12 SEX 



not only terms for relationship, but also terms 

 for the chief human affections and desires." 

 ..." Many roots have originally a sexual 

 sense, and are by analogy or association 

 afterwards used for wider household, agri- 

 cultural, or social occupations." " Accord- 

 ingly, if we find in the sexual impulse not only 

 the source of a developed terminology for 

 relationship, but also the first germs of the 

 social instincts in man, shall we not cease to 

 regard it as " a most unlovely germ of appe- 

 tite," and recognise it for what it really has 

 been nay, still really is the ultimate basis 

 of the very highest, as well as of the very 

 lowest, phases in human action and human 

 feeling? " 



WHAT SEX MEANS TO-DAY. This little 

 word covers half the happiness of mankind, 

 and half the misery too indeed, what pessimist 

 would not say more ! It brings about the 

 re-arrangement of the whole life at adoles- 

 cence, and gives the individual a fresh start 

 up or down. It is the organic tendril that 

 fastens the growing spirit to the most enduring 

 supports in our external heritage ; in art 

 and literature and great example. It is the 

 physical basis of the most powerful emotion 

 in human life the love of mates, and it is 

 capable of rising higher and falling lower than 

 any other impulse we know. It gives wings 

 or shackles ; oftenest, a little of both. 



The seamy side is indeed painfully obvious. 

 Morbidities and vices in adolescence are all 

 too common. Many lovers fail in continence. 

 Many marriages sink into commonplaceness 

 and stupor, into quarrelsomeness or indiffer- 



