SEX and a changing civilisation - BY KENNETH WALKER - PREFACE - I
SUPPOSE that it is inevitable that by some readers this should be
regarded as an immoral, and even as an irreligious book. In actual
fact it is neither, unless the word irnmral be used in its
strictest sense for that which is contrarv to cus- J tom. If
anything, it is a religious book for, even when not directly
expressed, the same idea will be found shining- through the text of
every chapter, that mans troubles are the result of what man is. He
has expended all his energy in attempts to alter his circumstances
and none in any effort to change himself. Yet in this alone lies
any hope of his escaping from the disorder of his world. If by a
religious life is meant a change of inner attitudes and values, and
not merely an external mode of behaviour, then it is to religion he
must turn in order to bring about his spiritual evolution. There
are signs that men and women of the twentieth century are in some
way dimly conscious of this need. Theosophy, Christian Science,
Spiritualism and the Oxford Movement follow one another across its
opening years, and the eagerness with which each in turn has been
welcomed is an indication of the widespread desire for spiritual
leadership. Before proceeding to a consideration of the changes the
twentieth century has witnessed in our attitude to sex, I have
thought it advisable to devote some preliminary chapters to a
discussion of sex itself, for exactly what is meant by that term
has proved difficult to define. These chapters of necessity contain
material that is of interest to the scientific rather than to the
general reader. But if they prove dull and unappetising, they can
easily beskipped, for in no way are they essential to the
understanding of the latter part of the book. Wherever possible, I
have made acknowledgments in the text to authorities from whose
works I have culled quotations. In spite of this, I feel that it is
necessarv that I should state in this preface mv J I . special
indebtedness to two writers, Havelock Ellis and P. D. Ousenskv. To
Havelock Ellis. a tendering of thanks or okan apology would be
equally appropriate thanks for the rich mine of information that
his writings have provided, and apologies for the free use I have
made of that mine. Compared with people and events, books have but
little influence on our lives. Sometimes it may happen that a work
which has fallen into our hands by some happy accident, remains for
ever afterwards on our bookshelves to mark a veritable epoch in our
way of thinking. Such an epoch occurred in the writers life when he
discovered P. D. Ouspenskys A New Model 4 the Universe. K. W. --
CONTENTS -- CHAPTER I SEX AND BIOLOGY 11 SEX AND PSYCHOLOGY 111 SEX
AND ESOTERICISM IV SEX AND ITS MECHANISM . VIII SEX AND SOCIETY IX
SEX IN MEN AND WOMEN X SEX AND THE LAW . XI SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE . .
. - CHAPTER I - SEX AND BIOLOGY - BEFORE it is possible to consider
any clanes that the twentieth century may have witnessed in our
attitude to sex, it is necessary to devote some time to discussing
what is sex itself. In order to obtain an answer to the question,
what is sex, we must turn first to biology and study it in lower
forms of life. Here we will find sex in the raw, the crude material
out of which may be formed, according to how it is used, the beauty
of human love or thi squalor of human lust. That it is important
tostart with a clear understanding has been impressed upon the
writer by his observation of the effect that the same book on the
subject of sex may produce on two diffcrent readers. Whilst the one
will commend it for its common sense, the other will condemn it for
its obscenity. To be able to discuss it, to reduce it to termsof
anatomy, seems to the reader who has experienced the richness of
love, a degradation and an obscenitv...
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