the symptoms; and precautions mentioned in the chapter on Nocturnal Emissions will prevent a repetition of the seminal plethora.

The truth is, that most people, and especially the young, are only too glad to find an excuse for indulging their animal propensities, instead of endeavouring to regulate or control them. I have not a doubt that this sexual suffering is often much exaggerated, if not invented, for this puppose. Even where it really exists (and I am free to confess that in certain individuals continence of the sexual feelings is very difficult), one of the last remedies the patient would entertain the idea of, would be, that first recommended by a conscientious professional man, viz., attention to diet-exercise-and, in fact, regimen. That there should be more testimony in favour of the remedy considered agreeable than of that involving constraint or inconvenience, is easily explicable on the supposition that the witnesses have not had experience of both systems.

If any one wished to undergo the acutest sexual suffering, he could adopt no more certain method than to be incontinent, with the intention of becoming continent again, when he had "sown his wild oats." The agony of breaking off a habit which so rapidly entwines itself with every fibre of the human frame is such that it would not be too much to say to any young man commencing a career of vice-" You are going a road on which you will never turn back. However much you may wish it the struggle will be too much for you. You had better stop now. It is your last chance."

There is a terrible significance in the Wise Man's words, "None that go to her return again, neither take they hold on the paths of life."

How much more severe, occasional incontinence makes the necessary struggle to remain continent at all, appears from the sexual distress which widowers, or those married men to whom. access to their wives is forbidden, suffer.

That this is not only the result of my experience I will quote the statement of my friend Dr., who is constantly attending for serious diseases of the womb the wives of clergymen, as

well as of Dissenting ministers, in whose cases, for months together, marital intercourse is necessarily forbidden. He tells me that he has often been surprised at the amount of sexual suffering the result of their compulsory celibacy-endured by the husbands of some of his patients-men in every other relation of life most determined and energetic. Indeed it is not wonderful that it should be so, if we consider the position of such men, who for years may have indulged, with moderation, the sex-passion as we have described it, untrained to mortification in the shape of food or exercise, or marital intercourse, the secretion of perfect semen going on in obedience to the healthy course of a married man's existence. Conceive them reined up suddenly, as it were, and bidden to do battle with their instincts. Religion and morality prevent them, more than others, from having sexual intercourse with strange women; intense ignorance on the subject of the sex-passion in general, as well as misapprehension of the effects of disease of the generative organs, only aggravates their suffering: conceive all this, and it is not difficult to believe that affections of the brain may supervene.

These remarks are in no way intended as any excuse or palliation for incontinence, but as warnings to the young. These, it must be remembered, are the complaints of incontinent men, and I mention them here to show how much easier it is even in adult life to abstain altogether than it is to control the feelings, when they have been once excited and indulged. The real remedy for sexual distress is resolute continence and the use of all the hygienic aids in our power-not the quack receipt of indulgence with the futile intention of curing the incontinence afterwards.

The admitted fact that continence, even at the very beginning of manhood, is frequently productive of distress, is often a struggle hard to be borne,-still harder to be completely victorious in,-is not to be at all regarded as an argument that it is an evil. A thoughtful writer has on this subject some admirable remarks: Providence has seen it necessary to make very ample provision for the preservation and utmost possible extension of all species. The aim seems to diffuse existence as widely as possible, to fill up every vacant piece of space with some sen

timent being, to be a vehicle of enjoyment. Hence this passion is conferred in great force. But the relation between the number of beings and the means of supporting them is only on the footing of a general law. There may be occasional discrepancy between the laws operating for the multiplication of individuals and the laws operating to supply them with the means of subsistence, and evils will be endured in consequence, even in our own highly favoured species; but against all these evils and against those numberless vexations which have arisen in all ages from the attachment of the sexes, place the vast amount of happiness which is derived from this source-the centre of the whole circle of the domestic affections, the sweetening principle of life, the prompter of all our most generous feelings and even of our most virtuous resolves and exertions—and every ill that can be traced to it is but as dust in the balance. And here also we must be on our guard against judging from what we see in the world at a particular era. As reason and the higher sentiments of man's nature increase in force, this passion is put under better regulation, so as to lessen many of the evils connected with it. The civilized man is more able to give it due control; his attachments are less the result of impulse; he studies more the weal of his partner and offspring. There are even some of the resentful feelings connected in early society with love, such as hatred of successful rivalry, and jealousy, which almost disappear in an advanced state of civilization. The evil springing, in our own species at least, from this passion may, therefore, be an exception mainly peculiar to a particular term of the world's progress, and which may be expected to decrease greatly in amount."1

In addition to the foregoing considerations, I would venture to suggest one that should not be forgotten. Granted that continence is a trial, a sore trial, a bitter trial, if you will-what, I would ask, is the use or object of a trial but to try, to test, to elicit, strengthen and brace, whatever of sterling, whatever of valuable, there is in the thing tried? To yield at once-is this the right way to meet a trial? To lay down one's arms at the first threatening of conflict-is this a creditable escape from trial,

1 "Vestiges of Creation," tenth edition, p. 310.

to say no more? Nay, is it safe, when the trial is imposed by the highest possible authority?

"The first use," says the late Rev. F. Robertson, “a man makes of every power or talent given to him is a bad use. The first time a man ever uses a flail it is to the injury of his own head and of those who stand around him. The first time a child has a sharp-edged tool in his hand he cuts his finger. But this is no reason why he should not be ever taught to use a knife. The first use a man makes of his affections is to sensualize his spirit. Yet he cannot be ennobled except through those very affections. The first time a kingdom is put in possession of liberty the result is anarchy. The first time a man is put in possession of intellectual knowledge he is conscious of the approaches of sceptical feeling. But that is no proof that liberty is bad or that instruction should not be given. It is a law of our humanity that man must know both good and evil; he must know good through evil. There never was a principle but what triumphed through much evil; no man ever progressed to greatness and goodness but through great mistakes."1

2

The argument in favour of the great mental, moral, and physical advantage of early continence does not want for high secular authority and countenance, as the recollection of the least learned reader will suggest in a moment. Let us be content here with the wise Greek, who, to the question when men should love, answered, "A young man, not yet; an old man, not at all;" and with the still wiser Englishman,3 who thus writes :—“ You may observe that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one that hath been transported to the mad degree of love -which shows that great spirits and great business do keep out this weak passion. . By how much the more ought men to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself. As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them: That he that preferred Helena quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas:' for whosoever esteemeth too much of amor

1 Robertson's "Discourses," pages 87, 88.

ous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom. They do best, who, if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarter."

AIDS TO CONTINENCE.-Every wise man must feel that no help is to be despised in any part of the life-battle all have to fight. And in that struggle for purity, which is, at least for the young, the hardest part of it, what help to seek, and where and how to seek it, are no unimportant questions and in a practical treatise well deserve a few words.

Religion. Far above all other assistance must, of course, be placed the influence of religion-not the superstition of which the bitter poet speaks:

"Humana.

cum vita jaceret In terris oppressa gravi sub religione,"

but that whose chiefest beatitude is promised to the "pure in heart."

Of the direct personal influence of religion upon the individual in this respect, it is not my purpose to speak here-the very nature of that influence is, in these days, the ground of too much and too fervid controversy. It is not, however, without interest to observe the different way in which the two great western divisions of the Christian Church treat the subject of continence.

Among modern Protestants, I cannot help feeling that there is, both in the spoken and written teaching of their authorized ministers, a certain timorousness in dealing with the matter, which, however natural, almost gives the idea of a lack of sympathy with the arduous nature of the effort requisite to obey the commands, that so urgently demand perfect purity from the consistent Christian.

It is much the same among the fathers of our Church. In those writings which are, from their antiquity, the wide assent they have commanded, the character and station of their authors, or from other causes, usually regarded as of authority among us, there is often a deficiency in frank and kindly discussion of the subject.

It was far from my intention, when I commenced this work, to put myself forward as a religious adviser, but I so frequently receive painful letters from young men, seeking advice how to curb