262 Heredity. 



'A young man, devoted from an early period of his life to 

 business, and who at the age of twenty-six had never, though occa- 

 sions were not wanting, felt any desire for those pleasures which 

 are pursued with such mad ardour by so many others, was suddenly, 

 and without any appreciable cause, seized with a sort of amorous 

 fury. He began to idolize all womankind, but, as he was careful 

 to say, with the best intentions, and in all honour, not having even 

 the slightest thought of the physical pleasure given by the pos- 

 session of them. He cherished these feelings in secret, and for 

 several months he concealed them from every one. His education 

 and his station in life made this course obligatory on him. Soon 

 there arose in his mind erotic fancies, of which he was inwardly 

 ashamed, and against which he struggled with all his might. But 

 so possessed was he with them, that his reason was not long able 

 to resist the assault. To mental disorder there soon were added 

 unmistakable signs of softening of the brain : a violent maniacal 

 delirium then appeared, ending in death.' l 



We will place side by side with this ideal form of love, mystical 

 love, concerning which we have the same remarks to make. On 

 reading the principal treatises on religious and philosophic mysti- 

 cism, often so full of poetry, and so curious as the product of fine 

 analyses, we cannot but recognize a variation of ordinary love, 

 and the senses have there so active a part, that both forms often 

 speak the same language. Spiritualistic philosophers themselves, 

 among others Cousin, have well shown that mysticism is never 

 nearer the senses than when it supposes itself to be very distant 

 from them. 



Moreau, in his Physiologic Morbide, gives a curious instance of 

 this erratic love, which mistakes its true origin. * I have had under 

 my eyes for several months,' says he, * and have been able to study 

 thoroughly, a young woman, who in another age, and under other 

 conditions of family and surroundings, would certainly have ranked 

 with the Chantals and the Guyons. I will content myself with 

 citing literally and without alteration certain passages from sundry 

 letters written by her, which show how far she was mistaken as to 

 the true character of the sentiments which possessed her.' 



1 Moreau of Tours, Psychologic Morbide, pp. 259 284. 



