A Collection of Chirurgical TractsBeckett, William
Science
A Collection of Chirurgical Tracts
Beckett, William
Surgery
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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