These are the several bad Effects of Whoring; and it is an unhappy Thing, that a Practice so universal as this is, and always will be, should be attended with such mischievous Consequences: But since few or none of them are the necessary Effects of Whoring, consider’d in itself, but only proceed from the Abuse and ill Management of it; our Business is certainly to regulate this Affair in such sort as may best prevent these Mischiefs. And I must here beg pardon of those worthy _Gentlemen_ of the _Society_, if I can’t conceive how the Discouragement they have given, or rather attempted to give, to publick Whoring, could possibly have the desired Effect. If this was a Vice acquired by Habit or Custom, or depended upon Education, as most other Vices, there might be some Hopes of suppressing it; and then it would, no doubt, be commendable to attack it, without Distinction, in whatever Form or Disguise it should appear: But alas! this violent Love for Women is born and bred with us; nay, it is absolutely necessary to our being born at all: And however some People may pretend, that unlawful Enjoyment is contrary to the Law of _Nature_, this is certain, that Nature never fails to furnish us largely with this Passion, tho’ she is often sparing to bestow upon us such a Portion of Reason and Reflection as is necessary to curb it. That long Course of Experience which most of these _Gentlemen_ have had in the World, and which is of so great Use in other Cases, may probably occasion their Mistake in this; for Age is very liable to forget the violence of youthful Passions, and, consequently, apt to think them easier curb’d: whereas if we consider the true Source of Whoring, and the strong Impulse of Nature that way, we shall find, it is a Thing not to be too violently restrain’d; lest, like a Stream diverted out of its proper Channel, it should break in and overflow the neighbouring _Inclosures_. History affords us several Instances of this Truth; I shall mention but one, and that is of Pope _Sixtus_ the Fifth, who was so strictly severe in the Execution of Justice, if such Severity may be call’d Justice, and particularly, against Offenders of this kind, that he condemned a young Man to the Galleys, only for snatching a Kiss of a Damsel in the Street: yet notwithstanding this his _Holiness_’s Zeal, he never attempted once to extirpate Whoring intirely: But like a true _Pastor_ separated the clean Sheep from the unclean, and confin’d all the Courtezans to one Quarter of the City. It is true, he did attempt to moderate this Vice, and banish’d as many Courtezans as he thought exceeded the necessary Number; but he was soon convinc’d of the Error of his Computation, for _Sodomy_, and a thousand other unnatural Vices sprung up, which forc’d him soon to recal them, and has left us a remarkable Instance of the Vanity of such Attempts.