Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/291

 widely diffused through its organization, and lamaseries are noted centers for debauchment of boys and for general homosexualism.



Let us turn again from the distinctively religious life to secular intellectuality. A wonderfully gifted Uranian occurs in Johannes von Müller, the famous German-Swiss historian (1752-1809). Müller's monumental works in history, particularly as to mediæval Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and other parts of Europe, gave him in the prime of his career the sobriquet of "a monster of learning," and his labours are not yet unconsidered. His general scholarship was profound, even in his youth. His life was passed in an unbroken literary activity, at successively Göttingen, Geneva, Bern, Mainz, Vienna, Berlin and Kassel. The eyes of the learned world were fixed on him wherever he was, with respect and wonder. Müller was absolutely homosexual. He was capable of sexual passion only for one or another of his friends, pupils or others; and he was highly idealistic in such emotions. Toward women, Müller was either entirely indifferent or an agreeable friend. Especially singled out by Müller in his uranian biography we find Baron Karl von Bonstetten, another eminent Swiss authour, early associated with Muller. In physical aspects, Müller was perceptibly feminine, conveying no, idea of his strong intellect; and his conversation suggested a brilliant, humorous, amiable but rather satirical—woman.

During Müller's life time, he was frequently spoken of as homosexual—pederastic—by more or less tolerant friends, or by literary enemies. His return to Switzerland, and his continued residence there, were said to be his escape from serious scandals, and because he wished to live out of the legal jurisdiction of Germany. The