IV. HE ought not only to be a Man of known _Discretion_ and _Secresy_, _Sagacity_ and _Judgment_, but also of a pleasant _Countenance_; neat and clean in _Person_ and _Cloathes_, Agreeable and Decent in _Words_ and _Actions_, carefully adverting (at all times) to give no Occasion of _Shame_ or _Confusion_ to the _Labouring Woman_, or the _By-standers_. V. HE ought, in fine, to _handle_ Her _decently_, and treat her _gently_; considering _Her_ as the _weaker Vessel_, whose elegant tender BODY, will admit of no _rough Usage_: Wherefore upon this Account it is, that I would have all _Practitioners_ whatsoever in this ART, debarr’d from the _Use_ of _INSTRUMENTS_, which would secure many a MOTHER from being wounded or mangled, and many an INFANT from being cut or torn to Pieces. NOT that I would be thought for all that to imitate Mr. _Mauriceau_, saying of himself (in some Passages of his _Book_ of _MIDWIFERY_) that _he differs from all others_: No, far from it; For I have the _Indisputable Authority_ of the most Learned and Polite _Practisers_ on my side, as mention’d before in _Chap._ 1. of this _SECTION_. HOWEVER yet, I do not deny, but that _INSTRUMENTS_ have been universally used, till of late Years; but the reason of That is Plain: Because in former Times, MEN were only call’d upon _extraordinary Occasions_; some of which (however Skilful and Ingenious) had not the Opportunity of _Laying a Woman_ perhaps in many Months. For which Reason it could not be otherways, but that they must have been at a loss in not understanding thoroughly the _Practical Part_, having so few Opportunities of improving _manual Operation_: Whereas since the _Politer Part_ of the World has call’d them generally to the ordinary and common _Practice_ of this _ART_; they have advanced their _Dexterity_ by degrees, and are now come to the length of discharging that _Office_ by _Slight of Hand_ only, which formerly required so many _frightful INSTRUMENTS_. I may well indeed say _frightful_; for what can be more inconsistent with the tender _NATURE_ of _Women_, or more _terrible_ to them, than to see MEN come _armed_ against _Themselves_ and their _tenderer INFANTS_, with _Knives_, _Hooks_, _Iron-Forceps_, &c. thereby (as it were) to _help_ them in time of their extremest _Agony_? For my part, I am Positive, that let who will use _INSTRUMENTS_, they _kill_ many more _INFANTS_ than they _save_, and _ruin_ many more _WOMEN_ than they _deliver_ fairly: And this, I think, will be easily agreed to, by all those who have any Knowledge of the _Parts_ of _Generation_ in that SEX; as (I believe) it is also sufficiently evident even to _Those_ who have no _Judgment_ that way, by the notorious _Fatalities_ and tragical _Events_ they daily hear of in Fact.