substantial odour that floats about； mocking
every effort to identify it。 It is the will…o'…the…wisp of my olfactive
experience。 Sometimes I meet one who lacks a distinctive person…scent；
and I seldom find such a one lively or entertaining。 On the other hand；
one who has a pungent odour often possesses great vitality； energy； and
vigour of mind。
Masculine exhalations are as a rule stronger； more vivid； more widely
differentiated than those of women。 In the odour of young men there is
something elemental； as of fire； storm； and salt sea。 It pulsates with
buoyancy and desire。 It suggests all things strong and beautiful and
joyous； and gives me a sense of physical happiness。 I wonder if others
observe that all infants have the same scent……pure； simple；
undecipherable as their dormant personality。 It is not until the age of
six or seven that they begin to have perceptible individual odours。
These develop and mature along with their mental and bodily powers。
What I have written about smell； especially person…smell； will perhaps
be regarded as the abnormal sentiment of one who can have no idea of the
〃world of reality and beauty which the eye perceives。〃 There are people
who are colour…blind； people who are tone…deaf。 Most people are
smell…blind…and…deaf。 We should not condemn a musical position on the
testimony of an ear which cannot distinguish one chord from another； or
judge a picture by the verdict of a colour…blind critic。 The sensations
of smell which cheer； inform； and broaden my life are not less pleasant
merely because some critic who treads the wide； bright pathway of the
eye has not cultivated his o