Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 3: Analysis of the Sexual Impulse; Love and Pain; The Sexual Impulse in WomenEllis, Havelock
Science
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 3: Analysis of the Sexual Impulse; Love and Pain; The Sexual Impulse in Women
Ellis, Havelock
Sex; Sex (Psychology)
matter of fact it did occur a number of times, but my good sense
finally suggested the explanation and after a time it ceased to
trouble me. The thought was latent in my mind that sexual
excitement was necessarily more or less indecent at all times,
and I could not reconcile its manifestation with a pure love.
"I have said that my sexual desire was strong. Up to the time of
marriage it was never gratified in the normal manner. My esthetic
abhorrence of prostitutes continued to prevent its gratification
in that manner. No other opportunity offered. I am positive that
moral considerations did not enter into the matter at all. I
think now that it was strange that the thought that it would be
disloyal to my promised wife to have connection with other women
did not affect me. But I am sure that it did not. I am inclined
to think that conscientious scruples very rarely enter into the
average young man's considerations of contemplated sexual
relations.
"As the time of my marriage drew near, thoughts of the physical
relationship of husband and wife became, of course, more
insistent. The idea of establishing sexual relations was not at
all a pleasant one. I dreaded it as an ordeal. I wondered if it
would be possible for us to retain the same love and affection
for one another after such intimate relations were established.
This was a recurrence of the fallacious notion that there was
something inherently indecent in sexual things. I am in hopes
that other ideas are replacing this wrong one, in the minds of
the younger generation, as the result of the saner and franker
discussion of sex. By a great effort, I had practically stopped
masturbating. At times I felt almost maddened by desire. But
never did the prospect of marriage seem desirable from this point
of view. Up to the very day of our wedding my affection for my
betrothed seemed free from sexual desire. But my physical being
was craving sexual companionship.
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