Two years since M.O. consulted a prominent specialist who performed a thorough psychoanalysis.  He informed M.O. that he was less strongly homosexual than he himself supposed, and recommended marriage with some young and pretty woman.  He attributed the homosexual bent to M.O.’s having had his “nose broken” at the age of 6, by the birth of a younger brother, who from that time on received all the attention and petting.  M.O. had continued up to that age very affectionate toward his mother and dependent on her.  He can remember friends and neighbors commenting on it.  At first M.O. was inclined to reject this suggestion of the specialist, but on long reflection he inclines to believe that it was indeed a very important factor, though not the sole one.  From his later observations of children and comparisons of these with memories of his own childhood, M.O. says he is sure he was affectionate and demonstrative much beyond the average.  His greatest craving was for affection, and his greatest grief the fancied belief that no one cared for him.  At 10 or 11 he attempted suicide for this reason.

Also as a result of the psychoanalysis, but trying to eliminate the influence of suggestion, he recollects and emphasizes more the attraction he felt toward girls before the age of 12.  Had his sexual experiences subsequently proved normal, he doubts if those before 12 could be held to give evidence of homosexuality, but only of precocious nervous and sexual irritability, greatly heightened and directed by the secret practices of the children with whom he associated.  He does not see why these experiences should have given him a homosexual bent any more than a heterosexual one.

The psychoanalysis recalled to M.O. that during the period of early flirtation he had often kissed and embraced various girls, but likewise he recalled having observed at the same time, with some surprise, that no definitely sexual desire arose, though the way was probably open to gratify it.  Such interest as did exist ceased wholly or almost so as the relation with Edmund developed.  There was no aversion from the company of girls and women, however; the intellectual friendships were mainly with them, while the emotional ones were with boys.

Very recently M.O. spent several days with Edmund, who has been married for several years.  With absolutely no sexual interest in each other, they nevertheless found a great bond of love still subsisting.  Neither regrets anything of the past, but feels that the final outcome of their earlier relation has been good.  Edmund’s beauty is still pronounced, and is remarked by others.

In spite of his precocious sexuality, M.O. had from the very first an extreme disgust for obscene stories, and for any association of sexual things with filthy words and anecdotes.  Owing in part to this and in part to his temperamental skepticism, he disbelieved what associates told