A Collection of Chirurgical Tracts

A third Sort of Women, the very Reverse of the preceding, have neither Honour nor Inclination; that is to say, they have neither the one nor the other to an equal Degree with the rest of the Sex. These Kinds of Women, who put a slighter Value than ordinary upon their Characters, are generally, in their Circumstances, either above the World or below it; for when a Woman has her Interest and Fortune depending upon her Reputation, as all the middle Rank of Womankind have, she is a Woman of Honour of course. Interest, indeed, is inseparable from Female Honour, nay, it is the very Foundation of it; and Honour and Interest, when they are consider’d as Guardians to Chastity, are synonimous Terms. The bare Puncto of Honour, when abstracted from Interest, would prove but a small Rub to Women in their eager Pursuit of Pleasure: Thus we see the Conduct of a Maiden Lady, how much more circumspect it is whilst her Fortune in Marriage is depending, than afterwards, when that Point of Interest is secured by a Husband; for all marry’d Women are above the World, in so far as they are out of the Reach of any Suspicions or Surmises, or even a Probability of Incontinence; and since they are not liable to be detected by Pregnancy, there’s no other Sort of Conviction able to prejudice them, but downright ocular Demonstration: Which seems to be the Reason why so many of them take such Liberties, as if they were of Falstaff’s Opinion, when he said, Nothing but Eyes confutes me. Female Honour, therefore, being so nearly ally’d and closely annex’d to worldly Interest, we must confine this Class of Women to two Sorts: First, those whose Fortunes are independent, and above being influenc’d by the Censure of the World; and, secondly, those who are far below the World, that they either escape its Censure, or else are incapable of being hurt by it. The first Sort lie under this Disadvantage, that let their natural Chastity be ever so great, the smallest Spark of Desire is capable of being blown up and rais’d to a considerable Pitch; whereas, when a Woman is once arriv’d to Maturity, that Portion of Honour which she has acquir’d, is with Difficulty preserv’d, and at best is incapable of any Improvement. The second Sort are equally liable to have their Passions rais’d, however low they may be naturally, and besides lie under this farther Disadvantage, that tho’ they cannot promote their Interest by preserving their Chastity, yet, if they have the least Spark of Beauty, they will find their Account sufficiently in parting with it. The Virtue, indeed, of this Class of Women, seems chiefly to depend upon the Degree of Beauty which they stand possess’d of; for if they have Charms sufficient to provoke young Men to be at any tolerable Pains and Cost, their Chastity can never hold out long, but must infallibly surrender.

The fourth and last Kind of Women we shall mention, are those who have a very moderate Share of Honour, join’d to a very amorous Constitution.

The Virtue of these Women is entirely defenceless; and, as soon as a Man has removed that little timorous Coyness, which is natural to young Women in their first Attempts, he may proceed with Confidence, and conclude the Breach to be practicable; for whatever Resistance he meets with afterwards, will only enhance the Pleasure of Conquest. Most Women, indeed, let them be ever so fully resolv’d to comply, make as great a Shew of Resistance as they can conveniently counterfeit; and this the Sex would pass upon the World for a kind of innate Modesty: but it is very easily accounted for.

As soon as Women have entertain’d any Degree of Love, they make it their whole Study to raise and maintain an equal Degree of Passion in the Men; and they are very sensible how far the bare Appearance of Modesty will prevail to render them amiable. The Pain they suffer in smothering their Desires, is fully recompenced by that secret Pleasure which a Lover’s Eagerness gives them, because they esteem it a Proof both of the Sincerity and Violence of his Passion. A Woman is not, without some Reason, afraid, lest a Man’s Love should diminish after Enjoyment, and would gladly bribe his After-Love, by the great Value she seems to put upon her Chastity before she makes him a Present of it.

Besides, not to mention the actual Pleasure a Woman receives in Struggling, it is a Justification of her in the Eye of the Man, and a kind of Salvo to her Honour and Conscience, that she never did fully comply, but was in a manner forced into it. This is the plain natural Reason why most Women refuse to surrender upon Treaty, and why they delight so much in being storm’d.

Having thus taken a cursory View of the Sex, in their several Classes, and according to their several Circumstances, we may conclude, preferring Truth to Complaisance, that by far the greater Part of Womenkind hold their Virtue very precariously; and that Female Chastity is, in its own Nature, built upon a very ticklish Foundation.

Hudibras has ludicrously plac’d the Seat of Male-Honour, in the Posteriors, whereby it is secur’d from any Attack in Front; but Female Honour, notwithstanding the apparent Safety of the Situation, like a Debtor’s House upon the Verge of two Counties, is liable to be attack’d both Ways; à parte ante, & à parte post,

That the Seat of Honour in Females has this double Aspect, like Janus bifrons, and consequently that it is two Ways accessible, has already been taken Notice of by almost all the Writers upon this Subject; but it is worth remarking here, that Lycurgus had an Eye to it when he modelled the Spartan Petticoat; for tho’ the Warmth of the Climate obliged the Women to be very open in that Part of their Dress, insomuch that, if we believe Plutarch, in his Comparison of Numa and Lycurgus, the Habit which the Maidens of Laconia wore came but to their Knees, and was open on both Sides, so that as they walked their Thighs appear’d bare; yet this wise Law-giver would not permit them to make the least Aperture, either in the fore or hind Part of that Garment; rightly judging, that those two sacred Avenues to a Maid’s Honour ought to be guarded with the utmost Caution.

For this same Reason the upright Posture of the Body has always been esteem’d the most decent; and it has ever been the Mode, in all Countries, for Ladies to cursey instead of bowing: for, tho’ a Female-Bow, might seem a modest and coy Reclension of the Body, with regard to the Person saluted, yet it would occasion a very indecent Projection to those who should happen to be behind; especially since that dangerous Fashion of Postern-Plackets has crept into the European Petticoat.

But to return to our present Argument, the Design of which was to prove the following Syllogism.

The only way to preserve Female Chastity, is to prevent the Men from laying Siege to it: And this Project of the Publick Stews is the only Way to prevent Mens laying Siege to it: Therefore this Project is the only Way to preserve Female Chastity.

The former Part of the Proposition is, I hope, sufficiently proved. It is, indeed, evident, from the bare Consideration of the Nature of Females, that if the Men are suffer’d to go on, as they now do, in the Pursuit of Pleasure, there is no possible Way can be found out, effectually, to secure the Virtue of any one Woman of any Rank, or in any Station of Life. If a Woman is handsome, she has the more Tryals to undergo; if homely, and for that Reason seldom attack’d, the Novelty of the Address makes the greater Impression: If she is married, it is odds but there’s a Failure at home, and habitual Pleasures are not easily foregone, especially when they may be enjoy’d with Safety: If a Maid, her unexperienc’d Virgin-Heart is capable of any Impression: If she is rich, Ease and Luxury make the Blood run mad; and Love, if high-dieted, is ungovernable: If poor, she will be the easier bribed, when Love and Avarice jointly must be gratified.

In short, to sum up all, there is in the Passion of Love a certain fatal Crisis, to which all Womenkind are capable of being wrought-up: The Difference of Virtue consisting only in this, that it is very hard to work a virtuous Woman up to this Crisis, and requires a very unlucky Concurrence of Circumstances: Whereas a Woman without a good Stock of Virtue, must have an unaccountable Series of good Fortune if she escapes. But, virtuous or not virtuous, when this Passion is once rais’d to the critical Height, it is absolutely irresistible.

Since therefore Female Virtue cannot effectually be secured, but by preventing the Men from laying Siege to it, it remains for us to examine, if this Prevention can be effected by any other Method than that of erecting the Publick Stews, and whether or no when erected, they will have the desired Effect.

That young Men, in a good State of Health, have their Desires towards Women much stronger, and more violent, than for the Enjoyment of any thing else in this Life, is a Truth not to be contested. And it is likewise as certain, that young Men will gratify these Desires, unless the Legislature can affix such a Penalty to the Commission of the Fact, that the Apprehension of the Penalty may give their Minds more Uneasiness, than refraining from the Gratification.

Now there are but three Things which Men fear in this Life, viz. Shame, Poverty, and Bodily Pain, and consequently but three Sorts of Punishments, which the Legislature can inflict. The first of these, indeed, might be omitted; for Shame is so very little in the Power of the Laws, that it hardly deserves the Name of a Penalty. If the Pillory, and such like infamous Punishments, are more terrible for the Shame that attends them, than for the bodily Pain, it is not because such a Posture of a Man’s Body, with his Neck through a Hole, is in itself ignominious, or that any Law can make it so; but because it publishes to the World, that a Man has been prov’d to commit such a certain Action, in its own Nature scandalous, which he is asham’d to have thus publickly made known. The truth is, “Honour and Dishonour being only the different Opinions of Mankind, as to the Good or Evil of any Action; and these Opinions in the Mind arising, as Dr. Clarke well observes, from the natural Fitness or Unfitness of the Actions themselves, cannot be alter’d or determin’d by any Secular Force.” And that they are entirely out of the Power of the Legislature, is evident in the Instance of Duelling; where a Man often receives Honour for a Breach of the Law, nay is forced to break it in Defence of his Honour.

The utmost Scandal, therefore, which the Laws can affix to any Action, is to make a full and open Publication of the Fact: Now it is evident that this Publication cannot have a sufficient Influence over Mens Minds to deter them from Wenching, a Crime which meets with so favourable a Reception in the Eye of the World, that young Men are not asham’d to boast of it.

We must have Recourse then to a Fine, or Corporal Punishment, or perhaps both. If it is a Fine, it must be one of these three sorts; either a certain determinate Sum for every Offence, or, to make it fall more equally, such a certain Portion of a Man’s whole Substance, or else it must be such a Sum as the Jury shall think sufficient to repair the Woman’s Damages. The first is impracticable because of its Inequality, with regard to Mens different Fortunes. The second would punish none but Men of Fortune. And the third, in many Cases, would be impossible; for Women are often ruin’d by such as have it not in their power to make them amends. But granting that a Fine could be so happily contriv’d as to affect all Men equally in their several Stations of Life; and let us suppose this Fine considerable enough, for so it must be, to deter any moderate-spirited Man: yet still we lie under a manifest Dilemma as to the Point of Proof; for if the Proof is to depend upon the Evidence of Eye-Witnesses, none but Fools will be convicted; and let a Man be ever so indiscreet, he that swears to rem in re must have good Eyes, and be a good Swearer withal. If, on the other hand, a Man is to be convicted upon the sole Evidence of the Woman, we run into greater Inconveniences: for either a Woman is to be recompenced for the Injury she has received, or not; if not, there is no modest Woman of common Sense, but will chuse much rather to conceal her Weakness, than expose it in publick Court so much to her own Prejudice; and this too upon the sole Motive of doing Prejudice to a Man, for whom, in all Probability, she still retains an Affection: So that no Man would be accus’d but by such sort of Women as the Law can never intend to favour or countenance.

And if the Woman is to receive this Fine, either in Part or the Whole, by way of Reparation, not to mention its being an actual Encouragement to transgress, this Recompence would only be a Means to promote a Multitude of false Accusations; for what Man could live with so much Circumspection, that a Woman might not often have an Opportunity to accuse him of such a Fact, with very probable Circumstances, when there is no Opportunity of detecting the Fallacy. This Difficulty, indeed, is not to be got over; and the Objection lies equally strong against all sorts of Corporal Punishment, Death itself not excepted. For if there are so many false Indictments for Rapes, where a Woman receives no Benefit by the Prosecution, where she is liable to such cross Examinations, and where the Possibility of the Fact is so much doubted, that a Woman is generally discountenanc’d, and must bring a Number of probable concurrent Circumstances before she can gain Credit: I say, if notwithstanding these Discouragements, there are so many malicious Prosecutions for Rapes, that the Benefit of the Law in general is much disputed, what may we expect in the present Case, where a Woman has nothing to do but acknowledge that she was over-persuaded, and then all Difficulties vanish? Besides, if such a Law was made, setting aside that the Remedy would be worse than the Disease, it is much to be question’d if it prov’d any Remedy at all: For what Fine can we propose as sufficient to deter Men, when there are so many that squander away their whole Fortunes upon this sole Gratification? And what Corporal Punishment, on this side Death, can we find out equivalent to a Pox, which they every day run the Risque of?

But no such Law, as yet, has been so much as propos’d, altho’ Whoring has been a very obvious Mischief ever since Laws were in Being; therefore, without farther Argument, considering the Wisdom of our Legislature, that such a Law never has been made, ought to be sufficient Reason for us to judge it impracticable.

Since the Torrent of Lewdness, then, is too strong to be opposed by open Force, let us see if we can find out an Expedient to divert it by Policy, and prevent the Mischief tho’ we can’t prevent the Crime.

Most Authors, who have writ of Government, have chose to express their Sentiments by comparing the Public Body with the Body Natural; and Mr. Hobbes, in his Leviathan, has carry’d the Allegory as far as it will go. To make Use of it in the present Instance, we may look upon Whoring as a Kind of Peccant Humour in the Body-Politic, which, in order to its Discharge, naturally seizes upon such external Members as are most liable to Infection, and at the same time most proper to carry off the Malignity. If this Discharge is promoted by a Licence for Publick Stews, which is a Kind of legal Evacuative, the Constitution will certainly be preserv’d: Whereas, if we apply Penal Laws, like violent Astringents, they will only drive the Disease back into the Blood; where, gathering Strength, and at last assimilating the whole Mass, it will break out with the utmost Virulence, to the apparent Hazard of those sound Members, which otherwise might have escaped the Contagion. As we may observe in a Clap, where Nature of her own Accord expels the noxious Humour thro’ the same Passages by which it was at first receiv’d; but if we resist Nature in this Discharge, and repel the Venom by too hasty an Application of Styptics, the Disease then turns to a Pox, seizes the Vitals, and, to use Solomon’s Words, like a Dart, strikes thro’ the Liver. But, leaving Allegory as more proper for Rhetoric or Poetry, than such serious Debates, since this Project of the Public Stews is the only Expedient now left for the Preservation of Female Chastity, the Question is, Whether or no this Expedient will really answer the End propos’d?

To prove the Affirmative, requires no more but that we look into ourselves, and examine our own Passions; for Love ever was and will be the same in all Men, and in all Ages. The first amorous Emotions that young Men feel, are violent; they are plagued with a Stimulation, which raises a vehement Desire: The Passion is strong, but then it is general; it is Lust, not Love: And therefore the natural Impatience of Lust will prompt them to take the speediest way for present Gratification, and make them prefer the ready and willing Embraces of a Courtezan, before the doubtful and distant Prospect of enjoying a modest Damsel, whose Coyness will cost so much Pains, as well as Time, to overcome; and, when overcome, may probably occasion a future Uneasiness, and give them more Trouble after Enjoyment than they had before.

Besides this, if their first Affections should happen to be engaged to a particular Object, which is very rare; and that this particular Object was in their Power to compass, which is still rarer; yet there is naturally in Young-Men a certain secret Shame, which attends their first Sallies, and prevents their declaring a private Passion, ’till it grows so violent, that they are forced to give it Vent upon the Publick; and by that means, get into a regular Method of making themselves easy, without doing their Modesty any Violence.

But tho’ the natural Bent of Men’s Minds inclines them to an easy Purchase of Pleasure in their first Amours, yet publick Whoring lies at present under so many Disadvantages; the Publick Women, for want of good Regulation, are so infamous in their Principles and Practice; the Places of Resort so vile, and so scandalously imposing in the common Expence, and lying under the Lash of the Civil Power, so pester’d with the mercenary Officiousness of Reforming Constables; and which is worst of all, the Plague of Claps and Poxes is so inevitable, that Men contrary to their Inclinations are often forc’d to enter upon private Intrigues, either without trying the Publick, or after meeting with some Misfortunes in the Tryal.

Now if we see daily so many Young Men, who prefer the publick Commerce under all these Disadvantages, what Success may we not expect from this happy Establishment of the Stews, when the Young Women’s Behaviour will be regulated after a civil decent Manner; when the Houses of Entertainment will be so Commodious, and the Expence of Accomodation so reasonable; when the horrid Dread of Claps is entirely remov’d; and when the Laws, instead of disturbing such Assemblies, will be employ’d in their Protection, to give them the greater Countenance and Encouragement; surely we may hope for a thorough Reformation.

But if these Considerations should not prove fully effectual, and some Men should be so obstinate as to persist in private Whoring, notwithstanding these Inducements to the contrary; we must then have Recourse to Legal Force, and drive those who are too resty to be led: For tho’ the Laws can’t prevent Whoring, they may yet regulate it; the Quid is not in their Power, but the Quomodo is. A Man must eat, but he may be directed how to eat. The strongest Curb can’t stop an unruly Horse, but the weakest will serve to turn him: And the smallest Stream is not to be obstructed, tho’ we can change the Course of the greatest River. So Love, tho’ ever so unruly and headstrong in the general, changes the particular Object of its Passion with the smallest Circumstance; and legal Penalties are no trifling Dissuasives, when the Laws don’t command Impossibilities.

This Argument indeed, of Compulsion, is in a manner supernumerary, and thrown in, as it were, ex abundanti: For the Publick Stews under this regular Oeconomy, will have so much the Advantage of private Whoring, whether we regard the Ease and Conveniency of Enjoyment, or the Beauty and Variety of Mistresses, that Men’s natural Inclinations will sway them sufficiently without this superfluous Constraint. If there is any Fear of Success, the Danger lies on the other Side; and indeed we have some Colour of Reason to apprehend, lest the whole Body of Lewdness being turn’d upon the Publick, there should want a sufficient Supply of young Women to recruit the Stews; which, by that Means, may run into a sudden Dis-repute, and lose a Character that will be difficult to retrieve. But however plausible this Objection may seem at first Sight, we shall find, upon a nearer View, that it only serves to make the Excellence of this Scheme the more manifest.

As there is constantly in the Nation, a certain Number of young Men, whose Passions are too strong to brook any Opposition: Our Business is to contrive a Method how they may be gratify’d, with as little Expence of Female Virtue as possible. But the Difficulty lies in adjusting this Matter, and gaging our young Men’s Affections so exactly, that the Modesty of one Woman may not be sacrifis’d, more than is absolutely necessary for the Preservation of the rest.

The Gallants of this Age, indeed, are not quite so sturdy as that rampant Roman Emperor who deflower’d ten Sarmatian Virgins in one Night; but what we want in Constitution, we make up in the Niceity of our Palates; as a squeamish Stomach requires the greatest Variety of Dishes: And some of our Youth are grown such perfect Epicures in Venery, that they can relish nothing but Virgins: They destroy, it is true, a great deal of Beauty, by browsing only upon the Buds.

But we ought not to judge of these Men’s Abilities by the Number of Women they debauch, no more than we should measure the Goodness of a certain curious Gentleman’s Appetite by his bespeaking several Dozen of young Pigeons, when he only regal’d upon the Rumps: Neither is it intirely from a Wantonness of Fancy, or a luxurious Taste of Pleasure, that Men indulge themselves in making this Havock, but chiefly for their own personal Safety. Young Girls are so giddy, thoughtless, and unexperienc’d, and withal so fond of the Sport, at their first setting out, that they seldom escape a Taint; and a Man is not safe in being constant: Nay, some Men are afraid of venturing even after themselves. By this Means several likely Women, that might do the Publick signal Service, are in a short Time render’d useless: And, by a modest Computation, we are put to the Expence of as many virtuous Women in one Year, as might reasonably serve the Nation six.

Now, the Publick Stews will regulate this Affair so precisely, and with such critical Exactness, that one Year with another, we shall not have one Woman employ’d in the Publick Service more than is absolutely necessary, nor one less than is fully sufficient.

When this Project is first set on foot, the vast Choice and Variety there is at present of these Women, will give us an Opportunity of making a very beautiful Collection; and will, doubtless, for some Time, occasion a considerable Run upon the Publick; so that Private Whoring, the only Nursery of our Courtezans, may probably remain too long neglected: For the whole Body of our incontinent Youth, like a standing Army, being employ’d in constant Action, there cannot well be spar’d a sufficient Detachment to raise the necessary Recruits.

But however true this may be, we shall thereby suffer no Inconvenience; for if the Supplies of young Women, which we may reasonably expect from the Northern and Western Parts of these Kingdoms, or from such Places as are remote and out of the Influence of this Scheme: I say, if these Supplies should not prove sufficient to answer the Greatness of the Demand, and that the Reputation of the Stews upon this Account, should begin to flag, why then the worst Accident that can befal, is a gradual Relapse into our former State of Private Whoring; and this no farther than is just necessary and to recruit the Stews, and thereby make them retrieve their former Character: For every Woman who is debauch’d more than is barely necessary, only brings so much additional Credit and Reputation to the Stews, and in some measure atones for the Loss of her own Chastity, by being a Means to preserve that of others; so that whenever the Tide of private Lewdness runs too high, and exceeds the just and ordinary Bounds, it must of Course, by encouraging the Publick Stews, immediately suffer a proportionable Ebb: That is to say, it must be reduced again so low, that there will remain but just a sufficient Quantity to supply the Stews; which is as low, as in the Nature of the Thing is possible.