Aphrodisiacs and Anti-aphrodisiacs: Three Essays on the Powers of ReproductionDavenport, John
Philosophy
Aphrodisiacs and Anti-aphrodisiacs: Three Essays on the Powers of Reproduction
Davenport, John
Phallicism; Sex; Sex customs -- France -- History -- 17th century
Old Montaigne's advice in cases similar to those above cited is worthy
of notice. "As to what concerns married people," says he, "having the
year before them, they ought never to compel, or so much as offer at the
feat, if they do not find themselves very ready. And it is better
indecently to fail of handling the nuptial sheets, and of paying the
ceremony due to the wedding night, when man perceives himself full of
agitation and trembling, expecting another opportunity at a better and
more private leisure, when his fancy shall be better composed, than to
make himself perpetually miserable for having misbehaved himself, and
being baffled at the first result. Till possession be taken, a man that
knows himself subject to this infirmity, should leisurely and by degrees
make certain little trials and light offers, without attempting at once
to force an absolute conquest over his own mutinous and indisposed
faculties; such as know their members to be naturally obedient to their
desires, need to take no other care but only to counterplot their fancy.
The indocile and rude liberty of this scurvy member, is sufficiently
remarkable by its importunate, unruly, and unseasonable tumidity and
impatience at such times as we have nothing for it to do, and by its
most unseasonable stupidity and disobedience when we stand most in need
of its vigour, so imperiously contesting the authority of the will, and
with so much obstinacy denying all solicitations of hand and fancy. And
yet, though his rebellion is so universally complained of, and that
proofs are not wanting to condemn him, if he had, nevertheless, feed me
to plead his cause, I should, peradventure, bring the rest of his
fellow-members into suspicion of complotting the mischief against him,
out of pure envy of the importance and ravishing pleasure peculiar to
his employment, so as to have, by confederacy, armed the whole world
against him, by malevolently charging him alone with their common
offence."[50]
Too great warmth of clothing round the parts of generation, or too great
pressure upon them, may be reckoned as causes of impotency. The custom
of wearing breeches was considered by Hippocrates[51] as a predisposing
cause of the impotency so common among the ancient Scythians. Mr. Hunter
was also of opinion that this article of dress by keeping the parts too
warm, affording them a constant support, and allowing the muscles but
little freedom of motion, may, at least, relax and cause them to become
flaccid, if it do not totally incapacitate them for the due performance
of their functions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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