The Intermediate Sex

12

“Homosexual,” generally used in scientific works, is of course a bastard word. “Homogenic” has been suggested, as being from two roots, both Greek, i.e., “homos,” same, and “genos,” sex.

13

“Athenæus” xiii., ch. 78.

14

See Plutarch’s “Eroticus,” §xvii.

15

See “Natural History of Man,” by J. G. Wood. Vol: “Africa,” p. 419.

16

See also Livingstone’s “Expedition to the Zambesi” (Murray, 1865) p. 148.

17

Though these two plays, except for some quotations, are lost.

18

Mantegazza and Lombroso. See Albert Moll, “Conträre Sexualempfindung,” 2nd ed., p. 36.

19

Though in translation this fact is often by pious fraudulence disguised.

20

W. Pater’s “Renaissance,” pp. 8-16.

21

Among prose writers of this period, Montaigne, whose treatment of the subject is enthusiastic and unequivocal, should not be overlooked. See Hazlitt’s “Montaigne,” ch. xxvii.

22

I may be excused for quoting here the sonnet No. 54, from J. A. Symonds’ translation of the sonnets of Michel Angelo:—

The labours of von Scheffler, followed by J. A. Symonds, have now pretty conclusively established the pious frauds of the nephew, and the fact that the love-poems of the elder Michel Angelo were, for the most part, written to male friends.

23

See an interesting paper in W. Pater’s “Renaissance.”

24

For a fuller collection of instances of this Friendship-love in the history of the world, see “Ioläus: an Anthology,” by E. Carpenter (George Allen, London. 3/– net). Also “Liebling-minne und Freundesliebe in der Welt-literatur,” von Elisar von Kupffer (Adolf Brand, Berlin, 1900).

25

As in the case, for instance, of Tennyson’s “In Memoriam,” for which the poet was soundly rated by the Times at the time of its publication.

26

Jowett’s “Plato,” 2nd ed., vol. ii., p. 30.

27

Jowett, vol. ii., p. 130.

28

One ought also to mention some later writers, like Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld and Dr. von Römer, whose work though avowedly favourable to the Urning-movement, is in a high degree scientific and reliable in character.

29

From Uranos—see, for derivation, p. 20, supra—also Plato’s “Symposium,” speech of Pausanias.

30

See, for estimates, Appendix, pp. 134-136.

31

Though there is no doubt a general tendency towards femininity of type in the male Urning, and towards masculinity in the female.

32

“Gli amori degli uomini.”

33

“Psychopathia Sexualis,” 7th ed., p. 227.

34

Ibid, pp. 229 and 258. See Appendix, p. 160.

35

“How deep congenital sex-inversion roots may be gathered from the fact that the pleasure-dream of the male Urning has to do with male persons, and of the female with females.”—Krafft-Ebing, “P.S.,” 7th ed., p. 228.

36

“Conträre Sexualempfindung,” 2nd ed., p. 269.

37

See “Love’s Coming-of-Age,” p. 22.

38

Pub.: F. A. Davis, Philadelphia, 1901.

39

Otto Weininger even goes further, and regards the temperament as a natural intermediate form (“Sex and Character,” ch. iv.) See also Appendix, infra, p. 169.

40

“Though then before my own conscience I cannot reproach myself, and though I must certainly reject the judgment of the world about us, yet I suffer greatly. In very truth I have injured no one, and I hold my love in its nobler activity for just as holy as that of normally disposed men, but under the unhappy fate that allows us neither sufferance nor recognition I suffer often more than my life can bear.”—Extract from a letter given by Krafft-Ebing.

41

See “In the Key of Blue,” by J. A. Symonds (Elkin Mathews, 1893).

42

See Appendix, pp. 162 and 163.

43

See also “Love’s Coming-of-Age,” 5th ed., pp. 173, 174.

44

See “Das Conträre Geschlechtsgefühl,” von Havelock Ellis und J. A. Symonds (Leipzig, 1896).

45

“Symposium,” Speech of Socrates.

46

It is interesting in this connection to notice the extreme fervour, almost of romance, of the bond which often unites lovers of like sex over a long period of years, in an unfailing tenderness of treatment and consideration towards each other, equal to that shown in the most successful marriages. The love of many such men, says Moll (p. 119), “developed in youth lasts at times the whole life through. I know of such men, who had not seen their first love for years, even decades, and who yet on meeting showed the old fire of their first passion. In other cases, a close love-intimacy will last unbroken for many years.”

47

Though, inconsistently enough, making no mention of females.

48

Dr. Moll maintains (2nd ed., pp. 314, 315) that if familiarities between those of the same sex are made illegal, as immoral, self-abuse ought much more to be so made.

49

Though it is doubtful whether the marriage-laws even do this.

50

In France, since the adoption of the Code Napoleon, sexual inversion is tolerated under the same restrictions as normal sexuality; and according to Carlier, formerly Chief of the French Police, Paris is not more depraved in this matter than London. Italy in 1889 also adopted the principles of the Code Napoleon on this point. For further considerations with regard to the Law, see Appendix, pp. 164 and 165.

51

For further instances, see Appendix, pp. 143-148.

52

See Müller’s “History and Antiquities of the Doric Race.”

53

Müller.

54

Cf. the incident at the end of Plato’s “Lysis,” when the tutors of Lysis and Menexenus come in and send the youths home.

55

For a useful little manual on this subject, see “How We are Born,” by Mrs. N. J. (Daniel, London, price 2/-). For a general argument in favour of sex-teaching see “The Training of the Young in Laws of Sex,” by Canon Lyttelton, Headmaster of Eton College (Longmans, 2/6).

56

See J. G. Wood’s “Natural History of Man,” vol. “Africa,” p. 324 (the Bechuanas); also vol. “Australia,” p. 75.

57

With the rapid rise which is taking place, in scope and social status, of the state day-schools, it is probable that some change of opinion will take place with regard to the wisdom of sending young boys of ten to fourteen to upper-class boarding-schools. For a boy of fifteen or sixteen and upwards the boarding-school system may have its advantages. By that time a boy is old enough to understand some questions; he is old enough to have some rational ideal of conduct, and to hold his own in the pursuit of it; and he may learn in the life away from home a lot in the way of discipline, organization, self-reliance, etc. But to send a young thing, ignorant of life, and quite unformed of character, to take his chance by day and night in the public school as it at present exists, is—to say the least—a rash thing to do.

58

It should be also said, in fairness, that the fear of showing undue partiality, often comes in as a paralysing influence.

59

“Studies in the Psychology of Sex,” vol. ii., p. 173.

60

See ch. ii. supra, also Ioläus, an Anthology of Friendship, by E. Carpenter.

61

Mr. Jones became Mayor of Toledo; but died at the early age of 53. See also “Workshop Reconstruction,” by C. R. Ashbee, Appendix, infra, p. 146.

62

“Whitman: ein Charakterbild,” by Edward Bertz (Leipzig, Max Spohr).

63

John Addington Symonds.

64

See Appendix, pp. 172-174.