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Before proceeding to describe the masturbation phantasies on which this paper is based, it may be advisable to point out that I am not suggesting that the analysis of such phantasies should become the centre of the analyst's attention and that all other elements of the treatment, such as resistance, dreams, transference, etc., should be neglected. Neither do I believe that the analysis of masturbation phantasies can give us an insight into the workings of the unconscious which the analysis of other elements fails to produce. Nor do I propose to give a complete survey of the whole problem and undertake a critical appraisal of all its aspects as they have appeared in earlier analytical publications. I am not even sure that some of the details that I am about to describe will appear new to experienced analysts. The less experienced and those less au courant with analytical literature may, however, derive some useful stimulation from it provided that they do not assume that the analysis of these phantasies may represent a short cut to a successful therapeutic result. I confess to believing in long analysis, and the interpretations I am going to present were gained during treatments of long duration.
Having admitted these limitations of my paper,