eous traffic. It is so comfortable to place
the sins of society on men's passions. But as an unbiassed inquirer I
have learnt that seduction as a cause of prostitution requires very
careful examination. We women have got to remember that if many of our
fallen sisters have been seduced by men, at least an equal number of
men have received their sexual initiation at the hands of our sex.
This seduction of men by women is often the starting-point of a young
man's association with courtesans. It is time to assert that, if women
suffer through men's passion, men suffer no less from women's greed. I
am inclined to accept the estimate of Lippert (_Prostitution in
Hamburg_) that the principal motives to prostitution are "idleness,
frivolity, and, above all, the love of finery." This last is, as I
believe, a far more frequent and stronger factor in determining
towards prostitution than actual want, and one, moreover, that is very
deeply rooted in the feminine character. I do not wish to be cynical,
but facts have forced on me the belief that the majority of
prostitutes are simply doing for money what they originally did _of
their own will_ for excitement and the gain of some small personal
gift.

There are, of course, many types among these unclassed women, as many
as there are in any other class, probably even more. Yet, in one
respect, I have found them curiously alike. Just as the members of any
other trade have a special attitude towards their work, so prostitutes
have, I think, a particular way of viewing their trade in sex. It is a
mistake of sentiment to believe they have any real dislike to this
traffic. Such distaste is felt by the unsuccessful and by others in
periods of unprofitable business, but not, I think, otherwise. To me
it has seemed in talking with them--as I have done very freely--that
they regard the sexual embraces of their partners exactly in the light
that I regard the process of the actual writing down of my books--as
something, in itself unimportant and tiresome, but necessary to the
end to be gained. This was first made clear to me in a conversation
with a member of the higher _demi-monde_, a woman of education and
considerable character. "After all," she said, "it is really a very
small thing to do, and gives one very little trouble, and men are
almost always generous."

This remarkable statement seems to me representative of the attitude
of most prostitutes. They are much better paid, if at all suc