rations of scatological scenes. Another source of error
lies in the fact that things which appear sexual to the adult, may to
the child be entirely devoid of sexual colouring. There is an amusing
anecdote of a little girl who had been bathing with other children, and
on her return home was asked whether boys had been bathing as well as
girls; "I don't know," said the little one, "for they were all naked!"
This story is based upon a profound insight into the nature of the
child, for children in general do not regard nakedness as sexually
important--though a few exceptions to this rule may be encountered. Just
because the child is so often taught that nakedness is in itself
immoral, we are apt also to teach it to experience sexual excitement at
the sight of a nude statue; whereas if the child had simply been taught
that nakedness at unsuitable times and places was wrong, no such
reaction would ensue. I remember the time in which the strong agitation
took place which led to the passing of the _Lex Heinze;_[132] and I was
acquainted with a gentleman--he was a patient of mine--who was a member
of the party by which the new law was so strongly demanded. When one day
he came to see me, bringing with him his little boy, the latter noticed
in my waiting-room a nude statue of a woman, but which the little boy
took for a man. The child, who was obviously attempting to repeat
something he had often heard said, asked his father naively: "Papa, if
that were a woman, it would be improper, wouldn't it?" This remark is at
once natural and characteristic; the child would never have felt the
possibility that the statue was in any way improper, unless his
education had led him to regard nakedness as disgraceful, or as immoral
and improper. There is no doubt that our clothing is intimately
connected with the development of the sentiment of shame and with the
formation of our ideas of morality. But the more we learn so to form the
mind of the child that it will not regard nakedness as being _per se_
immoral, the sooner shall we be able, not only to instil into children
truly moral ideas, but also to safeguard them against the risks of
premature sexual excitement.

The considerations just stated apply _mutatis mutandis_ to the question
of what children should be allowed to read. Although we should give to
children neither obscene or erotic books, still, we should not withhold
from them every poem which deals with love. If such were our rule, w