from its first warmth to its first torch because the warmth of life is love, and the warmth - or love - of marriage keeps growing, and it finally grows as if into a flame or torch. We say to its first torch because this means the first state after the wedding, when the love is ablaze. But earlier chapters have described what it becomes after this flame, in the marriage itself. This part of the book, however, explains its progress from the first starting post to this first turning post.
Everything goes forward in a regular succession from beginnings to results, and in any chain of events that takes up from there, these results become beginnings. Also, every intermediate thing of a series is the result of what comes before it and the beginning of what follows. And in this way purposes always go through causes into effects. This can be established and illustrated enough for reason to see it by means of things known and seen in the world. But we pass by all that because here we are only dealing with the order by which love goes forward from its point of departure to its goal, except to say that afterwards this love develops, for the most part, as it did from its first warmth to its first torch. For then it unfolds according to what the first heat was like in its own right. If this first heat was chaste, its chasteness becomes stronger as it goes, but if it was not chaste, its unchasteness increases as it goes on, until it is stripped of all the chasteness it had from outside but not from within at the time of engagement.
311. XV. THAT THIS IS THE ORDER OF CONJUGIAL LOVE, WITH ITS MODES, FROM ITS FIRST HEAT TO ITS FIRST TORCH. It is said, from its first heat to its first torch because vital heat is love, and conjugial heat or love increases more and more, and finally as though to a flame or torch. It is said to the first torch, because what is meant is the first state after the wedding when the love is ardent. What it becomes after this torch, in the marriage itself, has been described in preceding chapters. This part of the lucubration has explained its order from the first starting point to this its first goal.
[2] From what is known and visible in the world, it can be adequately confirmed and made clear before the reason that all order proceeds from first things to last, and that the last of one order becomes the first of the next following order; also that all things of an intermediate order are the last of a prior and the first of a posterior order; and that it is in this way that ends go forth continually through causes into effects. But these matters are passed by, since all that is here treated of is the order in which [conjugial] love goes forth from its first starting point to its goal. Respecting this, we say only the following: As is the order of this love from its first heat to its first torch, such for the most part it is, in and within its subsequent progress; for in that progress, this first heat reveals itself such as it was in itself; if chaste, then, in its progressions, its chasteness is strengthened; but if unchaste, then in its progress its unchasteness increases until it is deprived of all the chasteness in which it had been outwardly but not inwardly from the time of betrothal.
311. (xv) This is the order of marital love with its steps from its first warmth to its first torch. We say, "from its first warmth to its first torch," because vital heat is love, and because marital warmth or love grows successively and at length to a flame or torch. By "its first torch," the first state after the nuptials is meant, when that love is ardent. In foregoing discussions we explained what marital love is like after this torch or in the ensuing marriage itself; here we are explaining the order of that love from its first starting-point to this its first goal.
It can be sufficiently established and elucidated to the reason from things known and visible in the world that all order proceeds from firsts to lasts, and that what is last becomes the first of any succeeding order, likewise that all things of a mediate order are the last things of a prior and the first things of a succeeding order, and that in this way ends are continually progressing by causes to effects. But our subject here is the order by which marital love moves from its first station to its first goal; its order subsequently we pass by, only remarking that such as the order of this love is from its first warmth to its first goal, such for the most part it is and remains in its ensuing development. It continues to unfold in keeping with what the first warmth was. If this was chaste, the chaste is strengthened in it in the further progress; but if unchaste, then the unchaste in it grows until the love is deprived of all the chaste which it had possessed outwardly, though not inwardly, from the time of the betrothal.
311. (15) That this is the order of conjugial love, with its modes, from its first heat to 'its first torch. It is said, from its first heat to its first torch, because vital heat is love, and conjugial heat or love successively increases and at length is as it were in flame, or a torch; it is said, its first torch, because the first state after the nuptials is meant, when that love is ardent. But what it becomes after this torch, in the marriage itself, has been described in preceding chapters; but in this part of the treatise its order is explained, from the starting point to this its first goal.
That all order proceeds from firsts to lasts, and that the lasts become the firsts of any succeeding order; and that all things of intermediate order are the last of a prior and the first of a posterior; and that in this wise ends go forth continually through causes into effects, might be sufficiently confirmed and illustrated to reason from things known and seen in the world; but, as here only the order is treated of in which love goes forth from its first starting point to its goal, these things are passed by, and on this subject only this is said: That, as is the order of this love from its first heat to its first torch, such is it, and such it is continued, for the most part, in its progress afterwards. For in this progress it unfolds itself of such quality as its first heat was in itself, which, if chaste, its chasteness is strengthened in its progressions, but if unchaste, its unchasteness increases in progressing, even until it is deprived of all the chasteness in which it was outwardly and not inwardly from the time of betrothal.
311. XV: Quod hic sit amoris conjugialis ordo cum suis modis a primo ejus calore ad primam ejus facem. Dicitur a primo ejus calore ad primam ejus facem, quia calor vitalis est amor, ac conjugialis calor seu amor, successive crescit, et tandem sicut in flammam 1seu facem: dicitur ad primam suam facem, quia intelligitur status primus post nuptias, quando amor ille ardet; sed qualis fit post hanc facem, in ipso conjugio, descriptum est in Transactionibus, quae antecedunt; in hac autem lucubrationis parte ordo ejus a primo carcere ad primam hanc metam explanatus est.
[2] Quod omnis ordo procedat a primis ad ultima, et quod ultima fiant prima sequentis alicujus ordinis, tum quod omnia medii ordinis sint ultima prioris, ac prima posterioris, et quod sic fines per causas in effectus continue procedant, ex cognitis et visibilibus in Mundo sufficienter coram ratione potest confirmari ac illustrari; sed quia hic de ordine, in quo amor procedit a sua statione prima ad suam metam, unice agitur, praetereuntur illa, et modo de hoc dicitur, quod qualis hujus amoris ordo est a primo suo calore ad primam suam facem, talis ut plurimum sit et insit in progressione sua postea; in hac enim se evolvit, qualis in se fuit primus calor; qui si castus, castum ejus corroboratur in progressionibus; si autem incastus, incastum ejus augescit progrediendo, usque dum omni casto, in quo a tempore desponsationis fuit ab extra et non ab intra, orbatur.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: inflammam