Page:Fielding - Sex and the Love Life.pdf/84

 often the effects of erroneous modes of life, rather than normal characteristics. Only too often men permit themselves throughout their whole adult life to fall into slovenly mental habits. They have had closed minds from the beginning, largely because of petty educational and social influences, which have prejudiced them against any ideas that do not come within the pale of the prevailing stereotyped notions which they have embraced.

With these conditions, it is only natural that the average man at this period, when there is the beginning of a decline in his constitutional vigor, should rapidly lose what capacity he has had for tasting the fruits of intellectual adventure.

The mind in these stagnating circumstances might be compared to the muscles of the body that have become weak and flabby through lack of exercise. The mental processes have long since lost their plasticity and capacity for functioning except in the most circumscribed orbit, and even here the mental powers soon feel the blighting shadows creeping over them.

There is normally a decline in sexual potency and desire at the male climacteric, although by no means is it to be inferred that the powers of sex are seriously disturbed at this period. They should last for many years longer, but there is not the same sexual robustness that prevailed at the high-tide of masculine vigor. This is natural, and is based on solid biological grounds. In the realm of nature generally, the male by this time has exercised his biological function as a progenitor of his kind and has made his contribution to the continuance of the race.

However, it is not unusual for a man to become obsessed