Human Physiology. 



need not be clever or elegant; though brains and manners are 

 certainly an advantage. They need only to have in a strong 

 degree the sexual magnetism of which I have spoken the 

 quality of fascination a physical or nervous power, exercised 

 by many animals, and multitudes of men, with or without con- 

 sciousness, to do the greatest possible mischief. They put a 

 spell upon a woman, which many find it difficult, perhaps im- 

 possible, to resist. It used to be supposed that the power 

 they exercised resided in some philter or love-potion, A gift, 

 a keepsake, may no doubt carry it, so may a billet-doux, which 

 may be imbued with a subtle influence, which is not in the 

 written words. It is in the strong will of the magnetiser. He 

 interests his victim in some way in a conversation, in music, 

 in art, in religion and not a few clergymen are adepts and 

 then wills her to love him. When a woman loves ever so in- 

 nocently, ever so purely, she is no longer quite mistress of 

 herself. She wishes generously to bestow herself on him she 

 loves. It is an effort and a pain to refuse him anything he 

 asks. But what if he bring to bear upon her the same will 

 that has already charmed and fascinated, bewildered and taken 

 possession of her? She is lost. 



Forewarned is forearmed. It is the first step that costs. 

 When a girl, a very young girl, knows that there are such dan- 

 gers and some, and, I hope, many, know it instinctively they 

 can watch against the first approaches, the first interest, the 

 first feeling, that may lead them into danger. It is useless to 

 say that no man should be trusted it is themselves they are 

 to watch, and safely keep ; they must stand firmly against, or, if 

 need be, fly from, the first symptom of a tender, and what may 

 become an amative feeling, towards any man any feeling which 

 may give him the least bit of this dangerous power over them. 

 Other safeguards are of little use. Men and women must pos- 

 sess themselves, know what is right, feel what is right, and 

 resolve to do what is right, and resist what is wrong. A sense 



