178、关于这个星球上的订婚和结婚，他们说，当女儿到了谈婚论嫁的年龄时，她就待在家里，在结婚之日前不可外出。然后，她被带到一个夫妻房，许多适婚少女也被带到那里；她们在此被安置在一道齐腰的屏风后面，只露出她们的脸和胸。然后，少男便来到这里为自己选择妻子。当一个少男看中一位适合他的女孩，并且从心灵上被她吸引时，他就去和她牵手。如果这个女孩跟着他，他就把她带到早就预备好的一个房间，使她成为他的妻子。他们从脸上就能看出他们的性格是否合适，因为每个人的脸都是其心灵的标志，没有丝毫掩饰或欺骗。为确保整个过程文雅得体，没有淫荡的意味，一位老翁坐在少女的后面，一位老妇则坐在他旁边，以进行观察。这样的地方有很多，少女都被带到这里；还有规定时间让少男作出自己的选择。他们若在一个地方没有找到一个合适的少女，就到另一个地方；若这一次没有找到，就下一次再来。他们继续说，一个丈夫只能有一个妻子，永远不可超过一个，因为这违反神性次序。(全书完)
178. As for engagements and marriages on their planet, they told us that daughters are kept at home when they are near marriageable age and are not allowed to go out until the day when they are to be married. Then they are taken to a certain house of marriage where a number of other marriageable young women have been brought and stationed behind a platform that comes up to the middle of their bodies, so that their nakedness can be seen only from chest to face. 1Then young men come and choose wives. When a young man sees someone suitable for him, someone who appeals to him, he takes her by the hand. If she then follows him, he takes her to a home that has been made ready and she becomes his wife. They see from each other’s faces whether their dispositions agree, because everyone’s face there is a sign of his or her disposition. There is no dissimulation or deceit.
To ensure that everything happens properly and without lewdness, an elderly man sits behind the young women and there is an elderly woman to one side, both keeping watch.
There are many locations like this where the young women are brought, and there are also fixed times for the young men to make their choices. If they do not see a suitable young woman in one place they go to another, and if not at one time, they come back the next time.
They also said that a husband marries only one wife, never more than one, because this would be contrary to the divine design.
THE END
Footnotes:
1. Elsewhere Swedenborg enlarges on the theme that nakedness in a positive sense symbolizes innocence (see, for example, Secrets of Heaven 165, 2306; Heaven and Hell 280). Compare the innocence of the naked spirits of Jupiter, in contrast to the lewd thoughts of spirits from our planet, in Other Planets 56, 66. Both sexes of the planet currently under discussion “go naked and their nakedness is not a matter of shame” (Other Planets 176). [SS]
178. On the subject of engagements and marriages in their world, they related that when a daughter reaches an age to be married, she is kept at home and not allowed to go out until her wedding day. Then she is taken to a marriage parlour, where many other nubile young women have been taken, and there they are stationed behind a barrier which comes up to waist level, leaving their faces and chests exposed to view. Young men then come there to choose themselves wives. When a young man sees a girl who suits him and to whom he is mentally attracted, he takes her by the hand. If she then follows him, he takes her to a house which has previously been prepared and makes her his wife. They can tell from their faces whether their characters are suited, since each person's face is an indication of his character, with no pretence or lying. To ensure that the whole proceeding is decorous and free from impropriety an old man is seated behind the girls, with an old woman at his side, to keep watch. There are many such places where young women are taken, and fixed times for the young men to make their choice. If they do not find a suitable girl at one place, they go off to another; and if not on that occasion, they come back at the next. They went on to say that a husband has only one wife, never more, because this would be contrary to God's order.
178. Concerning betrothals and marriages in that earth, they related that a daughter, when she arrives at a marriageable age, is kept at home, nor is she allowed to leave the house till the day she is to be married; that then she is conducted to a certain connubial house, where there are also many other young women of marriageable age brought together, and there they are placed behind a screen, which reaches to the middle of the body, so that they appear naked as to the breast and face: and that then the young men come thither to choose for themselves a wife. And when a young man sees one that seems suited to him, and to whom his mind draws him, he takes her by the hand; and if she then follows him, he leads her to a house prepared, and she becomes his wife. For they see from the face whether they agree in mind, inasmuch as there every one's face is an index of the mind, and in nothing does it dissemble and deceive. That all things may be done decently and without lasciviousness, an old man is seated behind the virgins, and an old woman at the side of them, to make their observations. There are many such places to which the young women are conducted: and also stated times for the young men to make their choice. For if they do not find a maid to suit them in one place, they go to another; and if not at one time, they return again at a future time. They said further, that a husband has only one wife, and never more than one, because this is contrary to Divine order.
178. De Desponsationibus et Conjugiis in illa Tellure referebant, quod Filia circa aetatem ejus nubilem teneatur domi, nec liceat ei exire usque ad diem quo maritanda; et quod tunc perducatur ad domum quandam connubialem, quo etiam plures aliae adolescentulae, quae nubiles, deductae sunt, ac ibi ponantur post tabulatum usque ad mediam corporis eorum partem elevatum, apparentes sic nudae quoad partem pectoralem et faciem: et quod tunc Juvenes illuc veniant, ut sibi eligant aliquam in uxorem; et cum Juvenis videt quandam sibi conformem, ad quam animus ejus illum trahit, manu illam prehendit; si illa tunc sequitur, ducit illam in domum praeparatam, et fit ejus uxor: ex faciebus enim vident, num animis conveniant, nam facies cujusvis ibi est index animi, nihil simulat et mentitur. Ut omnia decenter fiant, et absque lascivia, post puellas virgines sedet vir senex, et ad latus mulier vetula, et observant. Talia loca sunt plura, ad quae adolescentulae ducuntur; et quoque stata tempora, ut juvenibus sit electio; si enim non in uno loco puellam sibi convenientem vident, abeunt in alium; et si non eo tempore, sequenti redeunt. Porro dicebant, quod Maritus modo unam uxorem habeat, et nusquam plures, quia hoc contra ordinem divinum.