"As a citizen of a free country in which I can love in one State, marry in another, and be divorced in a third, I am not interested in your Rules--I am interested in your Lady." "The two are inseparable in this case," Amelius answered gravely.

"If I am to speak of Miss Mellicent, I must speak of the Rules; you will soon see why.

Our Community becomes a despotism, gentlemen, in dealing with love and marriage.

For example, it positively prohibits any member afflicted with hereditary disease from marrying at all; and it reserves to itself, in the case of every proposed marriage among us, the right of permitting or forbidding it, in council.

We can't even fall in love with each other, without being bound, under penalties, to report it to the Elder Brother; who, in his turn, communicates it to the monthly council; who, in their turn, decide whether the courtship may go on or not.
That's not the worst of it, even yet! In some cases--where we haven't the slightest intention of falling in love with each other--the governing body takes the initiative.