PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION 



THE first edition of this work, which has now been out 

 of print for a long time, was published less than four 

 years ago. Before that date the war had stopped all 

 general research- work ; consequently the alterations 

 that will be found in the present edition are of the 

 nature of extensive additions, amplifications and re- 

 visions, rather than of presentations of new aspects of 

 the subject. 



The title has been considered by some to be 

 inappropriate because the term ' Sexual Complex ' has 

 previously been used in another and more limited sense. 

 ' The Genital System ', which has been suggested, 

 would not have exactly expressed my meaning. One 

 reviewer has stated that the term ' Sex Endocrine Com- 

 plex' would have been better, and that in regard to 

 sex ' one cannot leave out the psychosexual system '. 

 But have I not endeavoured to show that the ' psycho- 

 sexual system' as related to sex is a subdivision of 

 my subject ? Whatever terms have hitherto existed, 

 surely ' Sex-Complex ' (I concede the hyphen) is all- 

 inclusive. The different sections might perhaps have 

 been clumsily qualified as * Sex-Determination-Complex ', 

 ' Sex-Psychosis-Complex ', and the rest, if the work were 

 intended for unintelligent readers. Such, however, is 

 not the case; and I prefer to leave a little to the 

 imagination and good word-sense of those who are 

 interested in the subject. 



I shall deal with criticisms of facts in the appropriate 

 places. 



I am greatly indebted to many reviewers and readers 

 not only for their generous appreciation, but also for 



