Page:Arcana Coelestia - Volume X.djvu/575

10,837.] EXODUS. 56$ of their body ; appearing thus naked only as to the breast and face ; and that on this occasion the young men come thither, that they may choose for themselves some one for a wife j and when a young man sees one agreeable to himself to whom his mind attracts him, he takes her by the hand, and if she then follows, he leads her into a house prepared, and she becomes his wife ; for from the faces they there see whether they agree in minds, since the face of every one is there the index of the mind, being without pretence and deceit. That all things may be done de- cently and without lasciviousness, an old man sits behind the virgin girls, and at the side an old woman, who make their re- marks. There are several such places to which the young wo- men are led, and also stated, times, that the young men may make their election • for if in one place they do not see a girl suitable to them, they go away to another / and if not at that time, they return at a future opportunity. They further said, that a husband has only one wife, and in no case more, because this is contrary to Divine Order. STEREOTYPES BT TOBITT AMD GOLDER, 181 WILLIAM ST., W. T.