A Collection of Chirurgical TractsBeckett, William
Science
A Collection of Chirurgical Tracts
Beckett, William
Surgery
The other Branch of Whoring, viz. _Private_, is of much worse
Consequence; and a Man’s Crime in this Case increases in proportion to
the different Degree of Mischief done, if you consider his Crime with
regard to the _Society_; for as to personal Guilt, Allowance ought to
be made for the Increase of Temptation, which is very considerable in
the Case of debauching _Married Women_; upon account of the Safety to
the Aggressor, either with Respect to his Health, or the Charge, and,
if that affects him, the Scandal of having a Bastard. On the other
hand, the Injury done, is very considerable, as such an Action tends
to corrupt a Woman’s Mind, and destroy that mutual Love and Affection
between Man and Wife, which is so necessary to both their Happiness.
Besides, the Risque run of a Discovery, which at least ruins a Woman’s
Reputation, and destroys the Husband’s Quiet; nay, where Virtue does
not intirely give way, if it warps but ever so little, the Consequence
is shockingly fatal: for tho’ the good Man, suspicious of the Wife’s
Chastity, the Wife of the Gallant’s Constancy, and the Gallant of the
Husband’s Watchfulness, by being a Check upon each other, may keep the
Gate of Virtue shut; yet then even all Parties must be attended with a
never-ceasing Misery, nor to be imagin’d, but by those who too fatally
_feel it_.
The Crime of debauching young _Virgins_ will appear much greater, if
we consider that there is much more Mischief done, and the Temptation
to do it much lessen’d by the fear of getting Children; which, in
most Circumstances of Life, does a Man a deal of Prejudice, and keeps
at least three Parts in four of our sober Youth from gratifying this
violent Passion. Besides, the Methods that are necessary to be taken,
before a Man can have such an Action in his Power, are in themselves
Criminal; and it shows a certain Baseness of Mind to persuade a Woman,
by a thousand solemn Vows and Protestations, into such a good Opinion
of you, and Assurance of your Love to her, that she trusts you with
all that is dear and near to her; and this with no other View but the
Gratification of a present Passion, which might be otherwise vented,
than at the certain Expence of her Ruin, and putting her under the
Necessity of leading the Life of a _Publick Courtezan_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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