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Ellis, Havelock, 1859-1939

"Sexual Inversion"


His temper is equable, and he is strongly affectionate. Very fond
of music and other arts, but not highly imaginative.
Of sexual inversion in the abstract he says he has no views, but
he thus sums up his moral attitude: "I presume that, if it is
there, it is there for use or abuse, as men please. I condemn
gratification of bodily desire at the expense of others, in
whatever form it may take. I condemn it no more in its inverted
form than in the ordinary. I believe that affection between
persons of the same sex, even when it includes the sexual passion
and its indulgences, may lead to results as splendid as human
nature can ever attain to. In short, I place it on an absolute
equality with love as ordinarily understood."

HISTORY V.--S.W., aged 64, English, musical journalist. The
communication which follows (somewhat abbreviated) was written
before S.W. had heard or read anything about sexual inversion,
and when he still believed that his own case was absolutely
unique.
"I am the son of a clergyman, and lived for the first thirteen
years of my life in the country town where I was born.


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