have an involuntary seminal emission, but who exhibit no other
indications whatever of an active sexual life--neither masturbation, nor
any discernible psychosexual processes. Nevertheless, in most cases of
this kind, more careful observation will bring to light much, besides
the occurrence of the involuntary seminal emissions, which points to an
awakening of sexuality. Still, in some individuals, it is remarkable how
long entire sexual innocence may persist. This is doubtless due in such
cases, not to any specially rigorous natural virtue, but simply to the
fact that in these cases sexual development is much slower than the
average. Those concerned are thus devoid of all understanding of the
sexual, just in the same way as persons born blind lack all
understanding of colour. In most of the cases in which such retardation
occurs, the sexual life subsequently becomes entirely normal, showing
that the only abnormality was the exceptional delay in the occurrence of
the various processes. I have myself seen a number of cases in which the
development of the sexual life was delayed to such an extent that
ejaculation during coitus was not effected until towards the end of the
third decade of life, although erections, and even occasional nocturnal
emissions, had occurred long before. I believe that cases of this kind
are to a small extent only, if at all, the result of educational
influences, and they are in no way dependent upon the so-called sexual
neurasthenia; we are concerned simply with a retardation of development,
dependent upon congenital predisposition.

CHAPTER V

PATHOLOGY

In the previous chapters I have from time to time mentioned some
phenomenon of comparatively rare occurrence; but for the most part I
have described those processes only which are regularly met with, which
cannot be regarded as exceptional peculiarities, and therefore must not
be considered to be pathological manifestations. It is true that much
that has been described comes within the province of the pathological;
for example, many of the active manifestations of the sexual impulse
occurring during the first period of childhood, such as the case quoted
from Fere on page 81. For practical reasons, however, such cases as this
cannot always be dealt with as members of a distinct pathological group.
On the other hand, it is necessary to give a separate consideration to
the pathological aspect of our subject. Many of the cases which must be