Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, born in 1836, was not the first masochist, despite the title of the
book by J. Cleugh
("The First Masochist"). Centuries before the arrival of Sacher-Masoch men and women
would surely have
discovered that in certain cases apparent suffering had the power to generate sexual delight.
Count Leopold did
however give his name to the phenomenon, and it is on this circumstance that his fame largely
rests. This is,
perhaps, a pity. He was after all a successful novelist - with over ninety titles to his credit. He
was also said to
be fond of children and cats.