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
"Whatever the errors of Lady Hamilton may have been," says Doran, "let
us not forget that without her aid, as Nelson said, the battle of the
Nile would never have been fought, and that in spite of her sacrifices
and services, England left her to starve, because the government was too
virtuous to acknowledge the benefits rendered to her country by a lady
with too loose a zone."
The remarks of honest old Burton[187] upon Aphrodisiacs, though quaint,
are so judicious and pertinent, that we cannot better conclude this part
of our essay than by quoting them:--
"The last battering engines," says he, "are philters,
amulets, charms, images, and such unlawful meanes: if they
cannot prevail of themselves by the help of bawds, panders,
and their adherents, they will fly for succour to the devil
himself. I know there be those that denye the devil can do
any such thing, and that there is no other fascination than
that which comes by the eyes. It was given out, of old, that
a Thessalian wench had bewitched King Philip to dote on her,
and by philters enforced his love, but when Olympia, his
queen, saw the maid of an excellent beauty well brought up
and qualified: these, quoth she, were the philters which
enveagled King Philip, these the true charms as Henry to
Rosamond."[188]
"One accent from thy lips the blood more warmes
Than all their philters, exorcismes, and charms."
With that alone Lucretia brags, in Aretine, she could do more than all
philosophers, astrologers, alychmists, necromancers, witches, and the
rest of the crew. As for herbs and philters I could never skill of them.
_The sole philter I ever used was kissing and embracing, by which alone
I made men rave like beasts, stupefied and compelled them to worship me
like an idol._[189]
ANTI-APHRODISIACS.
The means best calculated to produce effects contrary to those just
treated of are of several kinds, but such as are derived from hygiene
are entitled to be considered as the most powerful. Previously, however,
to describing the medicinal substances that may be efficaciously
employed in moderating, or rather checking, too violent a propensity to
venery, some notice must be taken of the diet adapted to insure such a
result.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account