recognition of this class of conduct may at once be stated to be
its apparent baselessness.

The only method by which good understanding may be obtained of
the types of personality and mentality involved in pathological
lying, accusation, and swindling, as well as of the genetics of
these tendencies, is by the detailed reading of typical case
histories. In this fact is found the reason for the presentation
of this monograph. Appreciation of the nature of the phenomena
can only be obtained through acquaintance with an entire career.
Any of us may be confronted by fabrications so consistent as to
leave at one or several interviews the impression of truth.

Our selection of literature to summarize needs no explanation.
We have simply taken all that we could find which specifically
bears on the problem. Lying, in general, especially as a form of
delinquency, has received attention at the hands of some authors,
notably Ferriani[1] and Duprat.[2] The falsifications and
phantasies of children and adolescents have been dealt with by
Stanley Hall.[3] None of these goes into the important, narrower
field with which we are here concerned. The foreign literature
is vitally important in its opening up of the subject, but from
the standpoint of modern psychopathology it does not adequately
cover the ground.


[1] Ferriani, Lino, ``L'Enfance criminelle.'' Milan, 1894.
(Trans. Minderjahrige Verbrecher. Berlin, 1896.)

[2] Duprat, G.-L., ``Le mensonge.'' Alcan, Paris, 1903.