I have known two very remarkable Cases of this kind in the Country. One was a half witted young Fellow, being with artifice entic’d to the act of Fornication with an unclean Woman, who after a cure of the Disease he receiv’d by her, was so strangely addicted to Self-pollution, that at length there was far greater difficulty to preserve his impair’d Carcass, than in curing of his nauseous Distemper, notwithstanding, he had it with severity: He would sit down upon the Floor, and with Eyes lift up violate Nature in a seeming Transport, and oftentimes repeat this unnatural Sin, with an uncommon pleasure: At last he confess’d it, and on a private Examination declar’d, that he never had any inclination to Self-pollution, before he had receiv’d his venerial Injury, and largely taken of the Surgeons Preparations, tho’ this Woman was not the first that he had carnally known. The other Case within my knowledge, was, that of a rakish Young Gentleman, who having run through his Fortune in Extravagancies, particularly on the fair Sex, when he could no longer splendidly subsist, or afford the expence of unlawful Pleasures, being perpetually tormented with a violent inclination to Women; at last after a long continuance of Self-pollution, he couragiously Castrated himself, as the only cure of his vicious Appetite. But the next News I heard, as indeed I expected, was, that he had with equal resolution shot himself through the Head. ’Tis very certain, that Persons in mean Circumstances, are thereby in many Respects render’d unable to pursue their darling Vices; but where the Principles are vitiated, or the Passions prevalent, there is no Shield of Self-defence against ill Actions: The Person wholly void of Honesty, will commit Thefts and Robberies upon the Persons of others to enrich himself; and the lustful Person will satisfy his Brutal inclinations by Friction, or other abominable Enjoyments, for want of ability, to purchase more acceptable Crimes: And as the want of Circumstances is many times a cause of Self-pollution, so the Person in possession of a large Fortune, is frequently guilty of the Sin of Whoredom, accompanied with more dreadful Consequences, and Nature only, under the severest Discipline, must in all Cases regulate the lustful Appetite. The design of providence, for the preservation of Mankind in a State of Innocence, is visible throughout all the works of the Creation; there is no condition of Life, but a Person may go thro’ free from Guilt and Infamy; and particularly in Uncleanness, Nocturnal-pollution proceeding meerly from Nature without force, is certainly intended to correct lustful Inclinations; but when it arises from vicious contemplations, and impure Ideas conceiv’d in the Mind, it is a sinful Act, though not equally criminal to Self-pollution.