446. (2) A love for the opposite sex, from which fornication stems, arises when the adolescent youth begins to think and act in accordance with his own intellect, and the sound of his voice begins to become manly. We present this observation in order to make known the point at which a love for the opposite sex and thus fornication begins, namely, when the intellect begins to become independently rational or to see and explore matters that are of advantage and use in accordance with its own reason, whatever is in the memory from parents and teachers then serving it as a foundation. At that time a revolution occurs in the mind. Previously the intellect thought only in accordance with ideas instilled in the memory, thinking in terms of them and being governed by them. Afterwards it thinks in accordance with reason about them. And then, guided by its love, it disposes the matters residing in the memory into a new order, and establishes its own life in conformity to it, so that it progressively thinks more and more in accordance with its reason, and wills more and more in harmony with its freedom. [2] People know that a love for the opposite sex follows the commencement of a youth's own intellect and develops in accordance with its force - evidence that that love ascends as the intellect ascends, and descends as the intellect descends. By its ascending we mean an ascent into wisdom; and by its descending we mean a descent into madness. It is wisdom to restrain one's love for the opposite sex, and madness to let it go unchecked. If it is let go into fornication, which is the first stage in its activity, it ought to be controlled in accordance with principles of honor and morality, principles which have been implanted in the memory and from that in the reason, and which afterwards should be implanted in the reason and from that in the memory. As for the observation that, with the commencement of a youth's own intellect, the sound of his voice also begins to become manly, the reason is that it is his intellect which thinks and which through thought speaks - evidence that it is the intellect which makes the man and also his masculinity; consequently, that according as his intellect is elevated, so does he become a human man and also a manly man (see above, nos. 432, 433).