On slight reflection any one will see that real love (this word is only too often abused) can be spoken of only when the whole person is both physically and mentally the object of adoration. Love must always have a sensual element, _i.e._, the desire to possess the beloved object, to be united with it and fulfill the laws of nature. But when merely the body of the person of the opposite sex is the object of love, when satisfaction of sensual pleasure is the sole object, without desire to possess the soul and enjoy mutual communion, love is not genuine, no more than that of platonic lovers, who love only the soul and avoid sensual pleasure (many cases of contrary sexuality). For the former merely the body, for the latter simply the soul, is a fetich, and the love fetichism. Such cases certainly represent transitions to pathological fetichism. This assumption is even more justified when, as a further criterion of real love, mental[20] satisfaction must be given by the sexual act. There remains to be mentioned, within the physiological phenomena of fetichism, the fact that among the many things that may become fetiches there are certain ones that gain such significance for a majority of persons. As such for a man may be mentioned the hair, the hand, the foot of a woman, the expression of her eyes. Certain ones of these gain a remarkable significance in the pathology of fetichism. These facts clearly play a _rôle_ in the feminine mind, either consciously or unconsciously. One of the greatest cares of women is the cultivation of the hair, to which often an unreasonable amount of time and money is devoted. How a mother cares for her little daughter’s hair! What a part the hair-dresser plays! Falling of the hair would cause despair in a young lady. I recall a proud lady who became insane over it, and died by suicide. Young ladies like to talk of coiffures, and are envious of beautiful hair.[21] Beautiful hair is a powerful fetich with many men. In the legend of the Loreley, who lured men to destruction, the golden hair, which she combs with a golden comb, appears as a fetich. Frequently the hand and foot possess an attractiveness no less powerful, when, indeed, often (though by no means invariably) masochistic and sadistic feelings aid in determining the peculiar kind of fetich. By a transference through association of ideas, the gloves or shoes may obtain the significance of a fetich. Brunn (_op. cit._) justly points out that among the customs of the Middle Ages drinking from the shoe of a beautiful woman (still to be found in Poland) played a remarkable part in gallantry and homage. The shoe also plays an important _rôle_ in the legend of Aschenbrödel. The expression of the eyes is particularly important as a means of kindling the sparks of love. A neuropathic eye frequently affects persons of both sexes as a fetich. “Madame, vos beaux yeux me font mourir d’amour” (Molière).