for the feeling was upon me that not until it was revealed to me because she could no longer bear to keep it concealed from me would I look upon the blessed vision of her maiden loveliness.  Nor was I disappointed, for gradually we became acquainted with each other’s bodies, and this gradual unveiling of each to the other led, during the last months of our engagement, to mutual manual manipulations, excitement and gratification.  Intercourse did not take place until the second night after our marriage, and our first baby was born nine months and three days after our marriage, though my wife was ten days past the cessation of her period at the time of my first entering.

“Since marriage I have made it my first duty to study my wife’s inclinations and desires with regard to our sexual relations, and can say that now, after seven years of married life, and after she has borne me two sons, we are enjoying a fullness of happiness that neither of us would have believed possible during the first year of our married life.

“I have found that the woman must have the entire charge of the time and number of approaches in a week or month, and that when she is for any reason disinclined to the sexual act the husband must keep away, no matter how he feels about the matter.  Also the man must be sure that his wife reaches the orgasm or is at the point of it before he allows himself to ‘let go.’

“Our meetings have averaged eight or nine a month.  During the latter months of pregnancy they were nil, and in the month following an enforced separation of several weeks they were fourteen.  We have never tried nor had the slightest curiosity to know how far we could indulge ourselves.

“For myself I seem to demand a gratification of the sexual desire rather oftener than my wife, and when I feel I cannot get a good night’s rest without first being relieved of my seminal burden, while at the same time my wife is disinclined to the sexual act, I have her perform manual manipulation until relief is effected.  Mind, I say relief, for the emission gives me very little pleasure under these circumstances, but it does give relief.  In my present health I find I cannot sleep well if I go over more than two nights without an emission.  My wife understands my condition, and is entirely willing to assist me in this way when she feels she cannot give me the gratification which I crave.  We have come to see sex matters as they are, and respect and reverence have taken the place of ignorance and fear.

“To sum up, owing to lack of circumcision the sex instinct developed too soon and out of all proportion during my early youth.  I cannot see that masturbation has ever had the slightest bad effect upon my health or mental state (except as I was constantly loathing myself more or less for being unable to stop it).

    “The husband must subordinate himself to the wife in order to
    obtain the highest good and pleasure of both.