One of these poor wretches approached me; the affected gaiety of her deportment, so entirely discordant with the genuine feelings of a mind exposed to scenes of such humiliating profligacy, was in no little degree distressing; but I observed she drank the wine I gave her with a heavy heart, and some money I presented her with, excited expressions of gratitude, but no emotions of delight; from which I concluded that she was merely the channel through which my present would pass to her brutal gaoler; an apprehension which was confirmed to me by my lacquey upon my quitting this scene of complicated wretchedness. It is a curious circumstance that to Solon, the wisest amongst the wise men of Greece, is attributed the origin of brothels: his motives may be appreciated in the following extracts. “Nicandre raconte dans le troisième livre des choses remarquables de Colophon, que le legislateur Solon a été le premier qui ait bâti un temple à _Venus Pandemos_. Philemon (Athenée liv. xiii. p. 569.) loue beaucoup la sage indulgence que Solon a témoignée par cette loi pour la foiblesse humaine: ‘Solon, tu as vraiment été le bienfaiteur du genre humain! car on dit que c’est toi qui a le premier pensé à une chose bien advantageuse au peuple ou plutôt au salut public. Oui, c’est avec raison que je dis ceci, lorsque je considère notre ville pleine de jeunes gens d’un temperament bouillant, et qui en consequence se porteraient à des excès impermissables. C’est pourquoi tu as acheté des femmes, et les as placées dans des lieux, où, pourvues de tout ce qui leur est nécessaire, elles deviennent communes à tous ceux qui en veulent.’” “Nicander relates in the third book of remarkable circumstances of Colophon, that the legislator Solon was the first who built a temple to Venus Pandemos. Philemon praises much the wise indulgence which Solon has shown by this law to human infirmity. ‘Solon! thou hast truly been the benefactor of the human race! for it is said that thou first thought of a measure greatly beneficial to the people, or rather to the public good. Yes, I say it with reason, when I see our town full of young men of warm constitutions, and who in consequence would indulge in censurable excesses. Therefore thou hast purchased women, and fixed them in places, where, provided with every thing they want, they become accessible to all who desire an intercourse with them.’”