cellent effect which drilling has had on their physique and health, but by the novel and interesting occupation it has afforded them for mind and body. It affords a notable instance of the effect which a well-directed movement, judiciously carried out, can have on the rising generation. Much of the dissipation and libertinage of our youth has depended upon their having had literally nothing to do when their work was over. A pursuit which draws a man away from low society, and encourages him to spend his leisure in healthy and ennobling recreations among his equals, is most profitable to himself and his country. If the volunteer movement had done nothing more than this, the parents of England have ample cause for supporting it. Seeing as much as I do of the private life of young men in England, I can safely say that a healthier tone has sprung up among them of late, dependent, I believe, in great measure, on the volunteer movement. In the course of years, I trust, it will be found to have exerted a most beneficial influence on the morals of the country. Before proceeding further, however, there are two subjects which it will be well to mention here, especially as they would almost naturally be suggested to any young man's mind on his being spoken to upon the subject. I allude to celibacy, and early engage ments. When a young man has explained to him for the first time (say, by a kind and judicious father) the nature of the new sexual sensations he feels within him, and is at once affectionately warned against dangers of which he has hardly suspected the existence hitherto, and urged to adopt the rational means for escaping or overcoming them, his first thought may naturally be-"Is it really good for me to spend many years of my life without indulging these instincts, which are, after all, according to nature? I have 1 The physical advantages of the volunteer movement have, of course, struck others besides myself. In a leading article in the "Telegraph" for November, 1861, I read the following observations, which are evidently dictated by sound reason, and afford a further recommendation of the system: "The physical advantages of the rifle-training are also great. A man of loose life or careless habits cannot become a good shot: dissipation over-night does not give either the cool brain or the steady hand absolutely required. In fact, the training' and 'keeping in good condition' required for success in our public matches are, though less harsh, as absolutely needful as those required from oarsmen in the Oxford or Cambridge crews. With such a new national game, loved by young Englishmen, we need not despair of keeping up fully to the old mark the physical and moral manliness of our race." heard of the evils of celibacy, and yet I am urged practically to adopt it." Before long, again, another much more difficult question to answer will present itself for solution. A pure and innocent affection awakes within him all that is best and noblest, and in the new delight he exults in having discovered a way of reconciling duty and inclination. He feels, and rightly, that the loyal, and, so to speak, sanctified passion he rejoices in, is infinitely better than any illicit indulgences; and is, indeed, a preservation from them, more powerful than he had any idea of. May he not joyfully betroth himself to the object of his choice, even though he must wait many years for marriage to crown his hopes ? On each of these questions I would say a few words before leaving this branch of the subject. CHAPT. II.-CELIBACY. Celibacy is generally used to mean continence enforced on one who is of a fit age to marry. Continence in mere boys and very young men is not what we are speaking of. Of course every rational person must be an advocate for celibacy in the young, or rather, the strictest continence, and will admit that the youth should not only physically abstain, but so exercise his will as not to allow his thoughts to dwell on sensual matters, if he is desirous of excelling in his intellectual studies. The question is, how far this rule should be carried, and at what age enforced continence becomes that very doubtful good called celibacy. I believe I have already alluded to the fact that the intellectual qualities are usually in an inverse ratio to the sexual appetites. It would almost seem as if the two were incompatible; the exercise of the one annihilating the other. Thus we meet with many unmarried men among the intellectual, and some of the ablest works have been written by bachelors. Newton and Pitt were single; Kant disliked women; and the ancients allegorically alluded to this in giving to Minerva, the goddess of science, the surname of a woman without breasts. Apollo and the Muses are represented as single. Once more, to quote Bacon's words, "Great spirits and great business do keep out this weak passion. . . . . . . He that preferred Helena quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas; for whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection quitteth both riches and wisdom." "They do best," he says, "who, if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarter, and sever it wholly from their serious affairs and actions of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men that they can no ways be true to to their own ends." It was doubtless from such considerations as these that our ancestors ordained that fellows at the universities should remain single. Similar reasons probably had their influence in inducing the Church of Rome to prescribe that their priests should take vows of celibacy. Whether or no the Roman Catholic priest continues celibate, does not much interest the English public; but whether fellows at the universities should be allowed to marry, has occupied a good deal of attention during the last few years. It is not my object to treat of this question from an academical point of view; our business is with the medical question, whether this enforced continence is physically an evil or not. All experience tends to prove that if a man observes strict continence in thought as well as deed, and is gifted with ordinary intelligence, he is more likely to distinguish himself in liberal pursuits than those who live incontinently, whether in the way of fornication or by committing marital excesses. The strictest continence, therefore-call it celibacy if you will-best befits any man engaged in serious studies, whose frame is not weakened by past excesses, or who is not of a feeble, excitable nature. Some there are, indeed, generally weak and unhealthy subjects, who cannot remain continent without becoming subject to nocturnal emissions. When these are frequent, the sufferer may be intellectually in a worse plight than if he were married and occasionally indulged in sexual intercourse. In these exceptional instances it is not true that celibacy is the state best adapted to intellectual excellence. Of this I have had satisfactory evidence. Men studying at the universities come to me complaining that, although living a continent life, they have become such victims of emissions that they are unable to pursue for any length of time hard or continuous intellectual work; their memories fail them, and their health is impaired. Under appropriate treatment the health is rapidly regained, and the intellectual powers restored; but it does appear from these cases that celibacy is not unattended with danger to exceptional temperaments. These dangers, however, it should never be forgotten, very seldom attend perfect continence. It will be generally found that they are merely the penalty of past indulgences. Robust, energetic men are seldom troubled in this way-at least, without some fault of their own; and in all cases incontinence is not the remedy, but rather exercise, diet, and those measures which generally improve the health. It is, we see, the rule that all men, old and young, who have led a continent life, as long as they give themselves up to study, and take proper exercise, will not be troubled with strong sexual desires. Nevertheless, when the great mental exertion necessary to obtain a fellowship is over, the sexual feeling will often reappear with redoubled force, and then real distress, and even illness may ensue. Self-control is followed by nocturnal emissions, which may so increase in frequency as seriously to impair the health, while the evil results are set down to previous hard work, and the patient is supposed to labor under indigestion, heart disease, general debility, &c. Under the novel excitement of idleness and comparative affluence, fornication will often be resorted to for relief by the less scrupulous; and the annals of university life could furnish sad evidence of the loss from this cause of many a man who would have been an ornament to the Church. On the whole, I am of the opinion that, as applied to adults, the academical laws which enforce celibacy are not beneficial. I think that the different colleges would do well (at any rate partially) to abandon this vestige of monastic institutions, and not step in and prevent a man of intelligence marrying' when he has arrived at adult age. It has been my lot to investigate the causes of several instances of clerical scandal, and I have seen reason for believing that the seeds of vice, may have been sown in days when a man forbidden to marry, because he would lose his fellowship, and no longer feeling any incentives to exertion, has been led away by his pas 1 I am well aware of the social reasons which may be urged against fellows of colleges marrying. No one can avoid observing the impaired energy and dull intellect which attend either marital excesses or the cares and anxieties of supporting and educating a large family with insufficient means. All I maintain is, that excellent as even compulsory celibacy is during youth, and while vigorous mental exertion is being carried on, it may become a source of evil in a life of idleness. sions to indulge in a course of illicit intercourse, which he might have escaped if, like others, he could have married.1 CHAPT. III.-EARLY MARRIAGES. George Herbert says, in his "Church Porch:" “Wholly abstain, or wed-thy bounteous Lord In the case of young men, however, the rules above laid down apply with nearly equal force to early marriages. Lycurgus forbad any man to marry under the age of thirty. And in this, as in many other matters, the old lawgiver showed his wisdom. Of course marriage, even for a boy, is better than fornication. But the true remedy, it cannot be too often repeated, for sexual distress in youth is continence, not indulgence-even lawful. No medical man, I hold, should ever recommend the hardly worked metropolitan population to marry early. Marriage is not the panacea of all earthly woes, or the sole correction of all early vices. It often interferes with work and success in life, and its only result is, that the poor man (poor in a pecuniary point of view) never reaches the bodily health or social happiness he might otherwise have reasonably expected. Under the age of twenty-five I have no scruple in enjoining perfect continence. The sighing lackadaisical boy should be bidden to work, righteously and purely, and win his wife before he can hope to taste any of the happiness or benefits of married life. 1 I have submitted these sheets to a distinguished fellow, at Cambridge, and he has kindly furnished me with his own views on the subject of academic celibacy. I have thought it at once more courteous to him, and likely to be of more advantage to my readers, to give his own words in extenso, rather than to attempt any abbreviation of my own. His communication will, therefore, be found in the Appendix, A. It will be observed that this gentleman, fairly, as I have no doubt, representing academic opinion, especially in intelligence and courtesy, differs from me in some minor points. The difference is more in appearance than reality, but, in so far as it is material, I may be understood as maintaining my own views. |