, I have
endeavoured to lay down broad general lines. It must not be supposed
that precisely at the close of the first period of childhood, that is to
say, at the end of the seventh year of life, the sexual life, and our
opinions as to the significance of its manifestations, undergo sudden
alterations. Our estimates as to the significance of phenomena occurring
during the early months of the eighth year of life, will not differ
materially from our estimates as to the significance of the same
phenomena when they occur during the last months of the seventh year. My
conclusions have no more than a general application, based as they are
on the recorded experiences and on my own personal observations of
numerous persons, healthy and diseased.

Let us consider further what are the factors favouring an early
awakening of the sexual life. I have previously mentioned the fact that
in certain families a remarkably early sexual development is quite
common. This is true also of certain races. But the data bearing on this
question are not quite so trustworthy as might be wished. The fact that
among certain nations marriage sometimes takes place at a remarkably
early age, is no certain proof of the early awakening of sexuality in
persons of this nationality; for the marriage may be a purely ceremonial
affair, and may be effected long before the individual is ripe for
sexual intercourse or for procreation; and the first act of intercourse
may not take place until several years after the ceremony of marriage.
Among ourselves, marriage, especially in the case of men, does not as a
rule take place until long after the age of puberty, and it therefore
seems to us very remarkable when, in another race, men marry ten years
earlier; but this must not be taken as a proof that sexual development
occurs at an earlier age. We can gain some knowledge of the subject from
the statistical inquiries which have been made regarding the appearance
of that manifestation of puberty which is most readily available for
such inquiries, namely, the first occurrence of menstruation.
Ribbing[67] has made a study of this question, and gives the following
figures regarding the commencement of menstruation in women of different
nationalities in various places: Swedish Lapland, 18 years; Christiania,
16 years, 9 months, 25 days; Berlin, 15 years, 7 months, 6 days; Paris
15 years, 7 months, 18 days, and 14 years, 5 months, and 17 days;
Madeira, 14 years, 3 months; S