II. Preparation of Sense

176. - This must chiefly be striven for: that the imagination or mind not be detained for long upon sexual or lascivious matters. All writers teach this with one accord. And a most manifest reason is present. For psychological preoccupation easily degenerates into a sensual one, which contains a certain venereal use. But it is most expedient that the use of the venereal faculty be deferred until a more mature age. Capellmann adduces these words from Oppenheim: "In the interest of the health of the nerves, it is greatly to be desired that the awakening of sexual imaginations and excitations be delayed as long as possible, that is, at least until twenty full years of age" ¹. Wherefore:

¹ La médecine pastorale, French trans. of the 15th edition.

1. Sloth and idleness are to be attacked, both because they weaken the mind and because they give excessive room to daydreams of the imagination, which are especially harmful to both sexes.

Slowness in rising from bed and lying down in the afternoon are full of danger, so that Payot did not hesitate to write: "Tell me at what hour you rise, and I will tell you whether you are vicious.... Every young man who remains in bed for one or more hours after waking is inevitably vicious" ².

² L'éducation de la volonté, pp. 180-204.

"Prolonged remaining in bed will be forbidden; it will be insisted that rising take place immediately after waking. Idleness is the source of all vices, the counselor of all depravities. It must not be tolerated" ³. - "By accustoming the body to have only the ration of sleep which is absolutely necessary, one constrains it, according to the expression of a great original, to sleep energetically, which is, without doubt, the perfection of energy" ⁴. On the contrary, it will be best that the body be wearied by various physical exercises.

³ Dr. Francotte, De quelques points de morale sexuelle, etc.

⁴ A writer from France, cited by Renault, Comment préparer les enfants au respect des questions sexuelles.

2. Adolescents are to be exhorted to rebuke and avoid companions who wish to mingle conversation about dishonorable matters and to seize an occasion for secret colloquy. Wherefore also, except for those who are most approved, let three rather than only two walk and play together ⁵.

⁵ This is confirmed by Mendousse, L'âme de l'adolescent, p. 31.

Moreover, let young persons be deterred from foul speech by every force of reasons. Let the very dignity of man be appealed to: in this matter we can summon even impious authors as witnesses to the deadly power of foul speech.

3. Those who have attained puberty should be admonished that it is also wrong, and very harmful to the nerves, for the imagination to turn over images which it would be indecent to depict or to behold with the exterior eyes. For at that age when the venereal appetite begins to rage, it easily happens that those who are unwilling to commit foul acts, indeed who are ignorant of such acts, erroneously think that ideal images can be fostered without sin, provided that every will to execute what is unlawful is excluded. But in this way they exercise psychological lust, or what is commonly called morose delectation.

4. Every kind of boredom is to be kept at a distance by every art. Let games therefore follow school, but let no method of teaching of itself generate dis- gust; on the contrary, let all be so arranged that they invite attention.

5. Besides more remote ends worthy of themselves, let adolescents and young persons have in competitions of studies or games, in works of charity or zeal, at the same time a perpetual expenditure of their active powers and nourishment for their ardent vitality.

N.B. This would be the place to speak of the opportune explanation of sexual matters. But present-day controversies advise that this question soon be subjected below to a special examination.