e animal may attempt to cover
the youthful male. The congenital nature of homosexuality is displayed,
not by the primary appearance of this mode of sensibility, but by the
fact that when the puberal development takes place, the homosexual
sentiments persist, and are not replaced by heterosexuality.

The congenital nature of homosexuality has been assumed more
particularly in those cases which are described respectively as
_effemination_ and _viraginity_. The former name is given by von
Krafft-Ebing to cases in which in homosexual men the entire system of
feelings and inclinations is influenced by the abnormal mode of sexual
sensibility. Such a male homosexual has a strong dislike for smoking and
drinking, and for all masculine sports; on the other hand, he delights
in self-adornment, in art and belles-lettres and even in literary
affectations. The corresponding condition in women was by von
Krafft-Ebing termed viraginity. Such female homosexuals do not merely
experience sexual attraction towards members of their own sex, but they
also exhibit other peculiarities usually characteristic of the male,
such as dislike of ordinary feminine occupations, a neglect of the arts
of the toilet, and a rough and masculine mode of behaviour. They exhibit
inclinations for science rather than for art. They sometimes attempt to
drink and smoke in a masculine manner. Von Krafft-Ebing and many other
writers have assumed that the characteristics of effemination and of
viraginity are displayed in early childhood. We are told that a boy with
these tendencies prefers the society of little girls to that of boys,
that he likes to play with dolls, and to help his mother in her
housework. He takes naturally to cooking, sewing, and darning; and
becomes clever in the selection of feminine dress, so that he can help
his sisters in the choice of their clothes. Contrariwise, the girl who
is destined in later life to display the characteristics of viraginity
will be found frequenting the playground of the boys. Such a girl will
have nothing to do with dolls, but exhibits a passion for the rocking
horse and for playing at soldiers and robbers. It is indisputable that
these descriptions apply to many cases. But it is necessary here to
repeat my previous warning against over-ready generalisation; for we
find that there is quite a number of boys and girls who exhibit during
childhood such contrary sexual qualities and inclinations, and yet
subsequently unde