nd which is in turn
destined to produce the necessary motor energy in order to bring to a
conclusion the sexual act. The last part but one of this act is again a
suitable excitation of an erogenous zone; _i.e._, the genital zone
proper of the glans penis is excited by the object most fit for it, the
mucous membrane of the vagina, and through the pleasure furnished by
this excitation it now produces reflexly the motor energy which conveys
to the surface the sexual substance. This last pleasure is highest in
its intensity, and differs from the earliest ones in its mechanism. It
is altogether produced through discharge, it is altogether gratification
pleasure and the tension of the libido temporarily dies away with it.

It does not seem to me unjustified to fix by name the distinction in the
nature of these pleasures, the one through the excitation of the
erogenous zones, and the other through the discharge of the sexual
substance. In contradistinction to the end-pleasure, or pleasure of
gratification of sexual activity, we can properly designate the first as
_fore-pleasure_. The fore-pleasure is then the same as that furnished by
the infantile sexual impulse, though on a reduced scale; while the
_end-pleasure_ is new and is probably connected with determinations
which first appear at puberty. The formula for the new function of the
erogenous zones reads as follows: they are utilized for the purpose of
making possible the production of the greater pleasure of gratification
by means of the fore-pleasure which is gained from them as in infantile
life.

I have recently been able to elucidate another example from a quite
different realm of the psychic life, in which likewise a greater feeling
of pleasure is achieved by means of a lesser feeling of pleasure which
thereby acts as an alluring premium. We had there also the opportunity
of entering more deeply into the nature of pleasure.[2]

*Dangers of the Fore-pleasure.*--However the connection of fore-pleasure
with the infantile life is strengthened by the pathogenic role which may
devolve upon it. In the mechanism through which the fore-pleasure is
expressed there exists an obvious danger to the attainment of the normal
sexual aim. This occurs if it happens that there is too much
fore-pleasure and too little tension in any part of the preparatory
sexual process. The motive power for the further continuation of the
sexual process then escapes, the whole road becomes shortened