Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/260

 of France in banality, not dignity, becomes less as we sift the story of his life. From his betrothal with the Princess Sophie of Bavaria Ludwig broke away, only because he could not enter into marriage-relations with any woman. He could love only the male; and he loved many. The list of his favourites is long; men distinguished for not only their personal attractiveness, but for high mental or artistic individualities, whether writers, actors, composers, singers,—artists in every branch of aesthetics; His protègés in the military-calling, the youths in humblest life—it is a. remarkable catalogue. A literature exists on this topic, enlarged since the end of the King's career in the Lake of Starnberg. Whether that fate was accident, suicide or murder is not yet quite clear. The tone of some of King Ludwig's letters to Wagner is nothing if not uranistic, as in this example: "My innermost Beloved! I have just heard that you are once more entirely recovered. Oh, with what an outburst of joy did I greet this news! How I burn with longing for those tranquil, sacred, hours, which shall vouchsafe to me once more the long-missed sight of the being dearest to me of all on earth! To death itself—your true Ludwig". The present King of Bavaria (Otto) never has been more than a nominal ruler, because of his insanity, and is slowly closing his life in complete seclusion as a patient; but Otto, when entirely sane was also homosexual, and he has shown this sort of erotism since his madness deepened.

'There is no need in lengthening this list. Obviously into the demesne of contemporary aristocratic life there is both delicacy and difficulty in entering too frankly. In the next chapter, we shall see how incessantly is homosexual the man professionally of literary and aesthetic callings. He is often aristocratic of position; is often also of finer fibre than many kings and princes.