Those who practise it claim the highest possible enjoyment, with no loss of vitality and a perfect control of the fecundating power. Its practice greatly involves the art of love by a prolonged intercourse preventing that which puts an end to intercourse—the ejaculation. The seminal fluid, it is claimed, has an immense immanent value; and if kept in the system and magnetised, and reabsorbed by the blood, adds enormously to a man’s mental and magnetic force, which through the ordinary sexual act is constantly being expended. That its practice by some men will be difficult there can be no doubt; but it can be no more difficult or need a greater power of control than that required of the man in the act of “coitus interruptus” (withdrawal). Those who practise magnetation claim that it is far removed from “repelling asceticism”; that it gives ample exercise to the affections, and opportunity for the exchange of sexual magnetism; but that its greatest benefit is that its practice conduces to a higher love development. It is the attainment of this control that raises the sexual passion in man and woman to its proper place by the side of music and poetry. The strongest objection which is put forth against its practice is that it is “unnatural”; that it is unauthorised by the examples of other creatures of the animal kingdom, and therefore must be wrong. But the answer comes that cooking, wearing clothes, and all modern life is far removed from natural living; and were we to remain in close adherence to Nature, we would go on all fours and remain dumb. When we realise we are living in an age when nearly all departments of life have been greatly modified and advanced by recent discoveries of steam, electricity, the telephone, telegraphy, the microscope, and other agents of enlightenment, is it not surprising that there has been almost no discovery or improvement in the vital department of the sex relations? The explorer, the pioneer, the discoverer may pursue his way into every department of life, and return to lay his riches at the feet of Science, Art, or Invention; but woe to him who dares to explore that shaded valley of sex. No matter how pure the motive, or what agony and miseries one sought to alleviate, dungeons, persecutions, slanders, and jails await him who ventures to bring treasures from its hidden depths. Yet there is no other department of life which needs so much instruction and education as the sex department. A healthful sexual stimulation has a beneficial effect on both men and women, especially when the loved one is accessible and some demonstration of sexual feeling allowed, as in the restrained yet ardent caresses of an affianced pair. Here we often see not only the happiest but the most productive and healthful period of a man’s life. It is said this is particularly true of man’s intellectual activities.