From Swedenborg's Works

 

Conjugial Love #91

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91. In contrast, the female is born to be will-oriented, but will-oriented in response to the intellectual orientation of the male, or in other words, to be a lover of the wisdom in a man, because she was formed by means of his wisdom (regarding which, see above, nos. 88, 89). This can also be seen from the disposition of the female, her employment, her behavior, and her figure.

With respect to the disposition of the female, it can be seen that it is a disposition to love knowledge, intelligence and wisdom - though not in herself but in a man - and for that reason to love a man. For a man is not lovable simply on account of his physique, the fact that he looks like a man, but on account of the gifts he has in him which make him human.

With respect to the employment of the female, it can be seen that it has to do with things that are works of the hands and are called sewing, needlework, and other names, which serve for decoration, for her personal adornment, and for enhancing her beauty. Also, that it has to do as well with various tasks called domestic, which complement the tasks of men (which, as we said, are called occupational). Women do these things out of an inclination towards marriage, in order to become wives and so one with their husbands.

With respect to the behavior and figure of the female, it is evident without explanation that the same thing is visible from these.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Conjugial Love #89

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89. Implanted in these two from creation is an inclination to join together into one, for the reason that one was formed out of the other. Wisdom is formed out of a love of growing wise, which is to say that truth is formed as a result of good. And a love of wisdom is formed as a result of that wisdom, or in other words, the good of truth is formed as a result of that truth.

From this process of formation it can be seen that they have a mutual inclination to reunite themselves and to join together into one. But this happens only in the case of men who are in a state of genuine wisdom, and in women who are in a state of love for that wisdom in their husbands, thus who are in a state of truly conjugial love. As for the wisdom that a man needs to have and that a wife ought to love, however, this, too, will be discussed later.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.