material from the ,google ,print project47 ---------------------------------------- ,transcriber's note3 ,old spellings and syntax in the ,french and ,english texts have not been corrected except the typos4 ,the letter m with a macron have been replaced by mm as there is no unicode symbol or symbol combination to display this character satisfactorily4 ,footnote #bbd is referenced twice4 ---------------------------------------- ,,three ,,essays ,,on ,,the ,,powers ,,of ,,reproduction4 ,illustration3 ,frontispiece4 ,,votive ,,columns ,of the ,ancient ,oscans4 ,aphrodisiacs and ,anti-,aphrodisiacs3 ,,three ,,essays ,,on ,,the ,,powers ,,of ,,reproduction2 ,,with ,,some ,,account ,,of ,,the ,,judicial ,,congress ,,as ,,practised ,,in ,,france ,,during ,,the ,,seventeenth ,,century4 ,,by ,,john ,,davenport4 ,ubi stimulus1 ibi fluxus4--,,hippocrates4 ,,london3 ,,privately ,,printed4 #ahfi4 ,,preface4 ,the reproductive powers of ,nature were regarded by the nations of remote antiquity with an awe and reverence so great1 as to form an object of worship1 under a symbol1 of all others the most significant1--the ,phallus2 and thus was founded a religion1 of which the traces exist to this day1 not in ,asia only1 but even in ,europe itself4 ,that scarcely any notices of this worship should appear in modern works1 except in the erudite pages of a few antiquarians may be accounted for by considering the difference of opinion between the ancients and the moderns as to what constitutes--modesty2 the former being unable to see any moral turpitude in actions they regarded was the designs of nature1 while the latter1 by their over-strained notions of delicacy1 render themselves1 in some degree at least1 obnoxious to the charge that1 in proportion as manners becomes corrupt1 language becomes more guarded1--modesty1 when banished from the heart1 taking refuge on the lips4 ,to supply1 to some extent1 this lacuna in our popular literature has been the object of the present work1 in which1 it is hoped1 may be found much curious and interesting physiological information1 interspersed with recherch and festivous anecdotes4 ,the text is illustrated by a few plates1 drawn from antiquarian sources4 ,j4 ,d4 ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,,note4--,as it was found impossible always to insert the illustrations opposite the explanatory text1 the following ,list will assist the reader to those pages which explain the objects represented3-- ,plate ,described on page ,,frontispiece1 ,,inscribed ,,votive ,,columns ,facing title ,of small size and of great antiquity2 in use amongst the ,oscan people1 who were finally subjugated by the ,sabines4 ,i4 ,figure #a1 ,,egyptian ,,phallus #a1 #b1 #c ,from ,recueil d',antiquits ,egyptiennes1 c41 par le ,comte de ,caylus4 #b1 ,,do41 different view #a1 #b1 #c #c1 ,two views of a double figure #a1 #b1 #c #d1 ,,roman ,,priapus over a baker's door at ,pompeii #aa ,from ,muse secret de ,naples4 ,,ii4 ,figure #a1 ,,lingham #a1 #b1 #c ,from ,m4 ,sonnerat's ,voyage aux ,indes ,orientales4 #b1 ,,pan',s ,,head #i1 #aj ,from the ,collection of ,antiquities at ,pompeii1 vide ,muse secret de ,naples4 ,,iii4 ,figure #a1 ,,leaden ,,phallus #e ,from the ,forgeais ,collection of ,plombs ,historiques4 #b1 ,,ditto1 a different view #e #c1 ,,ditto ditto #e #d1 ,,ditto ditto #e ,,iv4 ,figure #a1 ,,round ,,tower #e1 #f1 #g ,from ,o',brien's ,history of the ,round ,towers of ,ireland4 #b1 ,,three-,,headed ,,osiris #g1 #h1 #i ,from the ,comte de ,caylus' ,recueil d',antiquits ,egyptiennes1 c4 ,v4 ,figure #a1 ,,cross #ab1 #ac1 #ad ,from ,higgin's ,anacalypsis4 #b1 ,another example #ab1 #ac1 #ad ,from the same work4 #c1 ,another example #ab1 #ac1 #ad ,from the same work4 #d1 ,another example #ab1 #ac1 #ad ,from the same work4 ,,vi4 ,figure #a1 ,,ex ,,voto1 in silver #ah1 #ai1 #bj ,from the ,british ,museum copy of ,r4 ,payne ,knight's ,history of the ,worship of ,priapus4 #b1 ,,duda,m or ,,mandrake #fg1 #gj1 #ga1 #gd ,from ,dr4 ,kitto's ,cyclopdia of ,biblical ,literature4 ,,vii4 ,figure #a1 ,,fibula #adb1 #c ,from ,holyday's ,juvenal4 #b1 ,another example of a different construction #adb1 #c ,,contents4 ,,essay ,i4 ,page ,,ancient ,,phallic ,,worship3 ,phallic ,worship the most ancient and general #a-b ,phallic ,worship found to exist in ,america #b ,indian ,trimourti or ,trinity #c ,lingham #c ,yoni or ,cteis1 and ,pulleiar #d ,taly1 ,anecdote of the #d ,leaden ,phalli found in the river ,rhne #e ,round ,towers in ,ireland--,phallic temples #f ,the ,may-,pole a relic of phallic worship #f ,phallus held in reverence by the ,jews--,king ,david #f ,le prerogativi de' ,testicoli 7note7 #f ,an ,egyptian ,phallic ,oath #h ,ancient ,welsh ,phallic ,law #h ,london ,costermongers' ,oath ,by my taters #i ,bembo 7,cardinal71 his saying 7note7 #aj ,priapus1 derivation of the word #aj ,priapus1 how reverenced by ,roman women #aj ,priapus1 decline of his worship #aa ,the ,cross ,symbol3 ,tau known to the ,buddhists and the ,lama of ,thibet #ab ,cross 7the7 regarded by the ,ancients as the emblem of fruitfulness #ab ,rev4 ,mr4 ,maurice quoted #ab ,the ,tau1 ,crux-,ansata1 or triple ,phallus #ad ,remains of ,phallic ,worship in ,europe #ad ,lampsacus1 the ,birth-place of the deity ,priapus 7note7 #ad ,saint ,foutin #ad ,the ,phallus of ,foutin at ,embrun--the holy vinegar #af ,curious ,phallic ,customs #af-ag ,godfrey de ,bouillon and the ,holy prepuce #ah ,il santo-membro #ah ,sir ,w4 ,hamilton's account of the ,worship paid to ,saints ,cosmo and ,damianus #ah ,ex votos #ah ,,essay ,,ii4 ,,anaphrodisia1 ,,or ,,absence ,,of ,,the ,,productive ,,power3 ,impotency1 three kinds of1 according to the ,canon ,law #ba ,impotency1 ,causes of1 proper to ,men #ba ,impotency1 ,causes of1 proper to ,women #ba ,sterility and its ,causes #ba ,morgagni quoted #ba ,clitoris1 its length sometimes prevents the sexual union--case quoted by ,sir ,everard ,home #bd-be ,columbus1 ,martial1 ,haller1 ,juvenal1 and ,ariosto quoted #be-bf ,impotency1 ,moral ,causes of #bh-bi ,montaigne's ,advice #cb ,impotency caused by too great warmth of ,clothing--,hunter's ,opinion #cc ,point-,tying--,voltaire's ,pucelle d',orlans quoted #ce ,point-,tying known to the ,ancients--instances quoted #cg-ch ,point-,tying among the ,moderns recognised by ,james ,i4 #dj ,counter-,charm to ,point-,tying #da ,agreeable ,mode of curing such ,enchantment #db ,case of ,point-,tying related by ,venette #dc ,montaigne's curious ,story #dd ,judicial ,congress in ,cases of alleged ,impotency #dg ,manner of conducting the ,congress #dh ,judicial ,congress originated with the ,church #eb ,judicial ,congress practised in ,france during the #afth and #agth ,centuries--,forbidden in #afgg #eb ,boileau quoted #ee-ef ,cases determined by the ,judicial ,congress #ed-eh ,willick1 ,dr41 his ,remarks and ,advice upon the ,sexual ,intercourse #eh-fc ,,essay ,,iii4 ,,aphrodisiacs ,,and ,,anti-,,aphrodisiacs3 ,the ,mandrake or ,dudam the most ancient aphrodisiac #ff ,rachel and ,leah #ff ,solomon's ,song #fg ,pliny the ,elder quoted #fh ,sappho's love for ,phaon accounted for #ff ,superstitious ideas respecting the mandrake during the ,middle ,ages #fi ,the ,knights ,templars accused of adoring it #fi ,mandrake1 ,weir's description of it #gj ,mandrake under the name of ,mandragora used as a charm #gj ,macchiavelli's ,comedy of ,la ,mandragora and ,voltaire's account of it #ga ,love potions1 ,venetian law against them #gb ,richard ,,iii4 accuses ,lady ,grey of witchcraft #gb ,maundrell's account of the ,dudam #gc ,singular ,aphrodisiac used by the ,amazons #ge ,philters1 or love potions used by the ancients #ge ,hippomanes1 wonderful powers of1 as an aphrodisiac #gi ,recipes for love-potions #hj ,fish an aphrodisiac--,hecquet's anecdote #hf ,mollusca1 truffles and mushrooms used as aphrodisiacal #hh ,george ,,iv4's appreciation of truffles 7note7 #hh ,effect of truffles described by a lady #hi ,latin epigram on the vices of the monks #ij ,navet of a monk on the score of adultery #ia ,curious ,quatrain in the ,church of ,st4 ,hyacinth #ia ,madame ,du ,barri's secret #ic ,do41 ,do41 description of 7note7 #ic ,tablettes de ,magnanimit--,poudre de joie--,seraglio ,pastilles #id ,musk1 ,cantharides--effects of the latter #if ,cardinal ,dubois' ,account of a ,love-,potion #ih ,caricature upon ,dubois 7note7 #ih ,indian ,bang #ajd ,stimulating ,powers of ,odours #ajf ,cabanis quoted #ajg ,d',obsonville quoted #ajh ,portable ,gold--,shakespeare quoted #aji-aaj ,bouchard's ,account of ,aphrodisiacal ,charms #aaa ,flagellation--,graham's ,celestial ,bed--,lady ,hamilton--,lord ,nelson1 c4 #aba-abf ,burton quoted #abf ,,anti-,,aphrodisiacs3 ,refrigerants--,recommendation of ,plato and ,aristotle #abh-abi ,sir ,thos4 ,brown quoted #acj ,origen #acj ,camphor an anti-aphrodisiac #acd ,coffee an anti-aphrodisiac--,abernethey's saying 7note7 #acg ,infibulation1 ,holyday quoted #ada-add ,bernasco ,padlocks #add ,voltaire's poem of the ,cadenas #adf ,rabelais' anti-aphrodisiacal remedies #adg-aed ,illustration3 ,,plate ,i41 ,,egyptian ,,phalli4 ,,and ,pompeian ,house--sign4 ,,essay ,i4 ,,remarks ,,upon ,,the ,,symbols ,,of ,,the ,,reproductive ,,powers4 ,from the investigations and researches of the learned1 there appears to be no doubt but that the most ancient of all superstitions was that in which ,nature was contemplated chiefly under the attribute or property of fecundity2 the symbols of the reproductive power being those under which its prolific potencies were exhibited4 ,it is not because modern fastidiousness affects to consider those symbols as indecent1 and even obscene1 that we should therefore suppose them to have been so regarded by the ancients3 on the contrary1 the view of them awakened no impure ideas in the minds of the latter1 being regarded by them as the most sacred objects of worship4 ,the ancients1 indeed1 did not look upon the pleasures of love with the same eye as the moderns do2 the tender union of the sexes excited their veneration1 because religion appeared to consecrate it1 inasmuch as their mythology presented to them all ,olympus as more occupied with amatory delights than with the government of the universe4 ,the reflecting men of those times1 more simple1 but1 it must be confessed1 more profound1 than those of our own day1 could not see any moral turpitude in actions regarded by them as the design of nature1 and as the acme of felicity4 ,for this reason it is that we find not only ancient writers expressing themselves freely upon subjects regarded by us as indecent1 but even sculptors and painters equally unrestrained in this particular4 ,the statesman took advantage of these religious impressions3 whatever tended to increase population being held in honour4 ,those images and ,priapi so frequently found in the temples of the ancients1 and even in their houses1 and which we consider as objects of indecent lewdness1 were1 in their eyes1 but so many sacred motives exciting them to propagate their species4 ,in order to represent by a physical object the reproductive power of the sun in spring-time1 as well as the action of that power on all sentient beings1 the ancients adopted that symbol of the male gender which the ,greeks1 who derive it from the ,egyptians1 called--,phallus4#a ,this worship was so general as to have spread itself over a large portion of the habitable globe1 for it flourished for many ages in ,egypt and ,syria1 ,persia1 ,asia ,minor1 ,greece and ,italy3 it was1 and still is1 in vigour in ,india and many parts of ,africa1 and was even found in ,america on its discovery by the ,spaniards4 ,thus ,garcilaso de la ,vega informs us#b that1 in the public squares of ,panuco 7a ,mexican town71 bas-reliefs were found which1 like those of ,india1 represented1 in various ways the sexual union2 while at ,tlascala1 another town of that country1 the reproductive act was worshipped under the joint symbol of the generative organs1 male and female4 ,a more surprising fact is1 that this worship has1 as will be shewn hereafter1 been perpetuated to a very late date1 among the ,christians of ,europe4 ,in its origin1 the ,phallus or emblem of the generative and procreative powers of nature appears to have been of a very simple and inoffensive character--although it was afterwards made subservient to the grossest and most superstitious purposes4 ,in ,india this worship is everywhere to be found accompanying the triune ,god1 called by the ,hindoos1 ,trimourti or ,trinity1 and the significant form of the single obelisk or pillar called the ,linga or ,lingham2#c and it should be observed1 in justice to the ,hindoos that it is some comparative and negative praise to them1 that this emblem1 under which they express the lments and operations of nature is not externally indecorous4 ,unlike the abominable realities of ,egypt1 ,greece1 and ,rome1 we see this ,indian phallic emblem in the ,hindoo religious exhibitions1 without offence1 nor know1 until information be extorted1 that we are contemplating a symbol whose prototype is obscene4#d ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,ii41 ,fig #a4 ,lingham1 ,fig #b4 ,pan's head4 ,besides the ,lingham1 the equally significant ,yoni or ,cteis is to be seen1 being the female organ of generation4 ,it is sometimes single1 often in conjunction1 for the ,indians1 believing that the emblem of fecundity might be rendered more energetic by combining the organs of both sexes1 did so unite them1 giving to this double symbol the name of ,pulleiar1 confounded by some writers with the ,lingham itself4 ,this pulleiar is highly venerated by the sectarian worshippers of ,siva 7the third god of the ,trimourti71 who hang it round their neck1 as a charm or amulet1 or enclosing it in a small box1 fasten it upon their arm4 ,the ,indians have also a little jewel called taly1 worn1 in like manner1 by females round their necks as a charm4 ,it is presented to them on their wedding day by their husbands1 who receive it from the hands of the ,brahmins4 ,upon these jewels is engraved the representation1 either of the ,lingham or of the ,pulleiar4 ,the following anecdote connected with this custom is given by ,m4 ,sonnerat4#e ,a ,capuchin missionary had a serious dispute with the ,jesuits residing at ,pondicherry1 which was referred for decision to the judicial courts4 ,the disciples of ,loyola1 who can be toleration itself when toleration furthers their crafty and ambitious views1 had declined all interference with the above custom4 ,m4 ,tournon1 the ,pope's legate apostolic1 who regarded the matter as one not to be trifled with1 and with whom1 moreover1 the ,jesuits were no favourites1 strictly prohibited the taly1 enjoining all female converts to substitute in its place either a cross or a medal of the ,virgin4 ,the ,indian women1 strongly attached to their ancient customs1 refused obedience4 ,the missionaries1 apprehensive of losing the fruits of their zealous labours1 and seeing the number of their neophytes daily diminishing1 entered into a compromise by adopting a mezzo-termine with the females in question1 and it was agreed that a ,cross should be engraved upon the taly1 an arrangement by which the symbol of ,christian salvation was coupled with that of the male and female pudenda4 ,the deep and enthusiastic veneration felt by the ,hindoos for this worship is naturally explained by their intense anxiety and desire for having children who might perform those ceremonies to their manes which they firmly and piously believe will have the effect of mitigating their punishment in the world to come4 ,they worship the ,lingham1 therefore1 for the sake of having progeny1 and husbands1 whose wives are barren1 send them to adore that symbol1 and1 if report be true1 the ladies take especial care not to disappoint the wish of their dear spouses4 ,it is probable that the introduction of this worship is due to the ,indians who founded the sect of ,siva1 imagining1 as they no doubt did1 that the most effectual means of propagating it would be by presenting their deity under the form of that organ by which the reproduction of the human race is effected4 ,nothing can be a greater proof of the high antiquity of the ,indians than this worship1 it being certain that the ,egyptians did not establish it1 as well as the dogma of the ,metempsychosis1 among themselves1 until after they had travelled in ,india4 ,phalli1 usually in lead1 have been even found in the river ,rhne4 ,these were most likely the signs and tokens belonging to some secret society probably of a licentious character4 ,similar ones are in the ,forgeais collection1 and were engraved in the ,plombs ,historis of that antiquarian4#f ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,iii41 ,figs4 #a-d1 ,,phallus ,,emblem1 found in the ,rhne1 ,from the ,forgeais ,collection4 ,according to an ingenious writer1#g who is of opinion that the ,indians sent1 at a very remote period1 colonists to ,ireland1 the round towers1 so numerous in that island1 are no other than ancient ,phallic temples erected in honour of the fructifying power of nature emanating1 as it was supposed to do1 from the sun1 under the name of ,sol1 ,phbus1 ,apollo1 ,abad1 or ,budh4#h ,alluding to these towers1 ,mr ,o',brien observes1 the eastern votaries1 suiting the action to the idea1 and that their vivid imaginations might be still more enlivened by the very form of the temple1 actually constructed its architecture after the model of the membrum virile1 which1 obscenity apart1 is the divinity-formed and indispensable medium selected by ,god himself for human propagation and sexual prolificacy4 ,there is every reason to believe that our ,may-pole is a relic of the ancient ,phallic worship4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,iv41 ,fig4 #a4 ,,round ,,tower ,,at ,,klondalkin1 ,,ireland41 ,fig4 #b4 ,,three ,,headed ,,osiris4 ,the manners of the ancient ,hebrews seem to have differed little1 if at all1 in this respect1 from those of the nations surrounding them3 thus1 ,david1 dancing with all his might before the ark1 lifted up his ephod and exhibited his nakedness to the eyes of the handmaids of his servants4 ,no blame is attached to the king for such gross indecency during a public and religious ceremony2 while ,michal1 his wife1 was punished with barrenness1 for expressing her disapprobation of his conduct4#i ,this example attests the great respect entertained by the ,hebrews for the organs of generation2#aj but we have a further proof of this reverence for them in the fact that1 when taking a solemn oath1 they placed their hand upon them in token of its inviolability3 ,when ,abraham1 addressing his oldest servant of his house1 that ruled over all that he had1 is made to say1 ,put ,i pray thee1 thy hand under my thigh1 and ,i will make thee swear1 by the ,lord1 the ,god of ,heaven1 and the ,god of the earth that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son1 of the daughters of the ,canaanites3#aa and when ,jacob1 at the point of death1 called his son ,joseph1 and said unto him1 ,if now ,i have found grace in thy sight1 put1 ,i pray thee1 thy hand under my thigh1 and deal kindly and truly with me2 bury me not1 ,i pray thee1 in ,egypt1#ab the ,hebrew text has been incorrectly translated in both these instances2 for1 according to learned commentators1 it is not the thigh1 but the phallus that is meant2 such tact having1 in the opinion of the ,rabbins1 been introduced for the purpose of doing honour to circumcision4 ,this custom obtains in ,egypt1 even in our own day1 for many travellers assert that the ,arabs1 when desirous of saluting or making a promise with great solemnity1 place their hand upon the part in question4 ,a case in point is related in a letter of the ,adjutant-,general ,julian to a member of the ,institute of ,egypt4#ac ,an ,egyptian1 who had been arrested as a spy1 and brought before the general1 finding that all his asservations of innocence could not be understood leva sa chemise bleue1 et prenant son phallus la poigne1 resta un moment dans l'attitude thatrale d'un dieu jurant par le ,styx4 ,sa physionomie semblait me dire3 ,aprs la serment terrible que je fais pour vous prouver mon innocence1 osez-vous en douter8 ,son geste me rappela que du tems d',abraham on jurait vrit en portant la main aux organes de la gnration4 ,the vast antiquity of this custom among the ancient ,egyptians is proved by figure #b1 ,plate ,,iv4 ,this figure1 which is copied from ,caylus1 ,vol4 ,,vi41 ,plate ,i41 figure #d1 represents ,osiris grasping his phallus while taking an oath4 ,a custom greatly resembling this manner of swearing existed also in the north of ,europe1 as is proved by an ancient law still extant3 thus1 one of the articles of the ,welsh laws enacted by ,hoel the ,good1 provides that1 in cases of rape1 if the woman wishes to prosecute the offender1 she must1 when swearing to the identity of the criminal1 lay her right hand upon the relics of the saints and grasp with her left one1 the peccant member of the party accused4#ad ,it may be mentioned1 en passant1 that the low ,irish in ,dublin1 and the ,london costermongers1 often make use of an expression which1 whether connected or not with the custom above noted1 offers for our consideration a curious coincidence at least4 ,if extra force is to accompany an assertion1 it is very common for the vulgar to say in conclusion3 ,s'elp my taters6 or ,so help me ,,testes--equal to saying1 ,i swear by my member4 ,that the word taters is a corruption of1 and vulgarism for1 testes we see very readily in the expression strain my taters--i4e41 to pass urine or make water4 ,the ,greeks had consecrated the same symbols of universal fecundity in their mysteries1 the phallus and the cteis being publicly exhibited in the sanctuary of ,eleusis4 ,the membrum virile or active principle of generation was carried to the temple of ,bacchus and there crowned with a garland by one of the most respectable matrons of the town or city4 ,the ,egyptian ,osiris1 and the female pudenda1 or symbol of the passive principle of generation were1 in like manner1 carried in procession to the temple of ,libera or ,proserpine4 ,the worship of ,priapus among the ,romans was derived from the ,egyptians1 who1 under the form of ,apis1 the sacred ,bull1 worshipped the generative power of nature2 and1 as the syllable pri or pre signifies1 in the ,oriental tongue1 principle1 production1 or natural or original source1 the word ,priapus may be translated principle of production or of fecundation of ,apis4 ,the same symbol also bore among the ,romans the names of ,tutunus1 ,mutinus1 and ,fascinum4 ,among the many places where this divinity was worshipped1 ,lampsacus1#ae in ,asia ,minor1 was the most noted on account of the obscene rites there practised4 ,the ,priapi were of different forms2 some having only a human head and the ,phallus2 some with the head of ,pan or of a faun--that is1 with the head and ears of a goat4#af ,others1 with their indecent attribute1 were placed in the public roads1 and were then confounded with the divinities ,mercury and ,terminus1 who presided over boundaries4 ,scaliger says that he saw at ,rome1 in the palace of a cardinal1#ag a similar statue1 whose phallus had served as a sign post4#ah ,all the human part of these ,priapi were invariably painted red4#ai ,when furnished with arms1 which he was when representing ,terminus1 ,priapus held in one hand a reaping hook1 and1 like ,osiris1 grasped with the other the characteristic feature of his divinity1 which was always of a monstrous size and in a state of energy4 ,in the towns1 ,priapus had public chapels1 whither such devotees as were suffering from maladies connected with his attributes repaired for the purpose of offering to him ex-votos representing the parts afflicted2 these ex-votos being sometimes paintings and1 at others1 little figures made of wax or of wood1 and occasionally1 even of marble4 ,females as superstitious1 as they were lascivious1 might be seen offering in public to ,priapus1 as many garlands as they had had lovers4 ,these they would hang upon the enormous phallus of the idol1 which was often hidden from sight by the number suspended by only one woman4 ,others offered to the god as many phalli1 made of the wood of the willow tree1 as they had vanquished men in a single night4 ,st4 ,augustine informs us that it was considered by the ,roman ladies as a very proper and pious custom to require young brides to seat themselves upon the monstrous and obscene member of ,priapus3 and ,lactantius says1 ,shall ,i speak of that ,mutinus1 upon the extremity of which brides are accustomed to seat themselves in order that the god may appear to have been the first to receive the sacrifice of their modesty8#bj ,these facts prove that the worship of ,priapus had greatly degenerated with the ,romans1 since1 losing sight altogether of the object typified1 they attach themselves to the symbol alone1 in which they could see only what was indecent2 and hence religion became a pretext for libertinism4#ba ,respected so long as the ,roman manners preserved their pristine simplicity1 but degraded#bb and vilified in proportion as the morals of that people became corrupted1 the very sanctuary itself of ,priapus failed to protect him from obloquy and ridicule4 ,christian writers added their indignant invectives to the biting sarcasms of the poets1 and the worship of ,priapus would have been annihilated had not superstition and the force of habit1 that most indestructible of all human affections1 come to the rescue4 ,these two powerful levers of mankind triumphed over reason and ,christianity1 and succeeded1 notwithstanding the strenuous and continued efforts of the latter1 in maintaining in some degree the worship of that filthy deity2 for the ,christian priests1 while opposing l'outrance1 the superstitions and impure practices already adverted to1 did not so do1 as regarded the other customs equally repugnant to decency and true religion4 ,less austere to these1 and consulting their own interests1 they turned to their profit the ancient worship established by the ,romans and strengthened by habit3 they appropriated to themselves what they could not destroy1 and1 in order to attract to their side the votaries of ,priapus1 they made a ,christian of him4 ,but besides the ,lingham of the ,indians1 the ,phallus of the ,greeks1 and the ,priapus of the ,romans1 the ,cross 7,symbol3 ,tau71 although generally thought to be exclusively emblematical of eternal life1 has also an account of its fancied similarity to the membrum virile1 been considered by many as typical of the reproductive powers of nature4 ,it was known as such to the ,indians1 being as common in their country as in ,egypt or in ,europe4#bc ,let not the piety of the ,catholic ,christian1 says the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,maurice1 be offended at the preceding assertion that the ,cross was one of the most usual symbols among the hieroglyphics of ,egypt and ,india4 ,equally honoured in the ,gentile and the world1 this ,christian emblem of universal nature1 of that world to whose four corners its diverging radii pointed1 decorated the hands of most of the sculptured images in the former country 7,egypt71 and the latter 7,india7 stamped its form upon the most majestic of the shrines of their deities4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,v41 ,figs4 #a-c1 ,,three ,,headed ,,osiris4 ,it is well known that the cross was regarded by the ancient ,egyptians as the emblem of fruitfulness4 ,thus the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,maurice describes a statue bearing a kind1 of cross in its hand as the symbol of fertility1 or1 in other words1 of the procreative and generative powers4#bd ,the cross ,symbol3 ,tau so common upon ,egyptian monuments was known to the ,buddhists and to the ,lama of ,thibet #gjj years before ,christ4 ,the ,lama takes his name from the ,lamah1 which is an object of profound veneration with his followers3 ,cequi est remarquable1 says ,m4 ,avril1 c'est que le grand prtre des ,tartares porte le nom de ,lama1 qui1 en langue ,tartare1 dsigne la ,croix1 et les ,bogdoi qui conquirent la ,chine en #affd1 et qui sont soumis au ,dulai-,lama dans les choses de la religion1 ont toujours des croix sur eux1 qu'ils appalent lamas4#be ,the letter ,tau ,symbol3 ,tau1 being the last one of the ancient alphabets1 was made to typify1 not only the end1 boundary1 or terminus of districts1 but also the generative power of the eternal transmigratory life1 and was used indiscriminately with the ,phallus2 it was1 in fact1 the ,phallus4#bf ,speaking of this emblem1 ,payne ,knight observes3 ,one of the most remarkable of those symbols of generation is a cross in the form of the letter ,symbol3 ,tau1 which thus served as the emblem of creation and generation before the church adopted it as the sign of salvation1 a lucky coincidence of ideas which1 without doubt1 facilitated the reception of it among the faithful4#bg ,and again1 the male organs of generation are sometimes represented by signs of the same sort1 which might properly be called symbols of symbols4 ,one of the most remarkable of these is the ,cross in the form of the letter ,symbol3 ,tau1 which thus served as the emblem of creation and generation4#bh ,the famous ,crux ansata#bi which may be seen on all the monuments of ,egypt is what is alluded to by the ,prophet ,ezekiel1#cj and is affirmed by the learned ,l4 ,a4 ,crozius to be nothing else than the triple ,phallus mentioned by ,plutarch4#ca ,we shall now proceed to notice a few of the traces of the phallic worship as were still to be found lingering in some parts of ,europe so late as the #ahth century1 a tenacity of existence by no means surprising if it be considered that of all the human affections none is more dangerous to oppose1 none more difficult to eradicate1 than habit4 ,accordingly it will be found that the above superstition has maintained itself in countries where ,christianity was already established1 and that1 bidding defiance to the severe precepts of that pure faith1 it successfully resisted for at least seventeen centuries every effort made to extirpate it by the ,christian clergy backed by the civil power4 ,its triumph was1 however1 by no means complete1 for this worship was constrained to yield to circumstances and to use a disguise by adopting the forms and designations peculiar to ,christianity1 a mask which on the other hand1 favoured not a little1 its preservation4 ,hence it was that the names of certain legendary saints were given to the ancient ,god of ,lampsacus1#cb the said names having some relation either to the act over which that deity presided1 or to his most prominent attributes4 ,the first bishop of ,lyon was honoured throughout ,provence1 ,languedoc1 and the ,lyonnais as a saint1 and as his name happened to be ,pothin1 ,photin1 or ,fotin1 commonly pronounced by the low orders ,foutin1 these people1 who are very apt to judge of the nature of things by the sound of the words by which they are designated1 thought ,st4 ,foutin worthy of replacing ,saint ,priapus1 and accordingly conferred upon him the prerogatives of his predecessor4 ,saint ,foutin de ,varailles had particular reverence paid to him in ,provence1 nor is this to be wondered at1 since the power was attributed to him of rendering barren women fruitful1 stimulating flagging husbands1 and curing their secret maladies4 ,it was consequently the custom to lay upon his altar1 as was formerly done on that of the god ,priapus1 small votive offerings1 made of wax1 and representing the weak or otherwise afflicted parts4 ,sanci says1 ,to this saint are offered waxen models of the pudenda of both sexes4 ,they are strewn in great numbers over the floor of the chapel1 and should a gust of wind cause them to rustle against one another1 it occasioned a serious interruption to the devotions paid to the saint4 ,i was very much scandalized1 continues he1 when1 passing through the town1 ,i found the name of ,foutin very common among the men4 ,my landlord's daughter had for godmother a young lady whose name was ,foutine4 ,the same saint was similarly honoured at ,embrun4 ,when the ,protestants took that town in #aehe1 they found1 among the relics of the principal church1 the ,phallus of ,st4 ,foutin4 ,the devotees of that town1 in imitation of pagan ones1 made libations to this obscene idol4 ,they poured wine over the extremity of the ,phallus1 which was dyed red by it4 ,this wine being afterwards collected and allowed to turn sour1 was called the holy vinegar1 and1 according to the author from whom this account is taken1#cc was applied by women to a most extraordinary purpose2 but what that purpose was we are not informed1 and therefore can only guess it4 ,at ,orange there was also a phallus much venerated by the inhabitants of that town4 ,larger than the one at ,embrun1 it was1 moreover1 covered with leather1 and furnished with its appendages4 ,when1 in #aefb1 the protestants destroyed the church of ,st4 ,eutropius1 in this town1 they seized the enormous ,phallus and burned it in the market place4 ,similar ,phalli were to be found at ,poligny1 ,vendre in the ,bourbonnais1 and at ,auxerre4 ,the inhabitants of ,puy-en-,velay even to this day speak of their ,st4 ,foustin who1 in times not far remote from our own1 was invoked by barren women who1 under the idea of giving greater efficacy to their prayers1 scraped the phallus of the saint1 and1 mixing the particles so abraded in water1 devoutly swallowed them1 in the hope of thereby being rendered fruitful4 ,it is no doubt to one of these phallic saints that ,count de ,gebelin refers when1 speaking of the goat ,mends1 he says3 ,i have read somewhere that in the south of ,france there existed not long ago a custom resembling the one mentioned2 the women of that part of the country devoutly frequented a temple containing a statue of the saint1 and which statue they embraced1 expecting that their barrenness would be removed by the operation4#cd ,in the neighbourhood of ,brest stood the chapel of the famous ,saint ,guignole1 or ,guingalais1 whose ,phallic symbol consisted of a long wooden beam which passed right through the body of the saint1 and the fore-part of which was strikingly characteristic4 ,the devotees of this place1 like those of ,puy-en-,velay1 most devoutly rasped the extremity of this miraculous symbol for the purpose of drinking the scrapings mixed with water as an antidote against sterility1 and when by the frequent repetition of this operation1 the beam was worn away1 a blow with a mallet in the rear of the saint propelled it immediately in front4 ,thus1 although it was being continually scraped1 it appeared never to diminish1 a miracle due exclusively to the mallet4 ,antwerp was the ,lampsacus of ,belgium1 ,priapus being the tutelary god of that city4 ,ters was the name given to him by the inhabitants who held this divinity in the greatest veneration4 ,females were accustomed to invoke him on the most trivial occasions1 a custom which ,goropius informs us continued as late as the #afth century4#ce ,so inveterate was this superstition that ,godefrey de ,bouillon1 marquis of that city1 the illustrious leader of the first crusade1 in order to eradicate it1 or to replace it by the ceremonies of the ,christian church1 sent to ,antwerp1 from ,jerusalem1 as a present of inestimable value1 the foreskin of ,jesus ,christ4#cf ,this precious relic1 however1 found but little favour with the ,belgian ladies1 and utterly failed to supersede their beloved ,fascinum4#cg ,in the kingdom of ,naples1 in the town of ,trani1 the capital of the province of that name1 there was carried in procession1 during the ,carnival1 an old wooden statue representing an entire ,priapus1 in the ancient proportions2 that is to say1 that the distinguishing characteristic of that god was very disproportioned to the rest of the idol's body1 reaching1 as it did1 to the height of his chin4 ,the people called this figure il ,santo ,membro1 the holy member4 ,this ancient ceremony1 evidently a remains of the feasts of ,bacchus1 called by the ,greeks ,dyonysiacs1 and by the ,romans ,liberalia1 existed as late as the commencement of the #ahth century1 when it was abolished by ,joseph ,davanzati1 archbishop of that town4 ,sir ,w4 ,hamilton's account of the worship paid to ,st4 ,cosmo and ,st4 ,damianus is very curious4 ,on the #bgth ,september1 at ,isernia1 one of the most ancient cities of the kingdom of ,naples1 situated in the province called the ,contado di ,molise1 and adjoining the ,aruzzo1 an annual fair is held which lasts three days4 ,on one of the days of the fair the relics of ,sts4 ,cosmo and ,damianus are exposed4 ,in the city and at the fair1 ex-votos of wax representing the male parts of generation1 of various dimensions1 sometimes even of the length of a palm1 are publicly exposed for sale4 ,there was also waxen vows that represent other parts of the body mixed with them1 but of those there are few in comparison of the number of the ,priapi4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,vi41 ,fig4 #a1 ,,silver ,,ex ,,voto1 ,fig4 #b4 ,,dudaim4 ,the distributors of these vows carry a basket full of them in one hand1 and hold a plate in the other1 to receive the money1 crying out1 ,saints ,cosmo and ,damianus6 ,if you ask the price of one1 the answer is1 pi ci metti1 pi meriti2 the more you give1 the more the merit4 ,the vows are chiefly presented by the female sex1 and they are seldom such as represent legs1 arms1 c41 but most commonly the male parts of generation4 ,the person who was at the fte1 in the year #aghj1 and who gave me this account 7the authenticity of which has since been confirmed to me by the governer of ,isernia7 told me also that he heard a woman say1 at the time she presented a vow1 ,santo ,cosmo1 benedetto1 cosi lo voglio4 ,blessed ,st4 ,cosmo1 let it be like this6 ,the vow is never presented without being accompanied by a piece of money1 and is always kissed by the devotee at the moment of presentation4#ch ,but1 as might naturally be expected1 this does not suffice to fructify barren women2 and consequently another ceremony1 one which is doubtless more efficacious1 was required4 ,the parties who resort to this fair1 slept for two nights1 some in the church of the ,capuchian friars and the others in that of the ,cordeliers1 and when these two churchs were found to be insufficient to contain the whole of such devotees1 the church of the ,hermitage of ,st4 ,cosmo received the surplus4 ,in the three edifices1 the women were during the two nights1 separated from the men1 the latter lying under the vestibule1 and the women1 in the church1 these1 whether in the church of the ,capuchins or in that of the ,cordeliers1 were under the protection of the ,father guardian1 the vicar1 and a monk of merit4 ,in the hermitage1 it was the hermit himself who watched over them4 ,from this it may easily be imagined how the miracle was effected without troubling ,saint ,cosmo and ,saint ,damianus at all1 in the matter1 as well as that the virtue1 possessed by those two saints was extended even to young maidens and widows4 ,essay ,,ii4 ,,anaphrodisia2 ,,or1 ,,absence ,,of ,,the ,,reproductive ,,power4 ,a description of the symbols under which the reproductive power was anciently worshipped1 having been given in the preceding ,essay1 the present one will contain some account of the negation or absence of that faculty1 whether total or partial1 as known under the names of ,impotency and ,sterility4 ,potency or power1 as regards the generative act1 may be defined as--the aptitude or ability to beget2 and ,impotency1 the negation or absence of such power4 ,the canon law distinguished three kinds of impotency--viz41 that which proceeds from frigidity2 that which is caused by sorcery 7ligature or point-tying71 and that which proceeding from some defect of conformation is properly designated as impotentia coeundi4 ,the different lends of impotency may be thus classed--#a4 ,those which are proper to men2 #b4 ,those proper to women1 and #c4 ,those common to both sexes4 ,the causes of impotency proper to man are natural frigidity2 defect of conformation1 and accident4 ,the causes of impotency proper to women are all such obstacles as arise ex clausur uteri aut nimia arctitudine4 ,the causes common both to men and women are the defect of puberty and imperfect conformation4#ci ,impotency may also be divided into natural and accidental2 the former being that which a person is born with1 or which proceeds ex vitio naturalis temperamenti vel partium genitalium2 and the latter that which arises from some accident1 as ex casu vel morbo4#dj ,another definition of impotency in man is the non posse seminare in vase idoneo2 three things being considered as indispensable to his due performance of the generative act4--,ut arriget or erection2 #b1 ,ut vas fmineum resaret1 or intromission1 and #c1 ,ut in vase seminat1 or emission4 ,sterility must not be confounded with impotency4 ,many women are barren1 but very few are impotent2 while1 on the contrary1 many men are impotent who ought not1 on that account1 to be regarded as barren4 ,in either sex impotency is present when from whatever cause an individual cannot concur in the sexual contact4 ,sterility exists when the contact1 after having been regularly accomplished1 is followed by no productive result4 ,with the exception of those pathological cases in which deformities are sometimes1 but very rarely1 met with1 it may be affirmed that woman is never impotent1 for her organization opposes it4 ,radical impotence1 in fact1 results in the female from the complete absence1 or the occlusion simply1 of the vagina4 ,now1 these cases are extremely rare1 and may there fore be considered as exceptions or as real monstrosities4 ,as the causes of sterility in women are numerous and of various kinds1 we shall briefly enumerate them4 ,the absence of ovaries or their deceased state are the radical cause of sterility4 ,these causes may be suspected but not cured4 ,when there is no uterus1 still fecundation and pregnancy are not impossible1 since extra-uterine pregnancies are occasionally observed1 that is to say1 cases in which the product of conception has escaped the uterus1 end proceeded to establish itself in some point of the lower belly4 ,neither is the vagina indispensable1 for cases are cited of the contraction of this organ accompanied by the rectovaginal fistula1 in which fecundation is effected1 although the fecundating fluid had been confined to the rectum4 ,female masturbation is another rife cause of barrenness in women4 ,if it be true that the number of eggs is limited1 and that there are not more than from #ae to #bj in each ovary1 it is evident that sterility must ensue when these #ae or #bj eggs have been detached without fecundation4 ,if1 on the contrary1 new eggs are continually secreted by the ovaries1 it is equally evident that the secretory action must1 sooner or later1 become exhausted by the over excitement caused by the indulgence above mentioned4 ,another very great cause of sterility1 and which must be of frequent occurrence1 is found in the obstructed or choked-up state of the ,fallopian tubes4 ,these passages1 which establish the communication between the ovary and the uterus1 may be obstructed by inflammation1 either acute or chronic1 to which they must be subject in all diseases to the abdomen1 as well as by frequent excitement4 ,morgagni speaks of certain women of the town1 with whom the ,fallopian tubes were completely obliterated by the thickening of the parietes or sides1 an evident consequence of the continual orgasm in which they were kept by immoderate indulgence in coition4 ,the absence of menstruation almost always induces barrenness4 ,cases are1 notwithstanding1 reported in which women have their menses during pregnancy1 but these are exceptions which so far from invalidating the rule1 confirm it4 ,polypi1 or the developement of fibrous bodies in the uterus1 present an equal obstacle to fecundation1 their presence having the effect of perverting the physiological functions of the uterus1 nor does their removal always cause sterility to disappear4 ,impotency in women can only result from the absence of the vagina1 or from its excessive narrowness which does not allow of the approach of the male1 although instances have occured of fecundation being effected without the introduction of the male organ4 ,thus cases have been found of women who have been fecundated1 and have even arrived at the term of pregnancy1 having been obliged to submit to a surgical operation for the removal of the ,hymen1 which membrane had not been broken in the acts which had nevertheless effected the fecundation4 ,lastly1 the excessive length1 when it does exist1 of the clitoris1 also opposes the conjugal act1 by the difficulty it presents to the introduction of the fecundating organ2 the only remedy to employed in this case consists in amputation1 an operation which has been frequently performed4 ,the organ in question is known to resemble1 in a very great degree1 the virile member1 both in external form and internal structure1 to be susceptible of erection and relaxation and endowned with exquisite sensibility4 ,it has been seen equal to the penis in volume4 ,a remarkable instance is given by ,home4#da ,it occured in a negress who was purchased by ,general ,melville1 in the island of ,dominica1 in the ,west ,indies1 about the year #agdd4 ,she was of the ,mandango nation1 #bd years of age1 her breasts were very flat1 she had a rough voice1 and a masculine countenance4 ,the clitoris was two inches long1 and in thickness resembled a common sized thumb1 when viewed at same distance the end appeared round and of a red colour1 but upon closer examination was found to be more pointed than that of a penis1 and having neither prepuce nor perforation2 when handled it became half erected1 and was in that state fully three inches long and much thicker than before3 when she voided her urine she was obliged to lift it up1 as it completely covered the orifice of the urethra4 ,the other parts of the female organs were found to be in a natural state4 ,columbus quotes the existence of a woman who had a clitoris as long as the little finger4 ,haller speaks of another in whom this organ was seven inches in length4 ,some have even been said to be of the monstrous length of twelve inches4 ,these are the enormous dimensions which sometimes deceive as to the real character of the sex1 and which have occasioned a belief in the existence of real hermaphrodites4 ,women so formed have also a great disposition to usurp the virile functions2 they preserve scarcely anything of their sex except their habits and manners4 ,their stature is in general tall1 their limbs muscular1 their face masculine1 their voice deep1 and their deportment bold and manly--in a word1 they completely justify the words of ,martial3 ,mentiturque virum prodigiosa ,venus4#db ,in the case of man's impotency it often happens1 on the contrary1 that1 with organs to all appearance perfectly formed1 he is1 nevertheless1 impotent4 ,if the woman be organized for receiving1 the man is formed for imparting2 now1 in the majority1 of cases1 his impotency is such that1 although he seems to be provided with abundant stores he is precluded from offering them4 444 ,si ,coneris1 jacet exiguus cum ramice nervus ,et quamvis tota palpetur nocte1 jacebit4#dc ,such1 in fact1 is the great difficulty of those individuals who have abused their organs and destroyed their sensibility4 ,the erectile tissue whose turgescence is indispensable1 no longer admits into its vascular plexus or network1 a quantity of fluid sufficient to give the organ the power of penetrating--jacet exiguus--and1 although it may be supposed that the seminal glands perform their functions perfectly well1 and secrete abundantly the fluid peculiar to them1 the copulative organ remains paralyzed4 ,this is the impotence which is brought on by old age1 and which ,ariosto has so forcibly described in the following lines1 wherein he relates the futile attempts made upon ,angelica by the hermit3 ,egli l'abbraccia1 ed a piacer la tocca3 ,ed ella dorme1 e non pi fare ischermo3 ,or le baccia il bel petto1 ora la bocca1 ,non 1 ch'l veggia1 in quel loco aspro ed ermo4 ,ma nel incontro1 it suo destrier trabocca ,che al desio non risponde1 it corpo infirmo3 444444444 444444444 444444444 ,tutte le vie1 tutti i modi tenta1 ,ma quel pigre rozzo non per salta ,indarno el fren gli scoute e li tormenta ,e non pu far che tenga la testa alta4#dd ,at other times the impotency of the man is independent of the secretion of the fecundating fluid and even of the erection1 both of which are regular4 ,in such case it is caused either by the gland not being properly perforated1 or by a contraction of the urethral canal1 which contraction arrests the seminal fluid at the moment of expulsion1 causing it to flow back towards the bladder1 or else intercepting the continuous stream and allowing it to run by dribblets only4 ,the former of these imperfections technically called ,hypospsdios is a vice of conformation in which the penis1 instead of being perforated at the summit of the gland1 presents its opening at a greater or less distance from the gland1 at the lower part of the urethra or at the perinum4 ,as might be expected1 impotency when precocious1 influences1 in no small degree1 the moral character4 ,cabanis knew three men who1 in the vigour of age1 had suddenly became impotent1 although in other respects they were in good health1 much engaged in business1 and had but little reason to be affected by the loss of pleasures in which they indulged but very rarely and with great moderation1 yet their character became gloomy and irascible1 and their mental powers appeared to diminish daily4#de ,the celebrated ,ribeiro ,sanchez1 a pupil of ,boerhaave1 observes in his ,trait des maladies ,vnriennes chroniques1 that these diseases particularly dispose those subject to them to superstitious terrors4 ,impotency may1 however1 equally proceed from moral as from physical causes4 ,in this case it consists in the total privation of the sensibility peculiar to the reproductive organs4 ,this insensibility is by no means infrequent in persons whose mental powers are continually in action1 as the following case will shew3-- ,a celebrated mathematician of a very robust constitution1 having married a young and pretty woman1 lived several years with her1 but had not the happiness of becoming a father4 ,far from being insensible to the charms of his fair wife1 he1 on the contrary1 felt frequently impelled to gratifying his passion1 but the conjugal act1 complete in every other respect1 was never crowned by the emission of the seminal fluid4 ,the interval of time which occurred between the commencement of his labour of love and the end was always sufficiently long to allow his mind1 which had been for a moment abstracted by his pleasure1 to be brought back to the constant objects of his meditation--that is1 to geometrical problems or algebraical formula4 ,at the very moment even of the orgasm1 the intellectual powers resumed their empire and all genital sensation vanished4 ,peirible1 his medical adviser1 recommended ,madame ---- never to suffer the attentions of her husband until he was half-seas-over1 this appearing to him the only practicable means of withdrawing her learned spouse from influence of the divine ,urania and subjecting him more immediately to that of the seductive goddess of ,paphos4 ,the advice proved judicious4 ,monsieur ---- became the father of several fine and healthy boys and girls1 thus furnishing another proof of the truth of the maxim1 ,sine ,cerere et ,baccho friget ,venus4 ,but the impotency arising from the predominance of the intellect is the least formidable of all4 ,the one most to be dreaded is that which results from the excessive and premature exercise of the reproductive functions1 for1 as has been well observed1 the too frequent indulgence of a natural propensity at first increases the concomitant desire and makes its gratification a part of the periodical circle of action2 but by degrees the over excitement of the organs1 abating their tone and vitality1 unfits them for the discharge of their office1 the accompanying pleasures are blunted1 and give place to satiety and disgust4#df ,such unfortunate persons as are the victims of this kind of anaphrodisia become old long before their natural time1 and have all their generative apparatus blasted with impotency4 ,their testicles withered and dried up secrete nothing but a serous fluid void of all virtue2 the erectile tissue no longer admits into its plexus the quantum of blood necessary for turgescence1 the principal organ of the reproductive act remains in a state of flaccidity1 insensible to the reiterated and most stimulating solicitations2 the muscles destined to favour erection are stricken with paralysis1 and the violence of their desires1 joined to the want of power to gratify them1 drives the unhappy victim to acts of the most revolting lubricity and thence to despair4 ,an instance of this kind occurred in the case of a young man1 the son of an opulent family4 ,he had arrived at puberty1 but from the early age of ten had been accustomed to indulge in indecent familiarities with young girls1 who had gratified him by lascivious manipulations2 the consequence was an entire loss of the erectile power4 ,travelling being recommended1 he proceeded to ,france1 where he consulted1 but without avail1 several celebrated physicians4 ,he then went to the waters of ,spa1 and there his case was attentively and anxiously considered by ,van-,hers4 ,the sensibility and weakness of the genital member were so great that on the slightest touch1 and without any sensation or desire to sexual intercourse the young man emitted a fluid similar to whey4 ,this secretion continued night and day1 every time that he made water1 or upon the slightest friction of his linen4 ,after various remedies being proposed1 without any beneficial results1 ,van-,hers considered the disease as incurable2 but1 as the patient would not coincide in his opinion and was very rich1 he continued his travels in ,italy1 ,france1 and ,germany1 in the hope of recovering his powers of virility4 ,he failed not1 as usual1 to meet with physicians who1 from mercenary motives1 held out to him the most illusory prospects of a perfect cure4 ,at length1 after six years passed in travelling and in vain attempts to regain the generative faculty1 he returned to the candid and able physician from whom he had the truth1 and whose opinion he was now convinced was but too well founded4 ,as may be supposed1 ,van-,hers perceived no new circumstance to justify an alteration in his view of the case1 and the unfortunate young man returned home1 deeply deploring the advantages of a fortune which had made him the victim of the precocious abuse of pleasures to which he must now bid adieu for ever4#dg ,too great warmth of passion may not only defeat its own object1 but also produce a temporary impotency4 ,a lover1 after having1 with all the ardour of affections1 longed for the enjoyment of his mistress1 finds himself at the moment of fruition incapable of consummating his happiness4 ,the only remedy for this misfortune is to allay the over-excitement and to restrain the exuberance of the imagination4 ,it would be madness to persist in endeavouring to obtain a victory which must be certain1 as soon as the heat of the animal spirits being abated1 a portion of them proceeds to animate the agents of voluptuous passion4 ,the following are cases of this description4 ,a young man whose wife's relations had promised him a considerable estate as soon as she proved to be pregnant1 fatigued himself to no purpose by continued devotions at the shrine of love2 his over anxiety defeating the very object he so ardently desired to accomplish4 ,in despair at the failure of his repeated efforts1 he was1 at length1 on the point of believing his wife barren1 when1 following the advice of a judicious physician1 he absented himself from home for a fortnight1 and upon his return proved by the success which attended his amorous labours1 that absence is sometimes the best doctor4 ,a noble ,venetian1 aged twenty years1 was married to a very handsome lady1 with whom he cohabited with a good deal of vigour1 but never could emit semen in the coition1 whereas in his dreams he could discharge very freely4 ,this misfortune very much afflicted him and his family2 and as no remedy could be found at home1 the ,venetian ambassadors residing at the different courts of ,europe were desired to consult some of the most eminent physicians in the cities where they resided1 to account for the causes1 and to find a cure for this extraordinary complaint of the difference of the states when in sleep and when actually in coition4 ,i was of opinion that it consisted altogether in the urethra being closely shut by the vigour of the erection in coition which found so great a resistance that the powers that throw the seed out of the vesicul seminals could not overcome it2 whereas1 in dreams1 the pressure on the urethra being much less1 an evacuation was affected4 ,the method of cure was not less successful than obvious from the foregoing account3 for gentle evacuations and a slender diet brought about and fully completed their desires4#dh ,cabanis is of opinion that debility of the stomach almost always produces a similar state in the organs of generation4 ,l'nergie ou la dbilit de l'stomac produit1 presque toujours1 un tat analogue dans ceux de la gnration4 ,j'ai soign un jeune homme chez qui la paralysie accidentelle de ces derniers avait t produit par certains vices de la digestion stomachique2 et qui reprit la vigueur de son ge1 aussitt qu'il et rcouvr la puissance de digrer4#di ,old ,montaigne's advice in cases similar to those above cited is worthy of notice4 ,as to what concerns married people1 says he1 having the year before them1 they ought never to compel1 or so much as offer at the feat1 if they do not find themselves very ready4 ,and it is better indecently to fail of handling the nuptial sheets1 and of paying the ceremony due to the wedding night1 when man perceives himself full of agitation and trembling1 expecting another opportunity at a better and more private leisure1 when his fancy shall be better composed1 than to make himself perpetually miserable for having misbehaved himself1 and being baffled at the first result4 ,till possession be taken1 a man that knows himself subject to this infirmity1 should leisurely and by degrees make certain little trials and light offers1 without attempting at once to force an absolute conquest over his own mutinous and indisposed faculties2 such as know their members to be naturally obedient to their desires1 need to take no other care but only to counterplot their fancy4 ,the indocile and rude liberty of this scurvy member1 is sufficiently remarkable by its importunate1 unruly1 and unseasonable tumidity and impatience at such times as we have nothing for it to do1 and by its most unseasonable stupidity and disobedience when we stand most in need of its vigour1 so imperiously contesting the authority of the will1 and with so much obstinacy denying all solicitations of hand and fancy4 ,and yet1 though his rebellion is so universally complained of1 and that proofs are not wanting to condemn him1 if he had1 nevertheless1 feed me to plead his cause1 ,i should1 peradventure1 bring the rest of his fellow-members into suspicion of complotting the mischief against him1 out of pure envy of the importance and ravishing pleasure peculiar to his employment1 so as to have1 by confederacy1 armed the whole world against him1 by malevolently charging him alone with their common offence4#ej ,too great warmth of clothing round the parts of generation1 or too great pressure upon them1 may be reckoned as causes of impotency4 ,the custom of wearing breeches was considered by ,hippocrates#ea as a predisposing cause of the impotency so common among the ancient ,scythians4 ,mr4 ,hunter was also of opinion that this article of dress by keeping the parts too warm1 affording them a constant support1 and allowing the muscles but little freedom of motion1 may1 at least1 relax and cause them to become flaccid1 if it do not totally incapacitate them for the due performance of their functions4 ,equally disadvantageous1 in this respect1 is the practice of riding upon horseback1 as the organs of generation are1 of necessity1 frequently compressed either against the saddle or the horse's back4 ,lalemant1 in his ,commentaries upon ,hippocrates1 adduces the case of bakers1 upon whom1 by their not wearing breeches1 the contrary effect is produced4 ,we have often heard1 says he1 that bakers and others whose parts of generation are not covered by clothing1 but hang freely1 have large1 well-grown testicles4#eb ,another cause of impotency is the allowing the parts of generation to remain too long in a state of inaction4 ,those parts of the body which are most exercised are always found to be better grown1 stronger1 and more fitted for the discharge of their natural functions provided the exercise be neither too violent nor too frequent4 ,the parts1 on the contrary1 which are condemned to rest and inactivity wither and gradually lose their tone1 as well as the power of effecting the movements natural to them4 ,galen observes that the genital organs of the athlet1 as well as those of all such whose profession or calling compelled them to remain chaste1 were generally shrunken and wrinkled like those of old men1 and that the contrary is the case with those who use them to an excess4 ,all the athlet1 says he1 as well as those who for the sake of preserving or improving the voice1 are1 from their youth1 debarred the pleasures of love1 have their natural parts shrunken and wrinkled like those of old men1 while1 in such as have from an early age indulged in those delights to an excess1 the vessel of those parts1 by the habit of being dilated1 cause the blood to flow there in great abundance1 and the desire of coition to be proportionately increased1 all which is a natural consequence of those general laws which all our faculties obey4 ,thus it is that the breasts of women who have never had children remain always small1 while those of females who have been mothers1 and who suckle their children1 acquire a considerable volume1 that they continue to give milk as long as they suckle their infants1 and that their milk does not fail until they cease to nourish them4#ec ,so well1 indeed1 was this fact known to the ancients1 that ,aristophanes uses the expression1 ,greek3 posthn mikran1 penem exiguum1 as an attribute of a youth who has preserved his innocence and ,greek3 kln megaln1 penem magnum1 as the sign of a dissolute one4 ,it will easily be supposed that superstition when brought to act upon weak and ignorant minds1 is capable of producing temporary impotence4 ,the pretended charm or witchery common in ,france as late as the close of the #agth century1 and known by the name of nouer l'aiguillette 7point tying7 is a proof of this3 ,ami lecteur1 vous avez quelquefois ,oui conter qu'on nouait l'aiguillette1 ,c'est une trange et terrible recette1 ,et dont un ,saint ne doit jamais user1 ,que quand d'un autre il ne peut s'aviser4 ,d'un pauvre amant1 le feu se tourne en glance2 ,vif et perclus1 sans rien faire1 il se lasse2 ,dans ses efforts tonn de languir1 ,et consume sur le bord du plaisir4 ,telle une fleur des fear du jour sche1 ,la tte basse1 et la tige penche1 ,demande en vain les humides vapeurs ,qui lui rendaient la vie et les couleurs4#ed ,in olden times1 prior to the invention of buttons1 the femoral habiliments of men1 or hose1 as they were called1 were fastened up by means of tags or points 7,gallice7 aiguillettes4 ,thus1 ,falstaff says1 ,their points being cut1 down fell their hose4 ,from this ,french word aiguillette was derived the term nouer aiguillette 7to tie up the points71 equivalent to--button up the flap1 to express the rendering1 by enchantment1 a husband incapable of performing the conjugal rite4 ,the whole secret of this charm consisted in the impostor choosing for his victim an individual whose youth1 inexperience1 or superstition presented him with a fit subject to work upon4 ,the imagination of the party being already predisposed for the trick1 a look1 a sign1 a menace1 either of the voice or of the hand1 accompanied by some extraordinary gesture1 was sufficient to produce the effect1 and1 as the mere apprehension of an evil frequently occasions its occurrence1 it followed that1 superstition having prepared the event1 the latter1 in his turn1 fortified the superstition1 a vicious circle which may justly be considered an opprobrium to a man's intelligence4 ,that such was the opinion entertained of it by sensible men when it was in vogue1 will be seen by the following curious passage from an old and quaint ,french writer3 ,quelques uns tiennent cela pour superstition1 qui quand on dit la ,messe des espouses1 lorsque l'on prononce ce mot ,sara1 la bndiction nuptiale1 si vous estrerignez une esguillette1 que le mari ne pourra rien faire son espouse la nuict suyuante1 tant que la dite esguillette demeurera noe4 ,ce que j'ay veu exprimenter faux infinies fois3 car pourveuque l'esguillette du compagnon soit destache1 et qu'il siot bien roide et bien au point il ne faut point douter qu'il n'accoustre bien la besongne1 comme il appartient4 ,aussi donne l'on vn folastre amulette et digne du subject3 c'est savoir que pour oster le sort1 it faut pisser au travers d'une bague de laquelle on a est espous4 ,vritablement ie le croy3 car c'est dire1 en bon ,franais que si on degoutte dans cet anneau de ,hans ,carvel1 il n'y a charme qui puisse nuire4 ,aussi nouer l'esguillette ne signifie autre chose qu'vn coard amant qui aura le mbre aussi peu dispos1 que si l'esguillette ne sa brayette estoit noue4#ee ,as to the mode itself of conjuration1 ,bodin1 a writer upon these subjects1 asserts that there are not less than fifty different ways of performing it3 of all which the most efficacious one is to take a small strip or thong of leather1 or silken or worsted thread1 or cotton cord1 and to make on it three knots successively1 each knot1 when made1 being accompanied by the sign of the cross1 the word ,ribald being pronounced upon making the first knot1 ,nabal upon making the second one1 and ,vanarbi upon making the third and last one2 all which must be done during the celebration of the marriage ceremony4 ,for the sake of change1 one of the verses of the ,miserere mei1 ,deus6 may be repeated backwards1 the names of the bride and bridegroom being thrice pronounced4 ,the first time1 the knot must be drawn rather tight2 the second time still more so1 and the third time quite close4 ,vulgar operators content themselves with pronouncing some cabalistic words during the marriage rite1 tracing1 at the same time1 some mysterious figures or diagrams on the earth with the left foot1 and affixing to the dress of the bride or bridegroom small slips of paper having magical characters inscribed upon them4 ,further details may be found in the works of ,sprenger1 an inquisitor1 ,crespet of ,sans1 ,debris1 a ,jesuit1 ,bodin1 ,wier1 ,de ,lancre1 and other learned demonologists4 ,this species of enchantment was not unknown to the ancients4 ,accordingly to ,herodotus#ef ,amasis was prevented enjoying his wife ,ladice by a sorcery of this description1 nor was it till after the ,queen had vowed a statue to ,venus1 si secum coiret ,amasis1 that the king's wishes and her own were gratified4 ,plato warns married persons against such sorceries4#eg ,virgil speaks also of impotency effected by ligature4 ,terna tibi hc primum1 duplici diversa colore ,licia circumdo4#eh ,ovid admits the power of such charms in the following lines3 ,carmine lsa1 ,ceres sterilem vanescit in herbam ,deficiunt lsi carmine fontis aqu3 ,ilicibus glandes1 cantataque vitibus uva ,decedit1 et nulla forma movente1 flexunt4 ,quid vetat et nervos ,et juveni et ,cupido1 carmine abesse viro4#ei ,of that most detestable of all tyrants1 ,nero1 it is said that1 finding he could not enjoy a female whom he passionately desired1 he complained of having been bewitched4 ,the fables of ,apuleius are full of the enchantments of ,pamphilus4#fj ,numantina1 the first wife of ,plautius ,sylvanus1 was accused of having rendered her husband impotent by means of sorcery injecisse carminibus et veneficiis vecordium marito4#fa ,paulus 7,julius7 of ,tyr states that the law of the ,twelve ,tables contained an express prohibition against the employment of ligatures2 qui1 sacra1 impia nocturnave fecerint1 ut quem incantarent1 obligarent1 c4#fb ,gregory of ,tours relates#fc that ,eulatius having taken a young woman from a monastery and married her1 his concubines1 actuated by jealousy1 put such a spell upon him1 that he could by no means consummate his nuptials4 ,paulus milius1 in his life of ,king ,clovis says that ,theodoric sent back his wife ,hermberge to her father1 the ,king of ,spain1 as he had received her1 a pure virgin1 the force of witchcraft having incapacitated him from taking her maidenhead2 which sorcery ,aimoinus ,monachaus#fd asserts to have been effected by ,queen ,brunchante4 ,the practise of point tying was formerly so general that princes and princess made it one of their most amusing pastimes4 ,louis ,sforza having seen the young ,princess ,isabella1 daughter of ,alphonso ,king of ,arragon1 and who was betrothed to ,geleas1 duke of ,milan1 was so enamoured of her beauty that he point-tyed ,geleas for several months4 ,marie de ,padille1 concubine of ,don ,pedro ,king of ,castille and ,leon1 point-tied him so effectually that he could not give the least marks of his fondness to his consort ,queen ,blanche4 ,that the church acknowledged the power of these point-tiers is proved by the fact of their having been publicly anathematized by the provincial ,councils of ,milan and ,tours1 the ,synods of ,mont-,cassin and ,ferriare1 and by the clergy of ,france assembled at ,mlun in #aegi4 ,a great number of rituals specify the means to be employed as counter-charms to the sorceries of the point-tiers2 and the ,cardinal ,cu ,perron1#fe a very able and experienced prelate1 has inserted in the ritual of ,evreux very sage directions for this purpose4 ,similar precautions may be found in the synodal statues of ,lyons1 ,tours1 ,sens1 ,narbonne1 ,bourges1 ,troyes1 ,orlans1 and many other celebrated churches4 ,st4 ,augustine1 ,st4 ,thomas and ,peter ,lombard positively recognise the power of point-tying and of disturbing1 in this manner1 married persons in the enjoyment of their dearest privilege4 ,certum est1 says ,st4 ,augustine1 corporis vires incantationibus vinciri4 ,our ,james ,i41 who prided himself so much upon his skill in demonology1 declares positively that sorcerers and witches possess the power of point-tying1 ,or else by staying married folkes1 to have naturally adoe with other1 by knitting knottes upon a point at the time of their marriage4#ff ,the old parliament of ,france have generally admitted the power of these sorcerers4 ,in #aehb the ,parliament of ,paris condemned one ,abel de la ,rue to be hung and afterwards burnt for having wickedly and wilfully point-tied ,jean ,moreau de ,contommiers4 ,a singular sentence was pronounced in #aeig against ,m4 ,chamouillard for having so bewitched a young lady about to be married that her husband could not consummate the marriage4 ,but the most singular instance of the kind upon record is that of ,r4 ,f4 ,vidal de la ,porte1 who was condemned by the judges of ,riom to make the amende honorable1 and afterwards to be hung1 and his lady to be burnt until reduced to ashes for having by sorceries and wicked and sacrilegious words point-tied1 not only the young men of his town1 but also all the dogs1 cats and other domestic animals1 so that the propagation of these species so useful to man was upon the point of being stopped4 ,in #agah the ,parliament of ,bordeaux ordered a famous point-tier to be burnt4 ,this pretended sorcerer had been accused and convicted of having point-tied a nobleman of high family1 his wife1 and all the men and women servants in his establishment4 ,it must not be supposed that no counter-charms or amulets existed4 ,the ,curate ,thiers1 who has written at large upon this subject1 enumerates twenty-two different ones1 the most potent of which were the following3 #a4 ,to put salt in the pocket before proceeding to church2 pennies marked with the cross and put into the shoes of the bride and bridegroom were equally efficacious4 #b4 ,to pass three times under the crucifix without bowing to it4 #c4 ,for the bridegroom to wear upon the wedding day1 two shirts1 one turned inside out upon the other1 and to hold1 in the left hand1 during the nuptial bendiction1 a small wooden cross4 #d4 ,to lay the new married couple naked upon the ground2 to cause the bridegroom to kiss the great toe of the bride's left foot1 and the bride the great toe of the bridegroom's right foot3 after which they must make the sign of the cross with the left hand and repeat the same with the right or left hand4 #e4 ,to take the bridegroom's point-hose and pass it through the wedding ring3 knot the said point1 holding the fingers in the ring1 and afterwards cut the knot saying1 ,god loosens what the ,devil fastens4 #f4 ,when the new-married couple are about to retire for the night to fasten upon the thigh of each a little slip of paper1 inscribed with these words1 ,domine1 quis similis tibi8 #g4 ,to broach a cask of white wine from which none has yet been drawn1 and pour the first of the liquor which flows1 through the wedding ring4 #h4 ,to rub with wolf's grease the door posts through which the married couple pass on their way to the nuptial bed4 #i4 ,to write upon virgin parchment before sunrise1 and for nine days successively1 the word ,arigazartor4 #aj4 ,to pronounce the word ,temon three times successively at sunrise1 provided the day promises to be fine4 ,but the mode of procedure in which the learned curate ,thiers appears to place the greatest confidence is that employed by a priest of his acquaintance4 ,this person's plan was to tie the bride and bridegroom to a pillar and administer to them with his own hand the stimulus with which the pedagogue awakens the genius of idle and sluggish pupils2 after this flagellation they are unbound and left together1 amply provided with such restorative and stimulants as are proper to maintain the condition so favourable to ,venus1 in which he had placed them4 ,the result was in the highest degree satisfactory4 ,bodin informs us that he knew at ,bordeaux1 a woman of middle age1 but still lively and fresh1 who professed to cure radically all enchantments of this description4 ,nothing could be more natural than her modus operandi4 ,she got into bed with her patients1 and there by the resources of her amatory powers succeeded so well in arousing their flagged and sluggish desires that their domestic peace was never afterwards disturbed by the reproaches of their disappointed spouses4 ,upon her mother's death1 the daughter embraced the same interesting profession and in addition to acquiring considerable reputation by her successful practise1 realized a handsome fortune4 ,ridiculous and contemptible as this quackery now appears1 so great at one time was its power1 that persons every way qualified for the generative act1 have been seen suddenly reduced to a humiliating nullity1 in consequence of an impudent charlatan1 a village sorcerer or a fortune-teller having threatened them with point-tying4 ,saint ,andr1 a ,french physician1 gives an account of a poor weaver1 who having disappointed ,madame ,andr in not bringing home some work was threatened by that lady with being point-tied by her husband the doctor4 ,the poor fellow was so alarmed that the charm had the same effect as a reality1 nor was it until the work he had in hand was finished1 and the lady had consented to restore him to his natural state1 that he could resume the exercises of his conjugal duties4 ,venette gives the case of one ,pierre ,buriel4 ,this man1 to use ,venette's own words1 was about thirty-five years of age1 a cooper and brandy manufacturer by trade4 ,being at work one day for my father in one of his country houses1 he offended me by some impertinent observations1 to punish which ,i told him the next day that ,i would point-tie him when he married4 ,it so happened that he had the intention of uniting himself with a servant girl who lived in the neighbourhood1 and although ,i had threatened him merely in a jesting manner1 it made so strong an impression upon him that although1 when married1 he felt the most ardent desire to enjoy his connubial rights1 he found himself totally incapacitated for the work of love4 ,sometimes when he flattered himself with being on the point of accomplishing his wishes1 the idea of the witchcraft obtruded itself1 and rendered him for the time completely impotent4 ,this incapacity alienated the affections of his wife1 and produced on her part towards him the most repulsive coldness4 ,i need not say what gain ,i felt on witnessing these effects1 how ,i regretted having1 ,i may truly say1 unintentionally caused so unpleasant a state of things1 and ,i did and said everything in my power to disabuse the man1 and prove to him the folly of his impressions4 ,but the more ,i did so1 the more he testified his abhorrence of me1 and his conviction that ,i had really bewitched him4 ,at length the curate of ,notre ,dame1 who had married them1 interfered1 and after some time succeeded1 though with considerable difficulty1 in freeing him from his imaginary bonds4 ,they lived together for twenty-eight years1 and several children1 now citizens of ,rochelle1 were the issue of their union4 ,montaigne gives us a curious story upon this subject1 which he introduces thus3 ,i am not satisfied and make a very great question1 whether those pleasant ligatures with which the age of ours is so fettered--and there is almost no other talk--are not mere voluntary impressions of apprehension and fear2 for ,i know by experience1 in the case of a particular friend of mine1 one for whom ,i can be as responsible as for myself1 and a man that cannot possibly fall under any manner of suspicion of sufficiency1 and as little of being enchanted1 who having heard a companion of his make a relation of an unusual frigidity that surprised him at a very unseasonable time1 being afterwards himself engaged upon the same account1 the horror of the former story so strangely possessed his imagination that he ran the same fortune the other had done2 he from that time forward 7the scurvy remembrance of his disaster running in his mind and tyrannizing over him7 was extremely subject to relapse into the same misfortune4 ,he found some remedy1 however1 for this inconvenience by himself frankly confessing and declaring beforehand to the party with whom he was to have to do1 the subjection he lay under1 and the infirmity he was subject to2 by which means the contention of his soul was1 in some sort1 appeased2 and knowing that now some such misbehaviour was expected from him1 the restraint upon those faculties grew less1 and he less suffered by it1 and afterwards1 at such times as he could be in no such apprehension as not being about any such act 7his thoughts being then disengaged and free1 and his body being in its true and natural state7 by causing those parts to be handled and communicated to the knowledge of others1 he was at last totally freed from that vexatious infirmity4 ,after man has once done a woman right1 he is never after in danger of misbehaving himself with that person1 unless upon the account of a manifest and inexcusable weakness4 ,neither is this disaster to be feared but in adventures where the soul is over-extended with desire or respect1 and especially where we meet with an unexpected opportunity that requires a sudden and quick despatch2 and in these cases1 there is no possible means for a man always to defend himself from such a surprise as shall put him damnably out of countenance4 ,and yet ,i have known some who have secured themselves for this misfortune by coming half-sated elsewhere1 purposely to abate the ardour of their fury1 and others who being grown old1 find themselves less impotent by being less able2 and particularly one who found an advantage by being assured by a friend of his that had a countercharm against certain enchantments that would defend him from this disgrace4 ,the story itself is not much amiss1 and therefore you shall have it4--,a count of a very great family1 and with whom ,i had the honour to be familiarly intimate1 being married to a very fair lady1 who had formerly been pretended to and importunately courted by one who was invited to and present at the wedding4 ,all his friends were in very great fear1 but especially an old lady1 his kinswoman1 who had the ordering of the solemnity1 and in whose house it was kept1 suspecting his rival would1 in revenge1 offer foul play1 and procure some of these kinds of sorceries to put a trick upon him1 which fear she also communicated to me1 who1 to comfort her1 bade her not trouble herself1 but rely upon my care to prevent or frustrate any such designs4 ,now1 ,i had1 by chance1 about me1 a certain flat piece of gold1 whereon were graven some celestial figures good to prevent frenzy occasioned by the heat of the sun1 or for any pains of the head1 being applied to the suture2 where1 that it might the better remain firm1 it was sewed to a ribbon1 to be tied under the chin4 ,a foppery cousin-german to this of which ,i am speaking was ,jacques ,pelletier who lived in the house1 presented to me for a singular rarity and a thing of sovereign virtue4 ,i had a fancy to make some use of this quack1 and therefore privately told the count that he might probably run the same fortune other bridegrooms had sometimes done1 especially some persons being in the house who1 no doubt1 would be glad to do him such a courtesy2 but let him boldly go to rest1 for ,i would do him the office of a friend1 and if need were1 would not spare a miracle that it was in my power to do1 provided he could engage to me1 upon his honour1 to keep it to himself1 and only when they came to bring him his candle 7a custom in ,france being to bring the bridegroom a candle in the middle of the night1 on his wedding night7 if matters had not gone well with him1 to give such a sign1 and leave the rest to me4 ,now1 he had his ears so battered and his mind so prepossessed with the eternal tattle of this business1 that when he came to it1 he did really find himself tired with the trouble of his imagination1 and accordingly1 at the time appointed1 gave me the sign4 ,whereupon ,i whispered him in the ear1 that he should rise under pretence of putting us out of the room1 and after a jesting manner1 pull my night-gown from my shoulders1 throw it over his own1 and keep it there till he had performed what ,i appointed him to do1 which was that when we were all gone out of the chamber1 he should withdraw to make water1 should three times repeat such and such words and as often do such and such actions2 that at every of the three times be should tie the ribbon ,i put into his hand about his middle1 and be sure to place the medal that was fastened to it 7the figures in such a posture7 exactly upon his reins2 which being done1 and having the last of the three times so well girt and fastened the ribbon that it could neither untie nor slip from its place1 let him confidently return to his business1 and withal not to forget to spread my gown upon the bed so that it might be sure to cover them both4 ,these ridiculous circumstances are the main of the effect1 our fancy being so far seduced as to believe that so strange and uncouth formalities must of necessity proceed from some abstruse science4 ,their inanity gives them reverence and weight4 ,however1 certain it is that my figures proved themselves more ,veneran than ,solar1 and the fair bride had no reason to complain4 ,upon a due consideration of this singular superstition1 it must be obvious to any person of sense that these pretended ligatures are1 in fact1 the consequence of an enfeebled constitution1 weak intellects1 and sometimes of an ardent imagination1 an over-excited desire which carries the vitality to the head1 and diverts it from its principal direction4 ,do away with these circumstances and imagine a man in full health1 and gifted with a young and vigorous constitution1 alike incapable of allowing himself to be acted upon by vain terrors1 and of permitting his passions an uncontrolable course2 and all the charms and incantation of these redoubted point-tiers would immediately cease4 ,who1 for instance1 could pretend to point-tie that hero of ancient ,greece so famous for his twelve labours1 of which by far the most brilliant was the transforming1 in the course of one night1 fifty young virgins into as many women6#fg ,the most singular circumstance1 however1 connected with impotency is1 that for a long time there existed exclusively in ,france a particular kind of proof called--,the ,judicial ,congress4 ,in the old jurisprudence of that country but little value was attached to moral proofs2 all was made to depend upon material ones1 which were made by witnesses4 ,the whole enquiry after truth was made to depend upon the establishment of the fact1 and1 too frequently1 the administrators of the law were not over-scrupulous as to the nature of the testimony by which it was to be proved4 ,provided there were such testimony1 no matter of whatever kind1 no matter how contradictory to common sense1 justice pronounced itself satisfied1 for1 relying upon this testimony it was enabled to pronounce its decision1 and this was all it required4 ,hence all those personal examinations of litigants1 so often practised formerly1 and hence the judge1 whatever might be the nature of the suit or complaint1 ordered a report to be made by parties chosen to that effect1 and who were called experts or examiners4 ,this mode of procedure was employed in cases in which a woman applied for a divorce from her husband on the ground of impotency3 hence arose the ,congrs1 in which the justice of the application was to be proved in the presence of examiners appointed to give in a report upon the case to the court4 ,ce qui est encore plus honteux1 says a writer of the #agth century1 c'est qu'un quelques procs1 les hommes ont visit la femme1 et au contraire1 les femmes ont t admises visiter l'homme1 qui a t cause d'une grande irrison et moquerie1 que telles procdures ont servi de contes joyeux et plaisans discours en beaucoup d'endroits4#fh ,the whole was a most disgusting procedure1 which1 although greatly abused1 was for a long time encouraged as offering a legal mode of dissolving a marriage which was incompatible with the happiness of both the parties1 but which the law declared to be indissoluble4 ,the judges who introduced or maintained the ,congress1 who1 in fact1 protected it1 only contemplated it1 but certainly most erroneously as a proper means of legalizing divorces4 ,all historians1 and other writers who have treated of this disgraceful institution1 pretty generally agree in giving it an origin not further back than the commencement of the #afth century2 it is1 however1 but the extension of a custom almost as obscene which prevailed in the first ages of ,christianity4 ,this was nothing less than the subjecting a young girl1 whether nun or otherwise1 accused of fornication1 to a rigorous personal examination1 whence was to result the proof of her innocence or guilt4 ,siagrius1 ,bishop of ,verona1 and who lived towards the close of the fourth century1 condemned a nun to undergo this disgusting and insulting examination4 ,st4 ,ambroise1 his metropolitan1 disapproved of the ,bishop's sentence1 declared the examination as indecent1 thus attesting its existence4 ,the opinion1 however of this prelate1 supposed as it was by that of several others1 did not prevent the continuance of this custom for a very long time4 ,the ecclesiastical and civil tribunals frequently directed this proof to be made2 and ,venette#fi cites the procs-verbal of a similar examination made by order of the ,mayor of ,paris in #afgb1 in the case of a woman who complained of violence committed on her by a man of dissolute habits4 ,we prefer giving the following curious description of the manner of conducting the ,congress in the original quaint and antiquated ,french3 ,la forme duquel ,congrez est1 qui le iour et heure prins1 et les ,expers connenus ou nommez 7qui sont ordinairement ceux mmes qui ont fait la visitation lesquels partant n'ont garde de se contrarier ny de rapporte que l'homme y a fait l'intromission ayant desia 7dj7 rapport sa partie vierge et non corrompe7 le juge prend le serment des parties1 qu'elles tascheront de bonne foy et sans dissimulation d'accplir l'uvre de mariage sans y apporter empeschement de part ny d'autre3 des ,expers qu'ils fert fidelle rapport de ce qui se passera au ,congrez2 cela fait les parties et les expers se retirent en une chbre pour ce prpare1 o l'homme et la femme sont de rechef visits1 l'homme1 afin de savoir s'il a point de mal1 s'en estans trouu aucuns l'ayans gaign depuis avoir est visit qui n'ont laiss d'estre spars encore1 qu'il parust assez par l qu'ils n'estoient impuissans1 la femme pour considrer l'estat de se partie honteuse et1 par ce moyen cognoistre la difference de son ouverture et dilatation1 auant et aprs le ,congrez1 et si l'intromission y aura est faicte1 ou non3 sans1 toutefois1 parler en leur rapport de la virginit ou corruption de la femme1 repute vierge1 ayant vne fois est rapporte telle1 sans qu'on la visite plus pour cela4 ,en quelques procs 7comme en celuy de ,bray1 #aegh7 les parties sont visits nues depuis le sommet de la teste iusques la plante des pieds1 en toutes les parties des leurs corps1 etiam in podice1 pour savior s'il n y a rien sur elles qui puissent auancer ou empescher le congrez1 les parties honteuses de l'homme laves d'eau tide 7c'est a savoir quelle fin7 et la femme mise en demy bain1 o elle demeure quelque temps4 ,cela fait1 l'homme et la femme se couchent en plein iour en un lict1 ,expers prsens1 qui demeurent en la chambre1 ou se retirent 7si les parties le requirent on l'vne d'elles1 en quelque garde-robe ou gallerie prochaine1 l'huis 7la porte7 entreouvert toutefois1 et quand aux matrones se tiennent proche du lict1 et les rideaux estant tirez1 c'est l'homme se mettre en devoir de faire preuve de sa puissance habitant charnellement avec sa partie et faisant intromission3 ou souvent aduiennent des altercations honteuses et ridicules1 l'homme se plaignant que sa partie ne le veut laisser faire et empesche l'intromission2 elle le niant et disant qu'il veut mettre le doigt et la dilater1 et ouvrir par ce moyen2 de sorte qu'il faudroit qu'un homme fust sans apprehension et pire qu'aucunes bstes1 ou que mentula velut digito uteretur1 s'il ne desbandsit cependant au cas qu'il fust en estat1 et si n obstant ces indignitez il passait autre iusques faire intromission2 encore ne sauroit il1 quelque rection qu'il face 7fasse71 si la partie veut l'empescher si on ne lui tenoit les mains et les genoux ce qui ne se fait pas4 ,en fin1 les parties ays est quelque tps au lict1 comme une heure ou deux1 les ,espers appellex1 ou de leur propre mouvement1 quand ils s'ennuyent en ayant de subject1 si sint viri1 s'approchent1 et ouvrans les rideaux1 s'informent de ce qui s'est pass entre elles1 et visitent la femme derechef1 pour savoir si elle est plus ouverte et dilate que lorsqu' elle s'est mise au lict1 et si intromission a t faicte aussi1 an facta sit emission1 ubi1 quid et quale emissio4 ,ce qui ne se fait pas sans bougie et lunettes gens qui s'en seruent pour leur vieil age1 ni sans des recherches fort sales et odieuses3 et font leur procs verbal de ce qui s'est pass au ,congrez 7ou pour mieux dire7 de ce qu'ils veulent1 qu'ils baillent au juge1 estant au mesme logis vne salle1 ou chambre part1 avec les procureurs et patriciens1 en cour d',eglise1 attendant la fin de cet acte lequel rapporte est tousiours 7toujours7 au desaduantage des hommes faute d'auoir fait intromission1 sans laquelle1 l'rection etiam sufficiens ad coeundem1 ny l'mission n'empeschent la sparation1 comme il se voit par les procs verbaux des ,congrez de ,de ,bray des onziesme et vingt unsiesme d',apuril1 #aegh4 ,auxquels ,congrez1 principalement au premier1 il fit rection rapporte suffisante ad copulem carnalem1 et emisit extra vas1 sed non intromisit1 et pour cela fut spar2 laquelle intromission ne peust aussi estre faite au ,congrez par quelque homme que ce fut1 si la femme n'y preste consentement1 et empesche1 comme il est tout notaire4 ,the first judicial sentence which ordered a ,congress is said to have been caused by the shameless effrontery of a young man who1 being accused of impotency1 demanded permission to exhibit proof of his powers before witnesses1 which demand being complied with1 the practice was introduced into the jurisprudence of the country4 ,but1 as we have already shown1 the custom of the ,judicial ,congress may be referred to a far earlier period1 in fact1 to the remotest times of the middle ages1 and that it originated with the ,church1 when the public morals were far from being well ascertained1 as is proved by many well-known privileges belonging to the ,seigneur or ,lord of the ,manor4 ,pope ,gregory the ,great1 who was raised to the ,pontificate in #eij1 appears to have been the first who conferred upon bishops the right of deciding this description of questions4 ,it was1 doubtless1 from considerations of tender regard for female modesty that the ,church took upon itself the painful duty of investigating and deciding upon questions of this nature4 ,numerous instances prove this1 especially the dissolution of the marriage of ,alphonso ,,vi4 of ,portugal and his ,consort1 pronounced in #afhh1 and mentioned by ,bayle4#gj ,the great antiquity of this custom is proved by the #agth ,art4 of the ,capitulars of ,pepin1 in the year #geb1 which bears a direct allusion to it3 inasmuch as that article established as a principle that the impotency of a husband should be considered as a lawful cause for divorce1 and that the proof of such impotency should be given1 and the fact verified at the foot of the ,cross--exeant ad crucem1 et si verum fuerit1 separantur4 ,that the ,congress originated with the ,church1 who considered it as an efficacious means for deciding questions of impotency1 is still further proved by the ,president ,boutrier and by other writers1 who assert that the ecclesiastical judges of other times were alone empowered 7to the exclusion of all secular ones7 to take cognizance of cases of impotency4 ,it is well attested that during the #afth and #agth centuries all the courts of law in ,france held the opinion that a marriage be anulled on the demand of a wife who claimed the ,congress4 ,the fatal blow to this disgusting custom was given by a decree of the ,parliament of ,paris1 under the presidency of the celebrated ,lamoignon1 dated ,feb4 #ah1 #afgg1 which decree forbids the practice by any other court whatsoever1 ecclesiastical or civil4 ,it is supposed that the ridicule cast upon it by the following lines of ,boileau had no small share in causing its suppression4 ,jamais la biche en rut1 n'a pour fait d'impuissance ,train du fond des bois1 un cerf l'audience2 ,et jamais juge1 entre eux ordonnant le congrs1 ,de ce burlesque mot n'a sali ses arrts4#ga ,three causes were alleged for the abolition of the ,congress--its obscenity1 its inutility1 and its inconveniences4 ,its obscenity2 for what could be more infamous1 more contrary to public decency and to the reverence due to an oath than the impurity of the proof1 both in its preparation and execution8 ,its inutility2 for what could be less certain and more defective8 ,can it be1 for one moment1 imagined that a conjunction ordered by judges between two persons embittered by a law-suit1 agitated with hate and fury against each other1 can operate in them8 ,experience has shown that1 of ten men the most vigorous and powerful1 hardly one was found that came out of this shameful combat with success2 it is equally certain that he who had unjustly suffered dissolution of his marriage1 for not having given a proof of his capacity in the infamous ,congress1 had given real and authentic evidences of it in a subsequent marriage4 ,this degrading mode of proof1 in short1 far from discovering the truth1 was but the cause and foundation for impotence and falsehood4 ,its inconveniences2 these are--the declared nullity of a legitimate marriage--the dishonour cast upon the husband1 and the unjust damages1 oftentimes exorbitant1 which he is condemned to pay--two marriages contracted upon the dissolution of the first--both of which1 according to purity and strictness1 are equally unlawful--the error or the malice discovered1 ex post facto1 and1 nevertheless1 by the authority of the law1 became irreparable4 ,it was in the power of the magistrate1 upon a complaint of impotency being alleged by a wife against her husband1 to order examiners to make an inspection of the husband's parts of generation1 and upon their report to decide whether there was just cause for a divorce2 and this without proceeding to order the congress4 ,the following are a few cases of this description1 and are extracted from the reports and judgments of the ,officialty at ,paris in cases of impotency4 ,case ,i4 ,jean de ,but1 master fringe maker1 was1 in #afge1 charged with impotency by ,genevieve ,helena ,marcault1 his wife2 he being inspected by ,renauolot1 a physician1 and ,le ,bel1 a surgeon1 by order of the official2 they declared that1 after a due and thorough examination of all the members and parts of the said ,de ,but1 as well genital1 as others which might throw a light upon the case and likewise his condition of body1 his age1 the just conformation and proportion of his limbs1 but especially his penis1 which was found to be of as proper a thickness1 length and colour as could be wished3 and likewise his testicles1 which exhibited no perceptible viciousness or malformation1 they are of opinion that from all these outward marks1 which are the only ones they consider themselves justified in judging from1 the said ,de ,but is capacitated to perform the matrimonial act4 ,signed by them at ,paris1 ,july #ah1 #afge1 and attested by the ,sieur de ,combes4 ,and on ,august #bc1 #afge1 by the sentence of ,m4 ,benjamin1 official1 the said ,marcault was non-suited and ordered to return to her husband and cohabit with him4 ,case ,,ii4 ,inspection having been ordered by the official of ,paris of the body of ,joseph ,le ,page1 who is taxed with impotency by ,nicola de ,loris1 his wife1 the said inspection was made by ,deuxivoi and ,de ,farci1 physicians1 and ,paris and ,du ,fertre1 surgeons2 their report is as follows3-- ,we have found the exterior of his person to be like that of other men's1 the penis of a good conformation and naturally situated1 with the nut or glans bare1 its adjoining parts fringed with soft1 fine hair1 the scrotum of an unexceptional thickness and extent1 and in it vessels of good conformation and size1 but terminating unequally2 on the right side1 they end in a small1 flabby substance instead of a true testicle2 and on the left side we observed a testicle fixed to the extremity of one of the vessels1 as usual1 invested in its tunicle1 which left testicle we do not find to be at all flabby1 but of a middling size3 upon the whole1 we are of opinion that the said ,le ,page is capable of the conjugal act but in a feeble manner4 ,signed and dated ,march #e1 #afhd4 ,by the sentence of ,m4 ,cheron1 the official1 the said ,de ,loris's petition is rejected1 and she is enjoined to return to her husband4 ,case ,,iv4 ,peter ,damour being accused of impotency by his wife ,louisa ,tillot an inspection was ordered to be made by ,rainset and ,afforti1 physicians1 and ,franchet and ,colignon1 surgeons4 ,they report as follows3--,we have proceeded to inspect ,peter ,damour1 master saddler at ,paris1 and having attententively examined his parts of generation1 we have found them well constituted and in good condition as to their size1 conformation and situation for the conjugal act2 according1 however to the statement of the said ,damour himself1 the erection is imperfect1 the penis not being sufficiently rigid for perforating the vagina2 admitting this1 however1 to be the case1 we are of opinion that the imperfection may be remedied1 repaired1 and rectified1 in time1 by proper remedies4 ,signed ,january #af1 #agjc4 ,in consequence the official1 ,m4 ,vivant1 refused ,villot's demand1 and ordered her to go home to her husband and cohabit with him as her lawful spouse4 ,case ,v4 ,in the suit of ,demoiselle ,maris ,louise ,buchres accusing of impotence ,antoine de ,bret1 an inspection was ordered and performed by ,venage and ,lita1 physicians1 ,lombard and ,delon1 surgeons4 ,they reported as follows3 ,we find the string of the foreskin shorter than it should be for giving the nut free scope to extend itself when turgid3--that the body of the left testicle is very diminutive and decayed1 its tunicle separated1 the spermatic vessels very much disordered by crooked swollen veins--that the right testicle is not of a due thickness1 though thicker than the other3 that it is somewhat withered and the spermatic vessels disordered by crooked swollen veins4 ,on all which accounts we do not think that the natural parts of the said ,sieur de ,bret have all the disposition requisite for the well performing the functions they were designed for2 yet we cannot say that he is impotent until we have inspected the wife4 ,paris ,july #aa1 #agjc1 ,signed4 ,on the #bb;d of ,july1 #agjc1 the wife was inspected by the said physicians and surgeons and by two matrons2 the result of which was that they observed no visciousness of conformation in her womb3 the valvula were circular and the caruncl myrtiformes1 placed in the neck of the vagina1 were soft1 supple1 flexible1 entire1 and did not seem to have suffered any violence or displacing1 and the cavity of the womb-pipe was free and without any obstacle4 ,therefore they are of opinion that she is not capable of the conjugal act1 and that there has been no intromission1 consequently that she is a virgin1 and that if the marriage had not been consummated1 it is her husband's fault1 because of his great debility and defective conformation of his parts of generation4 ,another inspection of the same parties was ordered ,aug4 #a1 #agjc4 ,bourges and ,thuillier being the physicians1 and ,tranchet and ,meri the surgeons1 who declared that after due and careful examination they had found no defect which could hinder generation4 ,their report is dated ,paris1 ,aug4 #ac1 #agjc4 ,m4 ,chapelier ordered1 in consequence1 both parties1--viz41 the ,sieur ,de ,bret and the said ,buchres to acknowledge each other for man and wife4 ,case ,,vi4 ,on the #bnd ,april1 #afec1 the ,chevalier ,ren de ,cordovan1 ,marquis de ,langey1 aged #be years1 married ,maria de ,saint ,simon de ,courtomer between #ac and #ad years of age4 ,the parties lived very happily for the first four years1 that is to say1 up to #afeg1 when the lady accused her husband of impotency4 ,the complaint was heard before the ,lieutenant ,civil of the ,chatelet1 who appointed a jury to examine the parties4 ,the examination was made1 and the report declared that both parties were duly and fully qualified for performing the conjugal act4 ,in order to invalidate this report the lady affirmed that if she was not a virgin it was in consequence of the brutal efforts of one whose impotency rendered him callous as to the means he employed to satisfy himself4 ,the ,chevalier de ,langey1 much incensed at this imputation1 demanded the ,congress2 the judge granted the petition1 the wife appealed from the sentence1 but it was confirmed by the superior courts4 ,for carrying the sentence into effect1 the house of a person named ,turpin1 who kept baths1 was chosen4 ,four physicians1 five surgeons and five matrons were present4 ,it is impossible to enter into the details of this disgusting prequisition2 they are given in full detail in the procs verbal4 ,suffice it to say that the event being unfavourable to the chevalier1 his marriage was declared void by a decree of the #hth of ,february1 #afei4 ,by this decree the chevalier was not only condemned to pay back the dowry which he had had with his wife1 but was prohibited from contracting another marriage--the lady1 on the contrary1 was allowed to enter into any other engagement she might think fit1 as being considered entirely freed from her former bonds4 ,the next day after this decree the chevalier made his protest against it before two notaries1 declaring that he did not acknowledge himself to be impotent1 and that he would1 in defiance of the prohibition imposed upon him1 enter into wedlock again whenever he pleased4 ,the lady ,st4 ,simon contracted a marriage with ,peter de ,caumont1 ,marquis de ,bosle1 and from this marriage were born three daughters4 ,at the same time the ,chevalier de ,langley married ,diana de ,montault de ,navaille1 and their marriage was followed by the birth of seven children4 ,in #afgj the ,marchioness de ,bosle1 the ci-devant ,countess de ,langey1 died4 ,it was in consequence of the ulterior proceedings in the law courts respecting the real paternity of the children of the marchioness that the government availed itself of the opportunity of abolishing1 as we have seen1 the useless and obscene ordeal of the congress4 ,we shall conclude the present ,essay by transcribing ,dr4 ,willick's judicious observations upon the sexual intercourse4 ,of the ,,sexual ,,intercourse in particular2 its physical consequences with respect to the ,constitution of the ,individual2 under what circumstances it may be either conducive or detrimental to ,health4 ,a subject of such extensive importance1 both to our physical and moral welfare1 as the consequences resulting from either a too limited or extravagant intercourse between the sexes deserves the strictest enquiry1 and the most serious attention of the philosopher4 ,the inclination to this intercourse1 and the evacuation connected with it1 are no less inherent in human nature than other bodily functions4 ,yet1 as the semen is the most subtle and spirituous part of the human frame1 and as it contributes to the support of the nerves1 this evacuation is by no means absolutely necessary2 and it is besides attended with circumstances not common to any other4 ,the emission of semen enfeebles the body more than the loss of twenty times the same quantity of blood2 more than violent cathartics1 emetics1 c42 hence excesses of this nature produce a debilitating effect on the whole nervous system1 on both body and mind4 ,it is founded on the observations of the ablest physiologists1 that the greatest part of this refined fluid is re-absorbed and mixed with the blood1 of which it constitutes the most rarified and volatile part2 and that it imparts to the body singular sprightliness1 vivacity1 and vigour4 ,these beneficial effects cannot be expected if the semen be wantonly and improvidently wasted4 ,besides the emission of it is accompanied with a peculiar species of tension and convulsion of the whole frame1 which is always succeeded by relaxation4 ,for the same reason1 even libidinous thoughts1 without any loss of semen1 are debilitating1 though in a less degree1 by occasioning a propulsion of blood to the genitals4 ,if this evacuation1 however1 took place only in a state of superfluity1 and within proper bounds1 it is not detrimental to health4 ,nature1 indeed1 spontaneously effects it in the most healthy individuals during sleep2 and as long as we observe no difference in bodily and mental energy after such losses1 there is no danger to be apprehended from them4 ,it is well established and attested by the experience of eminent physicians1 that certain indispositions1 especially those of hypochondriasis and complete melancholy and incurable by any other means1 have been happily removed in persons of both sexes1 by exchanging a single state for wedlock4 ,there are a variety of circumstances by which the physical propriety of the sexual intercourse is in general to be determined4 ,it is conductive to the well being of the individual1 if the laws of nature and society 7not an extravagant or disordered imagination7 induce man to satisfy this inclination1 especially under the following conditions3 #a4 ,in young persons1 that is1 adults1 or those of a middle age2 as from the flexibility of their vessels1 the strength of their muscles1 and the abundance of their vital spirits1 they can more easily sustain the loss thence occasioned4 #b4 ,in robust persons1 who lose no more than is speedily replaced4 #c4 ,in sprightly individuals1 and such as are particularly addicted to pleasure2 for the stronger the natural and legal desire1 the less hurtful is its gratification4 #d4 ,in married persons who are accustomed to it2 for nature pursues a different path1 according as she is habituated to the reabsorption or the evacuation of this fluid4 #e4 ,with a beloved object2 as the power animating the nerves and muscular fibres is in proportion to the pleasure received4 #f4 ,after a sound sleep1 because then the body is more energetic2 it is provided with a new stock of vital spirit1 and the fluids are duly prepared2--hence the early morning appears to be designed by nature for the exercise of this function2 as the body is then most vigorous1 and being unemployed in any other pursuit1 its natural propensity to this is the greater2 besides1 at this time a few hours sleep will1 in a considerable degree restore the expended powers4 #g4 ,with an empty stomach2 for the office of digestion1 so material to the attainment of bodily vigour1 is then uninterrupted4 ,lastly4 #h4 ,in the vernal months2 as nature at this season in particular1 incites all the lower animals to sexual intercourse1 as we are then most energetic and sprightly2 and as the spring is not only the safest1 but likewise the most proper time with respect to the consequences resulting from that intercourse4 ,it is well ascertained by experience that children begotten in spring are of more solid fibres1 and consequently more vigorous and robust1 than those generated in the heat of summer or cold of winter4 ,it may be collected from the following circumstances1 whether or not the gratification of the sexual intercourse has been conducive to the well-being of the body2 namely1 if it be not succeeded by a peculiar lassitude2 if the body do not feel heavy1 and the mind averse to reflection1 these are favourable symptoms1 indicating that the various powers have sustained no essential loss1 and that superfluous matter only has been evacuated4 ,farther1 the healthy appearance of the urine in this case1 as well as cheerfulness and vivacity of mind1 also prove a proper action of the fluids1 and sufficiently evince an unimpaired state of the animal functions1 a due perspiration1 and a free circulation of the blood4 ,there are times1 however1 in which the gratification is the more pernicious to health1 when it has been immoderate1 and without the impulse of nature1 but particularly in the following situations4 #a4 ,in all debilitated persons2 as they do not possess sufficient vital spirits1 and their strength after this venerating emission is consequently much exhausted4 ,their digestion necessarily suffers1 perspiration is checked1 and the body becomes languid and heavy4 #b4 ,in the aged2 whose vital heat is diminished1 whose frame is enfeebled by the most moderate enjoyment1 and whose vigour1 already reduced1 suffers a still greater diminution from every loss that is accompanied with a violent convulsion of the whole body4 #c4 ,in persons not arrived at the age of maturity2 by an easy intercourse with the other sex1 they become enervated and emaciated1 and inevitably shorten their lives4 #d4 ,in dry1 choleric and thin persons2 these1 even at a mature age1 should seldom indulge in this passion1 as their bodies are already in want of moisture and pliability1 both of which are much diminished by the sexual intercourse1 while the bile is violently agitated1 to the great injury of the whole animal frame4 ,lean persons generally are of a hot temperament2 and the more heat there is in the body the greater will be the subsequent dryness4 ,hence1 likewise1 to persons in a state of intoxication1 this intercourse is extremely pernicious2 because in such a state the increased circulation of the blood towards the head may be attended with dangerous consequences1 such as bursting of blood-vessels1 apoplexy1 etc4 ,the plethoric are particularly exposed to these dangers4 #e4 ,immediately after meals2 as the powers requisite to the digestion of food are thus diverted1 consequently the aliment remains too long unassimilated1 and becomes burdensome to the stomach4 #f4 ,after violent exercise2 in which case it is still more hurtful than in the preceding1 where muscular strength was not consumed1 but only required to the aid of another function4 ,after bodily fatigue1 on the contrary1 the necessary energy is in a manner exhausted1 so that every additional exertion of the body must be peculiarly injurious4 #g4 ,in the best of summer it is less to be indulged in than in spring and autumn2 because the process of concoction and assimilation is effected less vigorously in summer than in the other seasons1 and consequently the losses sustained are not so easily recovered4 ,for a similar reason the sexual commerce is more debilitating1 and the capacity for it sooner extinguished in hot than in temperate climates4 ,the same remark is applicable to very warm temperature combined with moisture1 which is extremely apt to debilitate the solid part4 ,hence hatters1 dyers1 bakers1 brewers1 and all those exposed to steam1 generally have relaxed fibres4 ,it is an unfavourable symptom if the rest after this intercourse be uneasy1 which plainly indicates that more has been lost than could be repaired by sleep2 but if1 at the same time1 it be productive of relaxation1 so as to affect the insensible perspiration1 it is a still stronger proof that it has been detrimental to the constitution4#gb ,,essay ,,iii4 ,,aphrodisiacs1 ,,or1 ,,erotic ,,stimuli1 ,,and ,,their ,,opposites1 ,,as ,,known ,,to1 ,,and ,,used ,,by1 ,,the ,,ancients ,,and ,,moderns4 ,when it is considered how strongly the sexual desire is implanted in man1 and how much his self-love is interested in preserving or in recovering the power of gratifying it1 his endeavours to infuse fresh vigour into his organs when they are temporarily exhausted by over-indulgence1 or debilitated by age cannot appear surprising4 ,this remark particularly applied to natives of southern and eastern climes1 with whom the erotic ardour makes itself more intensely felt2 since it is there that man's imagination1 as burning as the sky beneath which he first drew breath1 re-awakens desires his organs may have long lost the power of satisfying1 and consequently it is there more especially that1 notwithstanding the continual disappointment of his hopes1 he still pertinaciously persists in searching for means whereby to stimulate his appetite for sexual delights4 ,accordingly it will be found that in the remotest ages1 even the vegetable1 animal1 and mineral kingdoms have been ransacked for the purpose of discovering remedies capable of strengthening the genital apparatus1 and exciting it to action4 ,but however eager men might be in the above enquiry1 their helpmates were equally desirous of finding a means whereby they might escape the reproach of barrenness1--a reproach than which none was more dreaded by eastern women4 ,such means was at last discovered1 or supposed to be so1 in the mandrake1#gc a plant which thenceforth became1 as the following quotation proves1 of inestimable value in female eyes4 ,and ,reuben went in the days of wheat harvest1 and found mandrakes in the field1 and brought them unto his mother1 ,leah4 ,then ,rachel said to ,leah1 ,give me1 ,i pray thee1 of thy son's mandrakes4 ,and she said unto her1 ,is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband8 and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also8 ,and ,rachel said1 ,therefore he shall lie with thee to-night for thy son's mandrakes4 ,and ,jacob came out of the field in the evening1 and ,leah went out to meet him1 and said1 ,thou must come in unto me1 for surely ,i have hired thee with my son's mandrakes4 ,and he lay with her that night4 ,and ,god harkened unto ,leah1 and she conceived and bare ,jacob the fifth son4#gd ,there is only one other passage in the ,bible in which this plant is alluded to1 and that is in ,solomon's song3 ,the mandrakes give a smell1 and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits1 new and old1 which ,i have laid up for thee1 ,o my beloved4#ge ,all that can be gathered from the former of the above quotations is that these plants were found in the fields during the wheat harvests and that1 either for their rarity1 flavour1 or1 more probably1 for their supposed quality of removing barrenness in women1 as well as for the stimulating powers attributed to them1 were greatly valued by the female sex4 ,in the quotation from ,solomon's ,song1 the ,hebrew word ,dudaim expresses some fruit or flowers exhaling a sweet and agreeable odour1 and which were in great request among the male sex4#gf ,according to ,calmet1 the word ,dudaim may be properly deduced from ,dudim 7pleasures of love72 and the translators of the ,septuagint and the ,vulgate render it by words equivalent to the ,english one--mandrake4 ,the word ,dudaim is rendered in our authorized version by the word mandrake--a translation sanctioned by the ,septuagint1 which1 in this place1 translates ,dudaim by ,greek3 mla mandragorn1 mandrake--apples1 and in ,solomon's ,song by ,greek3 oi mandraorai 7mandrakes74 ,with this1 ,onkelos#gg and the ,syrian version agree2 and this concurrence of authorities1 with the fact that the mandrake 7atropa mandragora7 combines in itself all the circumstances and traditions required for the ,dudaim1 has given to the current interpretation1 its present prevalence4 ,pythagoras was the first 7followed by ,plutarch7 who gave to this plant the name of ,greek3 anthrpomorphos 7man-likeness71 an appellation which became very generally used2 but why he gave it is not precisely known3 ,calmet1 however1 suggests as a reason the partial resemblance it bears to the human form1 from the circumstance of its root being parted from the middle1 downwards4 ,the opinion respecting the peculiar property of the mandrake was not confined to the ,jews1 but was also entertained by the ,greeks and ,romans1 the former of whom called its fruit--love-apples1 and bestowed the name of ,mandragorilis upon ,venus4 ,dioscorides knew it by that of ,greek3 ,mandragoras1 and remarks that the root is supposed to be used in philters or love-potions2#gh and another writer lauds it as exciting the amorous propensity1 remedying female sterility1 facilitating conception and prolificness1 adding the singular fact that female elephants1 after eating its leaves1 are seized with so irresistible a desire for copulation1 as to run eagerly1 in every direction1 in quest of the male4#gi ,speaking of the plant ,eryngium1 the elder ,pliny says3 ,the whole variety of the ,eryngium known in our 7the ,latin7 language as the centum capita has some marvellous facts recorded of it4 ,it is said to bear a striking likeness to the organs of generation of either sex2 it is rarely met with1 but if a root resembling the male organ of the human species be found by a man1 it will ensure him woman's love2 hence it is that ,phaon1 the ,lesbian1 was so passionately beloved of ,sappho4#hj ,if it be true1 as is asserted by medical writers1 that the above root contains an essential oil of peculiarly stimulating qualities1 the fact would account1 not only for ,sappho's passion for ,phaon1 but also for the high value set upon it by the rival wives of ,jacob4 ,for the same reason as that suggested by ,calmet1 ,columella calls the mandrake semihomo3 ,quamvis semihominis vesano gramine fta ,mandragor pariat flores4#ha ,let it not vex thee if thy teeming field ,the half-man ,mandrake's madd'ning seed should yield2 and qualifies its seed by the epithet vesanus1 because in his time 7the first century after ,christ7 it was still supposed to form one of the ingredients of philters or love-potions4 ,the superstitious ideas attached to the mandrake were indeed so current throughout ,europe during the middle ages1 that one of the accusations brought against the ,knights ,templars was that of adoring1 in ,palestine1 an idol to which was given the name of ,mandragora4#hb ,even1 comparatively1 not very long ago1 there might be seen in many of the continental towns quacks and mountebanks exhibiting little rudely-carved figures1 which they declared to be genuine mandrakes1 assuring their gaping auditors1 at the same time1 that they were produced from the urine of a gibbeted thief1 and seriously warning those who might have to pull any out of the ground to stop their ears first1 for otherwise the piercing shrieks of these plants would infallibly strike them with deafness4 ,wier thus describes the manufacture of these interesting little gentlemen3 ,impostors carve upon these plants while yet green the male and female forms1 inserting millet or barley seeds in such parts as they desire the likeness of human hair to grow on2 then1 digging a hole in the ground1 they place the said plants therein1 covering them with sand till such time as the little seeds have stricken root1 which1 it is said1 would be perfectly effected within twenty days at furthest4 ,after this1 disinterring the plants1 these impostors1 with a sharp cutting knife1 so dexterously carve1 pare1 and slip the little filaments of the seeds as to make them resemble the hair which grows upon the various parts of the human body4#hc ,i have seen1 says the ,abb ,rosier1 mandrakes tolerably well representing the male and female parts of generation1 a resemblance which they owe1 almost entirely1 to manual dexterity4 ,for the intended object1 a mandrake is chosen having a strong root1 which1 at the end of a few inches1 bifurcates into two branches4 ,as the root is soft1 it easily takes the desired form1 which it preserves on becoming dry4#hd ,the author then describes the process of producing the resemblance of human hair1 and which is similar to that given above4 ,in the year #adbi1 a ,cordelier by name ,brother ,richard1 fulminated from the pulpit a vigorous sermon against the amulette then much in vogue1 and called ,mandragora4 ,he convinced his auditors1 both male and female1 of its impiety and inutility1 and caused hundreds of those pretended charms which1 upon that occasion1 were voluntarily delivered up to him1 to be publicly burnt4 ,it is no doubt1 to these mandragoras that an old chronicler alludes in the following strophe3 ,j'ai puis vu soudre en ,france ,par grant drision1 ,la racine et la branche ,de toute abusion4 ,chef de l'orgueil du monde ,et de lubricit2 ,femme o tel mal habonde ,rend povre utilit4#he ,in the #aeth century the mandrake enjoyed in ,italy so great a reputation as an erotic stimulant1 that the celebrated ,macchiavelli wrote a much admired comedy upon it1 called ,la ,mandragora4 ,the subject of this piece1 according to ,voltaire1 who asserts qu'il vaut1 peut tre mieux que toutes les pices d',aristophane1 est un jeune homme adroit qui veut coucher avec la femme de son voisin4 ,il engage1 avec de l'argent1 un moine1 un ,fa tutto ou un ,fa molto1 sduire sa maitresse et faire tomber son mari dans un pige ridicule4 ,on se moque tout le long de la pice1 de la religion que toute l',europe professe1 dont ,rome est le centre et dont le sige papal est le trone4#hf ,callimaco1 one of the dramatis-person of this comedy1 thus eulogizes the plant in question1 ,voi avete a intendere che non cosa pi certa a ingravidare1 d'una pozione fatta di ,mandragola4 ,questa una cosi sperimentata da me due para di volte1 e se non era questa1 la ,reina di ,francia sarebbe sterile1 ed infinite altre principesse in quello ,stato4#hg ,you must know that nothing is so sure to make women conceive1 as a draught composed of ,mandragola4 ,that is a fact which ,i have verified upon four occasions1 and had it not been for the virtues of this plant1 the queen of ,france1 as well as many noble ladies of that kingdom1 would have proved barren4 ,by the ,venetian law the administering of love-potions was accounted highly criminal4 ,thus the law ,dei maleficii et herbarie4 ,cap4 ,,xvi4 of the code1 entitled ,della ,commissione del maleficio says1 ,statuimo etiamdio che se alcun homo o femina harra fatto maleficii1 iguali so dimandono volgarmente amatorie1 o veramente alcuni altri maleficii1 che alcun homo o femina se havesson in odio1 sia frusta et bollade1 et che hara consigliato1 patisca simile pena4#hh ,the notion of the efficacy of love powders was also so prevalent in the #aeth century in our own country that in the ,parliament summoned by ,king ,richard ,,iii41 on his usurping the throne1 it was publicly urged as a charge against ,lady ,grey1 that she had bewitched ,king ,edward ,,iv4 by strange potions and amorous charms4 ,and here also we considered how that the said pretended marriage betwixt the abovenamed ,king ,edward and ,elizabeth ,grey1 was made of great presumption1 without the knowing and assent of the ,lords of this land1 and also by sorcery and witchcraft committed by the said ,elizabeth and her mother ,jaquet ,duchesse of ,bedford1 as the common opinion of the people and the public voice and fame is thorow all this land4 7,from the ,address of ,parliament to the high and mightie ,prince ,richard1 ,duke of ,gloucester47#hi ,modern writers1 as might be expected1 have taken a very wide range in their inquiries as to what kind of plant the ,dudam really was1 some regarding it as lilies1 roses1 violets1 snowdrops1 and jasmine2 others1 as melons1 plantain fruits1 whirtleberries1 dwarf brambles1 the berries of the physalis or winter cherry1 grapes of some peculiar kinds1 or even underground fungi1 as truffles1 c4 ,many have supposed the word to mean the ingredients1 whatever they might have been1 of a charm or love potion1 and hence have recurred to the mandrake1 celebrated1 as already said1 throughout antiquity1 for its supposed virtues1 and whose history has been tricked out with all the traditionary nonsense that might be imagined to confirm that report of such qualities4 ,liebentantz1#ij in #affj2 the younger ,rudbeck1#ia in #agcc1 and ,celsius1#ib in #agde1 have displayed much erudition and research in their inquiries2 but the first of these writers arrived at the conclusion that nothing certain could be come to on the subject2 while the second proposed raspberries as the ,dudam2 and the third maintained that they were the fruit of the ,zizyphus1 the ,spina ,christi of the disciples of ,linnus4 ,maundrell1 who travelled in the ,east in the #agth century1 informs us that1 having asked the chief priest of ,aleppo what sort of a plant or fruit the ,dudam1 or 7as we translate it7 the mandrakes1 were which ,leah gave to ,rachel for the purchase of her husband's embraces1 the holy man replied that they were plants of a large leaf bearing a certain sort of fruit1 in shape resembling an apple1 growing ripe in harvest1 but of an ill savour1 and not wholesome4 ,but the virtue of them was to help conception1 being laid under the genial bed4 ,that the women were wont to apply it at this day1 out of an opinion of its prolific virtue4#ic ,some writers have supposed the ,dudam to be neither more nor less than the truffle4 ,virey asserts it to be a species of ,orchis2 and1 indeed1 considering the remarkable conformation of the root of this plant1#id the slightly spermatic odour of its farinaceous substance1 as well as that of the flowers of another one belonging to the same family1 an odour so similar to the emanations of an animal proverbial for its salaciousness1 and to which its bearded spikes or ears give additional resemblance1 the almost unbounded confidence which the ancients reposed in its aphrodisiacal virtues cannot appear surprising4 ,one of the most extraordinary aphrodisiacs upon record is that reported to have been employed by the ,amazons4 ,the ,amazons1 says ,eustathius1#ie broke either a leg or an arm of the captives they took in battle1 and this they did1 not only to prevent their attempts at escape1 or their plotting1 but also1 and this more especially1 to render them more vigorous in the venereal conflict2 for1 as they themselves burnt away the right breast of their female children in order that the right arm might become stronger from receiving additional nutriment1 so they imagined that1 similarly1 the genital member would be strengthened by the deprivation of one of the extremities1 whether a leg or an arm4 ,hence1 when reproached by the ,scythians with the limping gait of her slaves1 ,queen ,antianara replied1 ,greek3 arista chlos oiphei1 the lame best perform the act of love4 ,among the ancient ,romans1 it was impossible that philters1 or love-potions1 should not be introduced amid the general depravity so common in every class2 and hence we meet with frequent allusions to them in their writers4 ,thus1 the emperor ,julian1 surnamed the ,apostate1 writing to his friend ,callixines1 observes ,at enim inquies1 ,penelopes etiam amor et fides erga virum tempore cognita est4 ,et quis1 tandem1 inquam1 in muliere amorem conjugis sui religioni ac pietati anteponet quam continu mandragor bibesse judicitur8#if ,but you1 ,callixines1 observe that ,penelope's love to her husband was always thus manifested4 ,to this ,i answer1 who but he that has habitually drunk ,mandragora can prefer in a woman conjugal affection to piety8 ,the over excitement caused in the nervous system by such potions frequently proved fatal4 ,such1 according to ,eusebius1 was the fate of the poet ,lucretius1 who1 having been driven to madness by an amatory potion1 and having1 during the intervals of his insanity1 composed several books1 which were afterwards corrected by ,cicero1 died by his own hand1 in the #ddth year of his age4#ig ,it should1 however1 be remembered that this account has been questioned by the poet's translator and annotator1 the late ,mr4 ,mason ,good1 in these words3 ,by whom the potion was administered is conjectured only from a passage in ,st4 ,jerome1#ih who says that a certain ,lucilia killed her husband or her lover by giving him a philtre1 which was intended to secure his love1 but the effect of which was to make him insane4 ,this ,lucilia is supposed to have been the wife or the mistress of ,lucretius1 but by whom the supposition was first made1 ,i am not able to discover4#ii ,suetonius relates the same thing of ,caius ,caligula1 who although1 when he arrived at manhood1 endured fatigue tolerably well1 was still occasionally liable to faintness1 owing to which he remained incapable of any effort4 ,he was not insensible to this disorder of his mind1 and sometimes had thoughts of retiring4#ajj ,creditum1 he continues1 potionatus a ,csonia uxore1 amatorio quodam medicamento1 sed quod furorem verterit4#aja ,it is thought that his wife ,csonia administered to him a love-potion1 which threw him into a phrensy4 ,it is in allusion to this that ,juvenal writes ,tamen hoc tolerabile1 si non ,et furere incipias1 ut avunculus ille ,neronis ,cui totam tremuli frontem ,csonia pulli ,infudit4#ajb ,some nimbler juice would make him foam and rave1 ,like that ,csonia to her ,caius gave1 ,who1 plucking from the forehead of the foal ,the mother's love1 infused it in the bowl3 ,the boiling blood ran hissing through his veins1 ,till the mad vapour mounted to his brains4 ,these concoctions were publicly sold at ,rome1 their ingredients consisting of herbs of various kinds1 in the culling and testing of which the shepherds were often employed4 ,the remora1 or sucking-fish1 certain bones of the frog1 the astroit1 or star-fish1 and the hippomanes were also used4 ,horace informs us that dried human marrow and liver were also had recourse to3 ,exsucta uti medulla et aridum jecur ,amoris esset poculum4#ajc ,that his parch'd marrow might compose1 ,together with his liver dried1 an amorous dose4 ,del ,rio#ajd and ,wallick#aje assert that to the above were likewise added nail-parings1 sundry metals1 reptiles1 and the intestines of particular birds and fishes1 and even semen virile and sanguis menstruus4#ajf ,during the concoction of these filthy1 disgusting1 and abominable compounds1 the ,infernal ,deities were earnestly invoked4 ,of all the above ingredients the most famous was the hippomanes1 which1 according to ,wier1 was a piece of flesh upon the forehead of a young colt1 of a black or brown colour1 in size and shape like a fig1 which the mare is said to bite off as soon as she has foaled1 the mare forsaking her offspring when prevented from so doing2 hence the hippomanes1 which was in reality nothing more than a caul or part of the omentum attached to the head of the foal1 as it is also sometimes to that of infants1 was thought to be particularly effective in conciliating love1 especially when calcined or reduced to powder1 and swallowed in some of the blood of the person beloved4 ,this superstition is1 however1 in some degree excusable1 if it be considered that1 even in the present day1 many persons in our own country firmly believe the human caul to have the power of saving its possessor from drowning2 and that in the good old times1 it was regarded as a visible indication that ,providence had designed the infant so furnished for the service of religion1 such children1 whether male or female1 being destined1 in consequence1 for the cloister4 ,virgil thus mentions it as one of the ingredients of the philter that ,dido caused to be made for her previously to her committing suicide3 ,falcibus et mess ad ,lunam quruntur alienis ,pubentes herb1 nigri cum lacte veneni4 ,quritur et nascentis equi in fronte revulsus ,et matri prruptus amor4#ajg ,herbs are brought1 by moonlight mow'd ,with brazen scythes1 big1 swol'n with milky juice ,of curious poison1 and the fleshy knot ,torn from the forehead of a new foal'd colt ,to rob the mother's love4 ,the following curious account of the wonderful effects of the hippomanes1 and which fully justifies the etymology of that word1 is given by ,pausanias3 ,among these 7offerings7 you may behold those of ,phormis ,menalius4444 ,his gifts in ,olympia are two horses and two charioteers1 one of which horses the lians assert to have been made by a magician1 of brass1 into which metal he had previously infused the hippomanes1 and which1 in consequence1 possessed the power of exciting in horses a mad desire for coition4 ,the horse so made by the magician was1 both in size and shape inferior to many horses which are dedicated within ,altis1 and was rendered still more deformed by having no tail4 ,horses desire connection with this image not only in spring1 but every day throughout the year1 for1 breaking their bridles or running away from their drivers1 they rush into ,altis and attack the horse in a manner much more furious than if it was the most beautiful mare1 and one they were acquainted with4 ,their hoofs1 indeed1 slip from the side of the image1 but nevertheless they never cease neighing vehemently and leaping furiously on the figure till they are driven off by the whip or by some other violent means1 for till such methods are applied1 it is impossible to disengage them from the brass4#ajh ,many formula for love-potions may be found in the work of ,albertus ,magnus1 who1 among other things1 particularly recommends the brains of a partridge calcined into powder and swallowed in red wine1 a remedy which is also much insisted upon by ,platina1 who1 in praising the flesh of the partridge1 says1 ,perdicis caro bene ac facile concoquitur1 multum in se nutrimenti habet1 cerebri vim auget1 genituram facilitat ac demortuam ,venerem excitat4#aji ,the flesh of the partridge1 which is of good and easy digestion1 is highly nutritious2 it strengthens the brain1 facilitates conception1 and arouses the half-extinct desire for venereal pleasures4 ,mery#aaj confidently prescribes1 for the same purpose1 the partes genitales of a cock prepared and administered in like manner4 ,the following compositions enjoyed a vast reputation during the #agth century3 ,,fortuna ,,veneris4--,take of pismires or ants 7the biggest1 having a sourish smell1 are the best7 two handfuls1 spirits of wine one gallon2 digeste them in a glasse vessel1 close shut1 for the space of a month1 in which time they will be dissolved into a liquor2 then distil them in balneo till all be dry4 ,then put the same quantity of ants as before2 do this three times1 then aromatize the spirit with cinnamon4 ,note1 that upon the spirit will float an oil which must be separated4 ,this spirit 7continues the inventor7 is of excellent use to stir up the animal spirits insomuch that ,john ,casimire1 ,palsgrave of the ,rhine1 and ,seyfrie of ,collen1 general against the ,turks1 did always drink thereof when they went to fight1 to increase magnanimity and courage1 which it did even to admiration4 ,this spirit doth also wonderfully irritate them that are slothful to venery4#aaa ,,aqua ,,magnanimitatis4--,take of ants or pismires a handful of their eggs two hundred1 of millepedes 7wood-lice7 two hundred1 of bees two hundred and fifty2 digeste them together1 the space of a month1 then pour off the clear spirit1 and keep it safe4 ,this water or spirit is of the same value as the former4#aab ,but1 quitting these fond conceits1 as honest old ,burton#aac calls them1 and investigating the subject upon acknowledged and recognised principles1 it will be found that1 as the ancient philosophers and naturalists regarded the semen as the purest and most perfect part of our blood1 the flower of our blood and a portion of the brain1 so the sole object of all aphrodisiacal preparations should be to promote its copious secretion4 ,before1 however1 proceeding to indicate the means most conducive thereto1 it may prove interesting to the reader to be informed what were the opinions of some of the most celebrated philosophers of antiquity1 upon the semen4 ,let us first1 says ,montaigne1#aad know whether1 at least1 all they 7physicians7 agree about the matter whereof men produce one another4444 ,archesilaus1 the physician1 whose favourite and disciple ,socrates was1 said that men and beasts were formed of a lacteous slime1 expressed by the heat of the earth4 ,pythagoras says that our seed is the foam or cream of our better blood4 ,plato1 that it is the distillation of the marrow of the back-bones2 and raises his argument from this3 that that part is first sensible of being weary of the work4 ,alcmeon1 that it is a part of the substance of the brain1 and that it is so1 says he1 is proved by its causing weakness of the eyes in those who are over-immoderately addicted to that exercise4 ,democritus1 that it is a substance extracted from soul and body4 ,aristotle1 an excrement drawn from the aliment of the last blood which is diffused over all our members2 others1 that it is a blood concocted and digested by the heat of the genitals4 ,but1 to return from this digression4 ,under whatever point of view the semen verile be considered1 whether as containing1 according to some physicians1 all the parts of the ftus1 under the name of organic molecules1 or as being1 in the opinion of others1 merely destined to fecundate the female egg1 it will be equally true that the semen is a fluid impregnated with a vivifying principle regarded as the most important 7validissimum7 of our humours1 by ,hippocrates1 who1 in support of this his opinion1 adduces the fact of our becoming debilitated1 however small the quantity we may lose of it in the venereal act4#aae ,zeno1 the father of the ,stoic philosophy1 called the loss of semen the loss of part of the animating principle2 and that sage's practice was conformable with his principles1 for he is recorded to have embraced his wife but once in his life1 and that out of mere courtesy4 ,epicuras and ,democritus were nearly of the same opinion as ,zeno2 and the ,athlet1 that their strength might be unimpaired1 never married4 ,the ,rabbis1 in their anxiety to preserve their nation1 are said to have ordered1 with a view of preventing a loss of vigour1 that a peasant should indulge but once a week1 and a merchant but once a month1 a sailor but twice a year1 and a studious man but once in two years2 and for the same reason1 ,moses forbade indulgence before battle4 ,les tres1 says a writer in the ,dictionnaire des ,sciences ,mdicales1#aaf qui font le plus abus de leurs facults intellectuelles et sensitives extrieures1 sont les moins capables d'un cot frquent1 tandis que les idiots1 les crtins1 l'exercent bien davantage4 ,de mme1 l'ne1 le cochon se livrent plus stupidement l'acte de propagation et repandent beaucoup plus de sperme que des espces intelligentes2 enfin les animaux petit cerveau1 tels que les poissons1 montrent une extrme fcondit4 ,if now1 it be asked what will best promote the secretion of the seminal fluid1 or1 in other words1 which is the best aphrodisiac1 it may be confidently answered1 the use of a substantial nourishment1 such as medical men designate as an analeptic diet4 ,food of this description1 without fatiguing the gastric organs1 furnishes an abundant chyle1 from which is elaborated a rich blood1 and in which the secretory organs find materials of an excellent quality1 and in an almost constant proportion with the regular consumption of their products4 ,all food of easy and quick digestion is an analeptic1 whence it follows that the same substance which is an analeptic to one person1 may prove indigestible and innutritious for another4 ,the numerous treatises upon digestion render it unnecessary to specify here the different aliments most proper for convalescents1 suffice it to say1 generally1 that those meats in which azezome is found are the most nutritious4 ,this animal principle is that extractive matter of animal fibre which produces the red appearance of uncooked meat2 it is also that which forms what is called the brown of roasted meats1 gives the flavour to broths and soups1 the peculiar smell to boiled meat1 and constitutes the much admired gout of game and venison4 ,it is not found in the flesh of young animals1 which is said1 with reason1 to be1 on that very account1 less nutritious4 ,it is only when they have attained the adult age that it appears in them2 it is abundant in beef1 mutton1 kid1 hare1 pigeon1 partridge1 pheasant1 woodcock1 quail1 duck1 goose1 and generally1 in all animals having dark coloured flesh4 ,mushrooms and oysters also contain some1 but in a very small proportion4 ,food in which this principle exists appears to impress upon the membrane of the stomach an increase of activity2 the digestion is easy1 and from a small mass of alimentary substance an abundant chyle is obtained4 ,the chyliferous vessels derive a very great proportion of reparative materials2 there is found but little excrementitious residue1 the blood is enriched and its course accelerated1 while the impulsive force of the heart and arteries is strong and more lively4 ,under the influence of this regimen a greater quantity of heat is developed and1 in a given time1 there is a greater absorption of oxygen than during a vegetable one2 the respiration is performed more freely1 the organs increase in size1 but it is then a genuine embonpoint2 nutrition is1 in reality1 more active1 it is not a deceptive turgidity2 the energy of the secretions and exhalations is redoubled1 cutaneous perspiration becomes more abundant1 and the glandular apparatus fulfil their functions with greater facility4 ,a man who adopts this food becomes consequently very well fitted to make the sacrifices exacted by the calls of love1 to which he is then more frequently solicited4 ,the mollusca in general1 and testaceous animals in particular1 have been considered as endowed with aphrodisiac properties4 ,juvenal attributes this quality to oysters which1 together with mussles1 have in this respect become vulgarly proverbial4 ,quis enim ,venus ebria curat8 ,inguinis et capitis qu sint discrimina nescit ,grandia qu mediis jam noctibus ostrea mordet4#aag ,for what cares the drunken dame8 7,take head or tail71 to her 'tis much the same ,who at deep midnight on fat oysters sups4 ,wallich informs us that the ladies of his time had recourse1 on such occasions1 to the brains of the mustela piscis4 ,the ,sepia octopus was also in great repute1 and ,plautus1 in his play of ,cisina1 introduces an old man who has just been purchasing some at the market4 ,appuleius1 the celebrated author of the ,metamorphoseon de ,asino aureo 7,metamorphoses of the ,golden ,ass71 and who lived in the #bnd century1 under the ,antonines1 having married a rich widow1 was accused by her father milian1 before ,claudius ,maximus1 pro-,consul of ,asia1 of having employed sorcery and charms in order to gain her affections 7a parallel case with that of ,shakspear's ,othello74 ,the love-potions alleged to have been administered were asserted to be chiefly composed of shell-fish1 lobsters1 sea hedge-hogs1 spiced oysters1 and cuttle-fish1 the last of which was particularly famed for its stimulating qualities4 ,appuleius fulley exonerated himself in his admirable ,apologia ceu oratio de ,magica1 so esteemed for the purity of its style as to have been pronounced by ,saint ,augustine 7,de ,civitate ,dei1 lib4 xviii4 c4 #bj7 as copiosissima et disertissima oratio4 ,the reason adduced by milian for believing that ,appuleius had chiefly used fish for the purpose was1 that they must necessarily have great efficacy in exciting women to venery1 inasmuch as ,venus herself was born of the sea4 ,venette#aah supports this view when he says3 ,nous avons l'exprience en ,france que ceux qui ne vivent presque que de coquillages et de poissons qui ne sont que de l'eau rassemble1 sont plus ardents l'amour que les autres1 en effet1 nous nous y sentons bien plus y ports en ,caresme qu'en tout autre saison parce-qu'en ce temps l nous ne nous nourrissons que de poissons et d'herbes qui sont des aliments composs de beaucoup d'eau4 ,should this be true1 the ,infallible 787 ,church must have committed an astounding blunder in thinking to mortify1 for six weeks1 the sinful lusts and affections of its dupes1 by confining them1 for the above period1 to the exclusive use of such articles of food4 ,there are also some aliments which1 although not included in the class of analeptics1 are1 nevertheless1 reported to possess specific aphrodisiacal qualities2 such are fish1 truffles1 and chocolate4 ,the following anecdote relative to this property in fish is related by ,hecquet3#aai ,sultan ,saladin1 wishing to ascertain the extent of the continence of the dervishes1 took two of them into his palace1 and1 during a certain space of time1 had them fed upon the most succulent food4 ,in a short time all traces of their self-inflicted severities were effaced1 and their embonpoint began to re-appear4 ,in this state he gave them two ,odalisques#abj of surpassing beauty1 but all whose blandishments and allurements proved ineffectual1 for the two holy men came forth from the ordeal as pure as the diamond of ,bejapore4#aba ,the ,sultan still kept them in his palace1 and1 to celebrate their triumph1 caused them to live upon a diet equally recherch1 but consisting entirely of fish4 ,a few days afterwards they were again subjected to the united powers of youth and beauty1 but this time nature was too strong1 and the too happy cenobites forgot1 in the arms of voluptuousness1 their vows of continence and chastity4 ,this peculiar property in fish has been attributed to the presence of phosphorus1 which is known to exist somewhat plentifully in their substance1 and has also been discovered in their roes in a simple state of combination4 ,now1 phosphorus is one of the most powerful stimulants3 it acts upon the generative organism in a manner to cause the most violent priapisms2 but this principle does not act alone1 and there must also be taken into account the different seasonings and condiments which form the basis of most culinary preparations to which fish are subjected1 and which are all taken from the class of irritants4 ,the prolific virtues of fish have1 no doubt1 been greatly exaggerated1 and it is certain that too much importance has been given to the observation made 7rather upon slight grounds7 by travellers as to the abundant population of ichthyophagic nations2 nor would it be difficult to adduce facts to prove to the incredulous that the continuous use of fish excites lasciviousness in such persons only as are constitutionally inclined thereto4 ,the following instances sufficiently establish the aphrodisiacal qualities of phosphorus4 ,a drake belonging to a chemist having drunk water out of a copper vessel which had contained phosphorus1 ceased not gallanting his females till he died4 ,an old man to whom a few drops only of phosphoric ether had been administered1 experienced repeated and imperious venereal wants which he was compelled to satisfy4 ,leroy and ,battatz1 two celebrated ,french physicians of the last century1 tried the effects of phosphorus upon themselves1 with similar results4 ,sensations of the same kind are said to be experienced by persons whose occupation requires the frequent handling of this drug4 ,it may thus be considered as satisfactorily proved that the above substance is essentially an energetic stimulant of the genital organs2 but1 should still further evidence be required1 it may be found in the fact that the administration of it1 even in small doses1 has been productive of the most horrible and fatal results1 instances of which are recorded in many medical works both foreign and ,english1 but more particularly in those of ,brera1 ,magendie1 and others4 ,the erotic properties of truffles and mushrooms are considered by most writers as better established than those of fish4 ,the ancient ,romans were well acquainted with truffles1 and obtained them from ,greece and ,africa1 especially from the province of ,libya1 the fungi found there being particularly esteemed for their delicacy and flavour4 ,in modern times1 also1 the truffle is regarded as the diamond of the kitchen1 being highly valued for its capability of exciting the genesiac sense1 it being a positive aphrodisiac which disposes men to be exacting and women complying4#abb ,the following instance of its effects is given by ,brillat ,savarin1#abc to whom the circumstances were communicated1 in confidence1 by the lady who was the subject of them3 ,je soupai1 says she1 un jour chez moi en trio avec mon mari et un de ses amis dont le nom tait ,v----4 ,c'tait un beau garon et ne manquant pas d'esprit et venait souvent chez moi1 mais il ne m'avait jamais rien dit qui put le faire regarder comme mon amant1 et s'il me fesait la cour1 c'tait d'une manire si enveloppe qu'il n'y avait qu'une sotte qui eut p s'en fcher4 ,il paraissait1 ce jour l1 destin me tenir compagnie pendant le reste de la soire1 car mon mari avait un rendezvous et devait nous quitter bientt4 ,notre souper avait pour base une petite volaill truffe4 ,les truffes taient dlicieuses1 et quoique je les aime beaucoup1 je me contins1 nonobstant2 je ne bus aussi qu'un seul verre de ,champagne1 ayant quelque pressentiment que la soire ne se passerait pas sans vnement4 ,bientt mon mari partit et me laissa seule avec ,v---- qu'il regardait comme tout fait sans consequence4 ,la conversation roula d'abord sur des sujets indiffrents1 mais elle ne tarda pas prendre une tournure plus srieuse et plus intressante4 ,v---- fut successivement flatteur1 expansif1 affectueux1 caressant1 et voyant que je ne faisais que plaisanter de tant de belles choses1 il devint si pressant que je ne pus plus me tromper de ses prtensions4 ,alors1 je me reveillai comme d'une songe et me dfendis avec autant plus de franchise que mon cur ne me disait rien pour lui4 ,il persistait avec une action que pouvait devenir tout fait offensante2 j'eus beaucoup de peine de la remener1 et j'avone1 ma honte1 que toute esprance ne lui serait pas interdite4 ,enfin1 il me quitta1 j'allai me coucher et dormis tout d'un somme4 ,mais le lendemain fut le jour du jugement2 j'examinai ma conduite de la veille1 et je la trouvai reprhensible4 ,j'aurais du arreter ,v---- ds les premires phrases1 et ne pas me prter une conversation qui ne prsageait rien de bon4 ,ma fiert aurait d sonner1 crier1 me fcher1 faire1 enfin1 tout ce que je ne fis pas4 ,que vous dirai je1 ,monsieur1 je mis tout cela sur le compte des truffes1 et je suis relement persuade qu'elles m'avaient donne une prdisposition dangereuse1 et si je n'y renonce pas 7ce qui eut t trop rigoureux7 du moins je n'en mange jamais sans que le plaisir qu'elles me causent ne soit ml d'un peu de defiance4 ,the mushroom was also equally well known as the truffle to the ancient ,romans for its aphrodisiacal qualities4 ,thus1 ,martial says3 ,quum sit anus conjux et sint tibi mortua membra1 ,nil aliud bulbis quam sater esse potes4#abd ,if envious age relax the nuptial knot1 ,thy food be mushrooms1 and thy feast shalot4 ,this bulb was believed by the ancients to be so decided a stimulant1 that it was always served up1 together with pepper and pine-nuts1 at the wedding dinner4 ,an immoderate use of chocolate was1 in the #agth century1 considered so powerful an aphrodisiac that ,jean ,franco ,raucher strenuously enforced the necessity of forbidding the monks to drink it1 adding that if such an interdiction had been laid upon it at an earlier period1 the scandal with which that sacred order had been assailed would have been prevented4 ,it is a singular fact that1 fearful of losing their character1 or1 what1 perhaps1 was dearer to them1 their chocolate1 the worthy cenobites were so diligent in suppressing ,raucher's work that four copies only of it are said to be in existence4 ,the history of the middle ages abounds with complaints of the lubricity1 gluttony1 and drunkenness of the monks1 vices which are described as being their ruin1 in the fallowing pithy distich3 ,sunt tria nigrorum qu vestant res monachorum1 ,renes et venter et pocula sumpta frequenter4#abe ,three things to ruin monks combine-- ,venery1 gluttony1 and wine4 ,a monk who was a great enemy to adultery1 was one day preaching against it1 and grew so warm in his argument1 and took so much pains to convince his congregation of his own abhorrence of it1 that at last he broke out in the following solemn declaration3 ,yea1 my brethren1 ,i had rather1 for the good of my soul1 have to do with ten maids every month1 than1 in ten years1 to touch one married woman6 ,the celebrity they acquired in the field of ,venus may readily be imagined from a quatrain that was affixed in a conspicuous part of the ,church of ,st4 ,hyacinthe1 and which runs thus3 ,femmes qui dsirez de devenir enceinte ,addressez cy vos vux au grand ,saint ,hyacinthe1 ,et tout ce que pour vous le ,saint ne pourra faire ,les moines de cans pourront y satisfaire4#abf ,you ladies who for pregnancy do wish ,to great ,st4 ,hyacinthe your prayers apply1 ,and what his ,saintship cannot accomplish ,the monks within will surely satisfy4 ,it would have been well had these holy men been contented with these1 comparatively1 venial indulgences4 ,the following macaronic epigram1 however1 shows that they were but too much addicted to the ,amour ,socratique3 ,let a friar of some order tecum pernoctare ,either thy wife or thy daughter hic vult violare1 ,or thy son he will prefer1 sicut fortem fortis1 ,god give such a friar pain in ,inferni portis4#abg ,but the open violation of their monastic vows1 especially that of chastity1 sometimes subjected monks to very severe punishment1 a singular instance of which is recorded by ,thevet1#abh who1 on account of the inimitable quaintness of his language and style1 must be allowed to tell his own story3 ,phillippus ,bourgoin1 grd prieur de l',abbaye de ,cluny1 voyant l'insolence1 ribleres et putasseries que menoient certains religieux de l'abbaye de ,cluny les fist appeller particulirement1 leur demonstra le tort qu'ilz se faisoient et la sainctet de leur ordre1 et appercevant qu'ilz continuoient leur train1 en pleine voute ou assemble1 qu'ils font en leur chapitre1 leur denona1 pu'estt en son oratoire ,sainct ,hugues s'estoit apparu luy1 le chargeant de leur fair entendre qu'ilz amendassent leur vie1 ou autremt1 qu'ilz tomberoient en son indignation1 les ayant en telle verdeure envoya querir des maistres oprateurs scretment en son logis et mda querir une nuict tous les plus mauvais garons de ,moynes1 les uns aprs les autres1 qui n'estaient plutt entrez au logis du ,prieur qu' leur bdoit les yeux1 et aprs les maistres leurs nettit bragardement leurs petites boursettes de ce qui les faisoit hennir aprs leurs voluptz et aprs les renvoiet en leurs chambres1 plus legiers de deux grains qu'ilz n'etoit auparavant1 les ayant chappnez4 ,aprs telle excution le bruict courut qu' avoit veu ,sainct ,hugues se pourmant prs de l'enfermerie de l'abbaye1 qui fist croire aux pauvres ,moynes hongres1 que par adresse autre qu'humaine1 ils avoit ainsi est estropiez de leur virilit4 ,to these poor monks may1 however1 be applied the sly remark of ,hume1 upon a similar act of cruelty perpetuated1 though for a far more innocent cause1 by ,geoffry1 the father of ,henry ,,ii41 upon the prior and chapter of ,seez in ,normandy1 viz41 that of the pain and danger they might justly complain1 yet1 since they had vowed chastity1 he deprived them of a superfluous treasure4#abi ,if the properties of ambergris be less potent than those of phosphorus1 they are certainly less fatal4 ,according to ,boswell1#acj three grains of the former suffice to produce a marked acceleration of the pulse1 a considerable development of muscular strength1 a greater activity in the intellectual faculties1 and a disposition to cheerfulness and venereal desires4 ,the same author also says that it is a medicine which can1 for a short time1 restore an effete old man to juvenility4#aca ,the ancients reposed great confidence in the virtues of this drug1 employing it as a renovator of the vital powers and of the organs1 whose energy had been exhausted by age or by excess2 and throughout the ,east this perfume still maintains a reputation for life-preserving qualities4 ,madame ,du ,barry1#acb the infamous mistress of ,louis ,,xv41 is reported to have availed herself of its aphrodisiacal qualities in order to stimulate the jaded appetites of her royal paramour4 ,l'attachement du roi pour ,madame ,du ,barry#acc lui est venu des efforts prodigieux qu'elle lui fit faire au moyen d'un baptme 7lavement7 ambr dont elle se parfuma intrieurement tous les jours4 ,on ajoute qu'elle joignit cela un secret dont on ne se sert pas encore en bonne socit4 ,piquant as is this anecdote1 the key to it is equally so4 ,les mouches cantarides1 i diabolini l'essence de girofle1 les baptmes ambrs1 etc41 sont des inventions de notre siecle dont la dbilit eut t incurable sans ces secours1 l'auteur ne peut rendre le secret de la mauvaise socit1 dont se sert la ,comtesse1 sans blesser la bonne1 tout ce qu'il peut dire dcemment est que ce secret est un diminutif des erreurs philosophiques4#acd ,the old pharmacopia are amply furnished with formula of which amber constitutes the base4 ,these recipes are generally designated by names which1 to a certain extent1 indicate the particular use to which they are destined by their makers2 thus1 ,france formerly boasted her ,tablettes de ,magnanimit1 or ,electuaire ,satyrion1 and ,un poudre de joie4 ,troches1 or odoriferous lozenges1 to which the ancients gave the pretty name of ,avuncul ,cypri1 were1 and perhaps are still1 sold in ,paris under that of ,seraglio ,pastilles4 ,ambergris forms the basis of these1 as it also does of the ,indian pastilles called ,cachunde1 and which were equally in repute4 ,zactus ,lusitanus#ace states that they were composed of bole ,tuccinum1 musk1 ambergris1 aloes-wood1 red and yellow sanders 7pterocarpus santalinus7 mastic1 sweet-flag 7calamus aromaticus7 galanga1 cinnamon1 rhubarb1 ,indian myrobalon1 absynth1 and of some pounded precious stones1 which1 however1 impart no additional quality to the composition4 ,speaking of this composition1 the ,encyclopdia ,perthensis describes it as a medicine highly celebrated among the ,chinese and ,indians2 it is composed of ambergris and several other aromatic ingredients1 perfumes1 medicinal earths1 and precious stones4 ,it imparts a sweetness to the breath1 is a valuable medicine in all nervous complaints1 and is esteemed as a prolonger of life and an exciter to venery4#acf ,rivire#acg gives us the following formula for a potion whose virtue is indisputable4 ,take of amber1 half a drachm2 musk1 two scruples2 aloes1 one drachm and a half2 pound them all together1 pour upon the mass a sufficient quantity of spirits of wine so that the liquor may cover it to the height of about five fingers' breadth2 expose it to sand heat1 filter and distil it1 close it hermetically1 and administer it in broth in the dose of three or five drops4 ,this liquor is also advantageous when mixed with syrup1 prepared as follows3--,take of cinnamon water1 four ounces2 orange and rose water1 each six ounces1 and sugar candy q4s4 ,musk taken internally is said by many physicians to be almost equal to ambergris for its aphrodisiacal qualities4 ,externally applied1 this substance produces very singular phenomena4 ,borelli details the case of a man qui s'tant frott le penis avec du musc avant de se livrer l'exercise des fonctions genitales1 resta uni avec sa femme sans pouvoir s'en sparer4 ,il fallait1 dans cette position lui donner une quantit de lavements afin de ramoller les parties qui s'taient extraordinairement tumifies4#ach ,diermerbreek and ,schurigius gave similar instances4 ,the effects of musk are1 therefore1 almost equal to those produced by certain plants1 as recorded by ,theophrastus3 ,esse herbas qu vel ad sexagesimum coitum vim prstant sed at demum secernitur sanguis4#aci ,weickard says that by means of this drug he resuscitated the genital power in a man who had nearly completed his eightieth year4 ,but1 of all aphrodisiacs1 the most certain and terrible in its effects are cantharides1 commonly known as ,spanish flies4 ,that they exercise a powerful and energetic action upon the organization and stimulate1 to the utmost1 the venereal desire1 is but too true4 ,the effects1 however1 which these insects1 when applied as a blister upon the skin1 are known to produce1 are insignificant when compared with their intense action upon the stomach when taken internally2 nor is it the stomach only which is affected by them3 the bladder experiences an irritation exceeding even that caused by the severest strangury4 ,to these succeed perforation of the stomach1 ulcers throughout the entire length of the intestinal canal1 dysentery1 and1 lastly1 death in the midst of intolerable agonies4 ,medical works abound with observations concerning the fatal effects of cantharides when unduly administered1 whether from ignorance or for exciting the venereal appetite4 ,the two following cases are recorded by ,pabrol in his ,observations ,anatomiques3 ,en #ageb nous fumes visiter un pauvre homme d',organ en ,provence atteint du plus horrible satyriasis qu'on saurait voir et penser4 ,le fait est tel4 ,il avait les quartes1 pour en gurir prend conseil d'une sorcire1 laquelle lui fait une potion d'une once de semences d'orties1 de deux drachmes de cantharides1 d'une drachme et demi de caboule et autres1 ce qui le rendit si furieux l'acte vnrien que sa femme nous jura son ,dieu1 qu'il l'avait chevauche1 dans deux mois1 quatre vingt sept fois1 sans y comprendre plus de dix fois qu'il s'tait corrompu lui-mme4 ,dans le temps que nous consultions1 le pauvre homme spermatisa trois fois notre prsence1 embrassa le pied du lit1 et agitant contre lui comme si c'eust t sa femme4 ,ce spectacle nous tonn et nous ht lui faire des remdes pour abattre cette furieusse chaleur1 mais quel remde qu'on lui eust faire1 se passa-t-il le pas4 ,un mdecin ,orange1 nomm ,chauvel avait t appell en #ageh ,caderousse1 petite ville proche de sa rsidence1 pour voir un homme atteint d'une maladie du mme genre4 ,a l'entre de la maison il trouve la femme du dit malade1 laquelle se plaignit lui de la furieuse lubricit de son mari1 qui l'avait chevauche quarante fois pour une nuit1 et avait toutes les parties gonfles1 tant contrainte les lui montrer afin qu'il lui ordonnast les remdes pour abattre l'inflammation4 ,le mal du mari tant venu d'un breuvage semblable l'autre que lui fut donn par une femme qui gardait l'hpital1 pour gurir la fivre tierce qui l'affligeoit1 de laquelle il tomba dans une telle fureur qu'il fallait l'attacher comme s'il eust t possd du diable4 ,le vicaire du lieu fut prsent1 pour l'exhorter la prsence mme du ,sieur ,chauvel1 lesquels il priait le laisser mourir avec le plaisir1 les femmes le plirent dans un linsseuil mouill en eau et en vinaigre1 o il fut lass jusqu'au le lendemain qu'elles allaient le visiter1 mais sa furieuse chaleur fut bien abattue et eteinte1 car elles le trouvrent roid mort1 la bouche bante1 montrant les dents1 et son membre gangrne4 ,par also relates that a courtezan1 having sprinkled the meat given by her to one of her lovers1 with pounded cantharides1 the wretched youth was seized with a violent priapism and loss of blood at the anus1 of which he died4 ,ferdinand the ,catholic1 of ,castile1 owed his death to the effects of a philter administered to him by his queen1 ,germaine de ,foix1 in the hope of enabling him to beget an heir to the crowns of ,aragon1 ,navarre1 and ,naples4 ,plusieurs dames1 says ,mignot1#adj attaches la ,reine1 lui indiqurent un breuvage qu'il fallait1 disoit on donner ,ferdinand pour ranimer ses forces4 ,cette princese fit composer ce remde1 sous ses yeux1 et le prsenta au roi qui dsirait1 plus qu'elle1 d'avoir un fils4 ,depuis ce jour1 la sant de ,ferdinand s'affaiblit1 au point qu'il ne la recouvra jamais4 ,the life of the celebrated ,wallenstein1 one of the heroes of the ,thirty ,years' war1 was far a long time endangered from the effects of a potion administered to him by his countess4 ,de retour dans sa patrie1 il 7,wallenstein7 sut inspirer une vive passion une riche veuve de la famille de ,wiezkova1 et eut l'adresse de se faire prfr des rivaux d'un rang plus lev2 mais cette union fut trouble par l'extrme jalousie de sa femme2 ou prtend mme qu'elle fit usage de philtres que pensrent compromettre le sant de son mari4#ada ,cardinal ,dubois1#adb the favourite and minister of ,philip ,duke of ,orleans1 ,regent of ,france1 during the minority of ,louis ,,xv41 gives the following amusing account of a love potion1 to the powerful effects of which he considered himself indebted for his existence4 ,an old bachelor1 of ,brivas1 had engaged to marry a young lady of only sixteen years of age4 ,the night before the wedding he assembled the wise heads of his family for the purpose of consulting upon the best means of enabling him to perform his part creditably in the approaching amorous conflict4 ,opinions were divided2 some maintained that nature was adequate to the occasion at any age1 while others recommended a certain preparation in the ,pharmacopeia1 which would amply supply the defect of youth in a sexaginary husband4 ,the old gentleman chose1 without hesitation1 the surest and speediest of these two chances of success4 ,the prescription was sent to the shop of my worthy father1 who was an apothecary in the town1 and he accordingly immediately set to work1 and made up a draught which would have awakened desire even in ,methusaleh himself4 ,this valuable philter was not to be sent to the party till the next day4 ,it was late1 and my mother1 continues the ,cardinal1 desired her husband to retire to rest and he1 tired with his day's work1 quickly undressed himself1 blew out his candle1 and deposited himself1 like a loving husband1 by the side of his dear spouse4 ,awakening in the middle of the night1 he complained of being excessively thirsty1 and his better half1 roused from her slumbers1 got up in the dark1 and groping about for something wherewith to quench his thirst1 her hand encountered the invigorating philter1 which it truly proved to be1 for ,i came into the world precisely nine months after that memorable night4#adc ,although love-potions and philters1 as well as the other preparations had recourse to1 for animating and arousing the organs for reproduction frequently owe1 as we have shewn1 their advantages to cantharides1 and are1 but too often productive of terrible effects1 yet it cannot be denied that when administered by a skilful1 cautious1 and experienced physician1 they have restored the desired vigour when all other means have failed4 ,the flesh of the ,schinck 7scincus71 an amphibious animal of the lizard species1 and sometimes of the land lizard1 or crocodile1 is said1 when reduced to powder and drunk with sweet wine1 to act miraculously in exciting the venereal action2 it is also prepared for the same object in the form of the electuary known by the name of ,diasatyrion4 lius recommends that in order to cause the erection of the virile organ1 the flesh of this animal should be taken from the vicinity of its genital apparatus4#add ,it is a well known fact that the ,egyptian peasants carried their lizards to ,cairo1 whence they were forwarded1 vi ,alexandria1 to ,venice and ,marseilles4 ,this species of lizard1 which feeds upon aromatic plants1 was also used as an aphrodisiac by the ,arabs1 and the well known anti-poisonous quality of its flesh had caused it1 in more ancient times1 to be employed as an ingredient in the far-famed ,mithridates1 or antidote to poison4 ,browne informs us#ade that in ,africa1 no part of the ,materia ,medica is so much in requisition as those which stimulate to venereal pleasure4 ,the ,lacerta scincus in powder1 and a thousand other articles of the same kind1 are in continual demand4 ,the plant ,chervri 7sandix ceropolium7 is also accounted as capable of exciting amorous propensities1 so much so that ,tiberius1 the ,roman emperor1 the most lascivious1 perhaps1 of men1 is said to have exacted a certain quantity of it from the ,germans1 by way of tribute1 for the purpose of rendering himself vigorous with his women and catamites2 and ,venette says that the ,swedish ladies give it to their husbands when they find them flag in their matrimonial duties4#adf ,but it was upon the plant called ,satyrion 7orchis mascula7 that those who required aphrodisiacal remedies rested their most sanguine hopes4 ,this plant1 ,theophrastus assures us1 possesses so wonderful a property of exciting venery that a mere application of it to the parts of generation will enable a man to accomplish the act of love twelve times successively4 ,speaking of this plant1 ,venette#adg says that the herb which the ,indian ,king ,androphyl sent to ,king ,antiochus was that it was so efficacious in exciting men to amorous enjoyment as to surpass in that quality1 all other plants1 the ,indian who was the bearer of it assuring the king qu'elle lui avait donn de la vigueur pour soixante dix embrassements1 but he owned qu'aux derniers efforts ce qu'il rendait n'tait plus de semence4 ,matthoile1 however1 observing that those persons who made use of it did not appear much given to lasciviousness1 concluded that we had lost the true satyrion of the ancients2 but1 it is nevertheless certain1 notwithstanding so adverse an opinion1 that this plant long preserved its reputation1 and was recommended by all botanists for its aphrodisiac potency4 ,of all the species of this plant the one popularly known as dog-stones is reputed to possess the greatest virtue4 ,the ,turks have also their ,satyrion 7orchis morio71 which grows upon the mountains near ,constantinople1 and which they make use of to repair their strength1 and stimulate them to the generative act4 ,from this root is made the salep of which the inhabitants of ,turkey1 ,persia1 and ,syria1 are extremely fond1 being looked upon as one of the greatest restoratives and provocatives to venery in the whole vegetable world4 ,but besides the aphrodisiacal qualities attributed to this plant by the above people1 they give it credit for other ones1 which good opinion experience has confirmed1 and therefore whenever they undertake a long voyage1 they never omit to carry it with them as a specific against all diseases4 ,modern practitioners likewise commend its restorative1 mucilaginous and demulcent qualities as rendering it of considerable utility1 particularly in sea scurvy1 diarrha1 dysentery1 and stone or gravel4 ,in addition to this property1 salep also possesses the very singular one of concealing the taste of sea water1 hence to prevent the dreadful calamity of perishing by thirst at sea it has been proposed that the powder of this plant should form part of the provisions of every ship's company4 ,borax is likewise considered to possess peculiar aphrodisiacal qualities4 ,il pntre1 says ,venette1 toutes les parties de notre corps et ouvre tous les vaisseaux1 et par la tnuit de sa substance1 il conduit aux parties gnitales tout ce qui est capable de nous servir de matire la semence4#adh ,the plant ,rocket 7,brasica eruca7 has likewise been especially celebrated by the ancient poets for possessing the virtue of restoring vigour to the sexual organs1 on which account it was consecrated to and sown around1 the statue of ,priapus2 thus ,columella says3-- ,et qu frugifero seritur vicina ,priapo ,excitet ut veneri tardos eruca maritos4#adi ,th' eruca1 ,priapus1 near thee we sow ,to rouse to duty husbands who are slow4 ,virgil attributes to it the same quality1 designing it as-- 444 ,et venerem revocans eruca morantem4#aej ,th'eruca1 plant which gives to jaded appetite the spur4 ,lobel#aea gives an amusing account of the effects of this plant upon certain monks in the garden of whose monastery it was sown1 an infusion of it being daily doled out to them under the impression that its cheering and exhilarating qualities would rouse them from the state of inactivity and sluggishness so common to the inmates of such establishments4 ,but1 alas6 the continual use of it produced an effect far more powerful than had been contemplated by the worthy itinerant monk who had recommended it1 for the poor cenobites were so stimulated by its aphrodisiacal virtues that1 transgressing alike their monastic wall and vows1 they sought relief for their amorous desires in the fond embraces of the women residing in the neighbourhood4 ,salt1 mala ,bacchica#aeb ,cubebs1 ,surag1#aec and radix ,chin 7bark71 were also regarded by ancient physicians as powerful aphrodisiacs4 ,gomez#aed asserts of the first of these substances1 that women who much indulge in it are thereby rendered more salacious1 and that1 for this reason1 ,venus is said to have arisen from the sea2 whence the epigram3 ,unde tot in ,veneta scortorum millia cur sunt8 ,in promptu causa est4 ,venus orta mari4 ,in ,venice why so many punks abound8 ,the reason sure is easy to be found3 ,because1 as learned sages all agree1 ,fair ,venus' birth-place was the salt1 salt sea4 ,to the last of the above-mentioned plants1 ,baptista ,porta ascribes the most wonderful powers1 his words being3 ,planta qu non solum edentibus1 sed et genitale languentibus tantum valet1 ut coire summe desiderant1 quoties fere velint1 possint2 alios duodecies profecisse1 alios ad sexaginta vices pervenisse1 refert4#aee ,certain condiments are also aphrodisiacal1 acting as they undoubtedly do1 as powerful stimulants4 ,thus ,tourtelle and ,peyrible assure us that pepper is a provocative to venereal pleasures1 while ,gesner and ,chappel cured an atony of the virile member of three or four years' duration1 by repeated immersions of that organ in a strong infusion of mustard seed4 ,the principal ingredient of the ,bang so much used by the ,indians1 as well as of the ,maslac of the ,turks is a species of the hemp plant4 ,the ,indians1 says ,acosta1#aef masticate the seeds and leaves of several species of that plant1 in order to increase their vigour in the venereal congress1 and very frequently combine with it1 ambergris1 musk1 and sugar1 preparing it in the form of an electuary4 ,it has been remarked1 moreover1 that even in our own climate1 the caged birds that are fed with hemp seed are the most amorously inclined4 ,according to ,browne#aeg whole fields are in ,africa sown with hashish1 the bang of the ,east ,indies1 for the purpose of being used as a stimulant to amorous dalliance4 ,it is used in a variety of forms1 but in none1 it is supposed1 more effectually than what in ,arabic1 is called ,maijn1 a kind of electuary1 in which both men and women indulge to excess4 ,it is said that the ,chinese1 domesticated at ,batavia1 avail themselves of a certain electuary for the purpose of stimulating their appetite for sexual intercourse4 ,this preparation1 called by them ,affion1 is chiefly composed of opium1 and it is asserted that its effect is so violent that a brutal passion supervenes and continues throughout the night1 the female being obliged to flee from the too energetic embraces of her lover4#aeh ,narcotics1 in general1 and especially1 opium1 have been considered as direct aphrodisiacs1 an opinion which1 if well founded1 would enable us to account more easily far those agreeable sensations by which the use of these substances is followed4 ,but it is very probable that narcotics act upon the genital organs in no other way than they do upon the other ones1 that is to say1 they certainly do simulate them1 but only proportionately to the increase of force in the circulation of the blood and to the power or tone of the muscular fibre4 ,it is also very probable that the voluptuous impressions superinduced by them depend upon the circumstances under which those persons are1 who habitually indulge in them1 and that they are connected with other impressions or with particular ideas which awaken them4 ,if1 for instance1 in a ,sultan reclining upon his sofa1 the intoxication of opium is accompanied by images of the most ravishing delight1 and if it occasions in him that sweet and lively emotion which the anticipation of those delights awakens throughout the whole nervous system1 the same inebriation is associated in the mind of a ,janizary or a ,spahi with ideas of blood and carnage1 with paroxysms1 the brutal fury of which has certainly1 nothing in common with the tender emotions of love4 ,it is in vain to allege in proof of the aphrodisiacal qualities of opium the state of erection in which the genital members of ,turks are found when lying dead on a field of battle1#aei for this state depends upon1 or is caused by1 the violent spasm or universal convulsive movements with which the body is seized in the moment of death3 the same phenomenon frequently appears in persons who suffer hanging4 ,in warm countries1 it is the concomitant of death from convulsive diseases1 and in our own climate1 it has been observed in persons who have died from apoplectic attacks4 ,the power which certain odours possess of exciting venereal desires admits not the slightest doubt1 at least as far as the inferior animals are concerned4 ,nearly all the mammifera exhale or emit1 in the rutting season1 peculiar emanations serving to announce from afar to the male the presence of the female and to excite in him the sexual desire4 ,facts have been observed with respect to insects even1 which cannot be otherwise accounted for than by odorous effluvia4 ,if1 for instance1 the female of the bombyx butterfly1 be placed in a box accurately closed1 it will not be long before several males will be seen flying around the prison1 and which could not possibly have known1 by means of their visual organs1 the presence of their captive ,dulcinea4 ,now the question is1 does anything analogous take place in our own species8 ,many authors assert that there does1 and among them ,virey1 who1 speaking of such exhalations1 says3 ,l'extrme propret des hommes et des femmes1 l'habitude de se baigner et de changer souvent de linge font disparatre les odeurs gnitales4#afj 444 ,on doit aussi remarquer que la haire des ,cnobites1 la robe des ,capucins1 le froc des moines1 les vtements rudes et mal-propres de diverses corporations religieuses exposent ceux qui les portent de fortes tentations1 cause de la qualit stimulante et de la sueur ftide dont taient bientt empreintes toutes ces sortes d'habillements4#afa ,odours1 observes ,cabanis#afb act powerfully upon the nervous system1 they prepare it for all the pleasurable sensations2 they communicate to it that slight disturbance or commotion which appears as if inseperable from emotions of delight1 all which may be accounted for by their exercising a special action upon those organs whence originate the most rapturous pleasure of which our nature is susceptible4 ,in infancy its influence is almost nothing1 in old age it is weak1 its true epoch being that of youth1 that of love4 ,it is certain that among most nations1 and from the remotest antiquity1 voluptuous women strengthened their amorous propensities by the use of various perfumes1 but particularly of musk1 to which has been attributed the power of exciting nocturnal emissions4 ,the great ,henry ,,iv41 of ,france1 no novice in love affairs1 was opposed to the use of odours1 maintaining that the parts of generation should be allowed to retain their natural scent1 which1 in his opinion1 was more effectual than all the perfumes ever manufactured by art4 ,another aphrodisiacal remedy1 which for a long time enjoyed a great reputation was the penis of the stag1 which was supposed to possess the virtue of furnishing a man with an abundance of seminal fluid4 ,perhaps the reason why the ancients attributed this property to the genital member of that animal was from the supposition that it was the receptacle of the bile2 that the abundance and acrid quality of this fluid caused lasciviousness1 and that the stag being transported by an erotic furor during the rutting season1 he was the most salacious of animals1 and consequently that the genital organ of this quadruped would1 when applied to man's generative apparatus1 impart thereto considerable heat and irritation4 ,a somewhat similar opinion respecting the horse appears to have obtained among the ,tartars1 if we may judge from the following account given by ,foucher d',obsonville3#afc ,les palefreniers amnent un cheval de sept huit ans1 mais nerveux1 bien nourri et en bon tat4 ,on lui prsente une jument comme pour la saillir1 et cependant on le retient de faon bien irriter ses ides4 ,enfin1 dans le moment o il semble qu'il va lui tre libre de s'lancer dessus1 l'on fait adroitment passer la verge dans un cordon dont le nud coulant est rapproch au ventre1 ensuite1 saisissant l'instant o l'animal parait dans sa plus forte rection1 deux hommes qui tiennent les extrmits du cordon le tirent avec force et1 sur le champ1 le membre est spar du corps au dessus le nud coulant4 ,par ce moyen1 les esprits sont retenus et fixs dane cette partie laquelle rests gonfle2 aussitt on la lave et la fait cuire avec divers aromatiques et piceries aphrodisiaques4 ,the means of procuring the vigour necessary for sexual delights has also been sought for in certain preparations celebrated by the alchymists4 ,struck by the splendour of gold1 its incorruptibility1 and other rare qualities1 some physicians imagined that this metal might introduce into the animal economy an inexhaustible source of strength and vitality2 while empirics1 abusing the credulity of the wealthy and the voluptuous made them pay exorbitantly for aphrodisiacal preparations in which they assured their dupes that gold1 under different forms1 was an ingredient4 ,among innumerable other instances1 is that of a ,french lady who1 to procure herself an heir1 strove to reanimate an exhausted constitution by taking daily in soup what she was made to believe was potable gold1 to the value of #ej francs1 a fraud to expose which it suffices to say that the largest dose of perchloride of gold that can be safely administered is #a_/fth of a grain4 ,the tincture of gold known by the name of ,mademoiselle ,grimaldi's potable gold enjoyed a wonderful reputation towards the close of the #ahth century as an efficacious restorative and stimulant2 and numerous instances of its all but miraculous powers were confidently adduced4 ,dr4 ,samuel ,johnson1 indeed1 in a note upon a well-known passage in ,shakespeare1#afd denies the possibility of making gold potable3 ,there has long1 he observes1 prevailed an opinion that a solution of gold has great medicinal virtues1 and that the incorruptibility of gold might be communicated to the body impregnated with it4 ,some have pretended to make gold potable among other frauds practised upon credulity4 ,so far back1 however1 as the #agth century the ,abb ,guence shewed that it was feasible1 and even described the process minutely2 and it is now known to every chemist that gold is susceptible of entering into immediate combination with chlorine by the agency of heat1 that it may even be dissolved in water charged with chlorine1 and that various methods exist of obtaining chlorate of gold1 a combination which is often successfully employed in the treatment of syphilitic cases4 ,ether1 naptha1 and essential oils take gold from its solvent1 and form liquors which have been called potable gold4 ,even the ,christian ,church itself possessed1 in its early times1 aphrodisiacs peculiarly its own4 ,on trouve1 says ,voltaire1#afe dans la lettre ,maitre ,acacius ,lampirius 7,liter virorum obscurorum7 une raillerie assez forte sur la conjuration qu'on employait pair se faire aimer des filles4 ,le secret consistoit prendre un cheveu be la fille1 on le plaoit d'abord dans son haut-de-chausses2 on faisoit une confession gnrale et on fesoit dire trois messes1 pendant les quelles on mettoit le cheveu autour de son col2 on allumait un cirge bni au dernier ,evangile en on prononcait cette formule4 ',o ,vierge6 je te conjure par la vertu du ,dieu tout-puissant1 par des neuf churs des anges1 par la vertu gosdrienne1 amne moi icelle fille1 en chair et en os1 afin que je la saboule mon plaisir4' ,bourchard1 ,bishop of ,worms1 has transmitted to us#aff an account of certain aphrodisiacal charms practised by women of his time1 the disgusting obscenity of which is such that we cannot venture upon translating the passage3 ,fecisti quod qudam mulieres facere solent8 ,tollunt menstruum suum sanguinem et immiscunt cibo vel potui et dant viris suis ad manducandum vel ad bibendum ut plus diligantur ab eis4 ,si fecisti1 quinque annos per legitimas ferias pniteas4 ,gustasti de semine viri tui ut propter tua diabolica facta plus in amorem exardisceret8 ,si fecisti1 septem annos per legitimas ferias pnitere debeas4 ,fecisti quod qudam mulieres facere solent8 ,prosternunt se in faciem et discoopertis natibus1 jubent ut supra nudas nates conficirtur panis1 ut eo decocto tradunt maritis suis ad comedendum4 ,hoc ideo faciunt ut plus exardescant in amorem suum4 ,si fecisti1 duos annos per legitimas ferias pniteas4 ,fecisti quad qudam mulieres facere solent8 ,tollunt piscem vivum et mittunt eum in puerperium suum1 et tamdiu ibi tenent1 donec mortuus fuerit1 et decocto pisce vel assato1 maritis suis ad comedendum tradunt4 ,ideo faciunt ut plus in amorem suum exardescant4 ,si fecisti1 duos annos per legitimas ferias pniteas4 ,remedies taken internally are not the only ones which stimulate man to sexual intercourse4 ,external applications materially contribute to that end1 and liniments have been composed wherewith to anoint the parts of generation4 ,these washes are made of honey1 liquid storax1 oil and fresh butter1 or the fat of the wild goose1 together with a small quantity of spurge1 pyrethrum1 ginger or pepper to insure the remedy's penetrating3 a few grains of ambergris1 musk1 or cinnamon are to be added by way of perfume4 ,remedies for the same purpose may also be applied to men's testicles especially2 as according to the opinion of ,galen1 those parts are the second source of heat1 which they communicate to the whole of the body2 for1 besides the power of engendering1 they also elaborate a spirituous humour or fluid which renders man robust1 hardy1 and courageous4 ,the best application of this kind is that composed of cinnamon powder1 gilliflower1 ginger and rose water1 together with theriac1 the crumb of bread1 and red wine4 ,in addition to the means already mentioned for restoring vigour to the generative organs1 two others may be reckoned which have been successfully resorted to for bracing them in such persons whose reproductive faculties lie dormant rather than extinct3 these two methods are known as flagellation and urtication4#afg ,flagellation was recommended by several of the ancient physicians as an effectual remedy in many disorders1 and this upon the physiological axiom of ,hippocrates--ubi stimulus1 ibi affluxus4 ,seneca considers it as able to remove the quartan ague4 ,jerome ,mercurialis speaks of it as employed by many physicians in order to impart embonpoint to thin1 meagre persons2 and ,galen informs us that slave merchants used it as a means of clearing the complexion of their slaves and plumping them up4 ,aldeus of ,padua1 recommends flagellation with green nettles1 that is1 urtication1 to be performed on the limbs of young children for the purpose of hastening the eruption of the small pox4 ,thomas ,campanella#afh attributes to flagellation the virtue of curing intestinal obstructions1 and adduces in proof to his assertion1 the case of the ,prince of ,venosa1 one of the best musicians of his time1 who could not go to stool1 without being previously flogged by a valet kept expressly for that purpose4 ,even at a later period the same opinion obtained as to the efficacy of flagellation1 it being supposed by many physicians to reanimate the torpid circulation of the capillary and cutaneous vessels1 to increase muscular energy1 to promote absorption1 and to favour the necessary secretions of our nature4#afi ,as an erotic stimulant1 more particularly it may be observed that1 considering the many intimate and sympathetic relations existing between the nervous branches of the extremity of the spinal marrow1 it is impossible to doubt that flagellation exercised upon the buttocks and the adjacent parts1 has a powerful effect upon the organs of generation4 ,meibomius1#agj the great advocate for the use of this remedy1 remarks1 that stripes inflicted upon the back and loins are of great utility in exciting the venereal appetite1 because they create warmth in those parts whose office it is to elaborate the semen and to convey it to the generative organs4 ,he1 therefore1 considered it by no means wonderful that the miserable victims of debauchery and lasciviousness1 as well as those whose powers have been exhausted by age or excess1 should have recourse to flagellation as a remedy4 ,he observes that its effect is very likely to be that of renewing warmth in the now frigid parts1 and of furnishing heat to the semen1 an effect in producing which the pain itself materially contributes by the blood and heat which is thereby drawn down to the part until they are communicated to the reproductive organs1 the erotic passion being thus raised1 even in spite of nature herself1 beyond her powers4 ,a similar view is taken by a modern writer1 whose opinion is that the effect of flagellation may be easily referred to the powerful sympathy which exists between the nerves of the lower part of the spinal marrow and other organs4 ,artificial excitement appears in some degree natural2 it is observed in several animals1 especially in the feline race4 ,even snails plunge into each other a bony1 prickly spur1 that arises from their throats1 and which1 like the sting of the wasp1 frequently breaks off1 and is left in the wound4#aga ,after the appearance of the ,abb ,boileau's ,histoire de la ,flagellation1 the ,jesuits condemned several propositions found either in that work or in others approved by him4 ,the following is one3 ,necesse est cum musculi lumbares virgis aut flagellis diverberantur1 spiritus vitales revelli1 adeoque salaces motus ob vicinam partium genitalium et testium excitari1 qui venereis ac illecebris cerebrum mentemque fascinant ac virtutem castitatis ad extremas augustias redigunt4 ,from out of almost innumerable instances of the efficacy of flagellation as an aphrodisiac1 the following are selected4 ,cornelius ,gallus1 the friend of ,virgil1 ,horace1 ,tibullus1 and ,catullus1 and who1 according to ,pliny1 died the most delightful of deaths by expiring in the embraces of the fondest object of his affections1#agb was solely indebted for the delicious transports he enjoyed with her to the scourge with which her severe father chastised her for the faults that originated in too warm a temperament1 a punishment which1 instead of counteracting1 furthered the wishes of the voluptuous ,roman4 ,jean ,pic de ,mirandole relates#agc the case of a person known to him who1 being a great libertine1 could not consummate the act of love without being flagellated until the blood came1 and that1 therefore1 providing himself for the occasion with a whip steeped in vinegar1 he presented it to his inamorata1 begging her not to spare him1 for plus on le fouettait1 plus il y trouvait des dlices1 la douleur et la volupt marchant1 dans cet homme1 d'un pas egal4 ,meibomius mentions the case of a citizen of ,lubeck who1 being accused and convicted of adultery1 was sentenced to be banished4 ,a woman of pleasure with whom this man had been for a long time intimate1 appeared before the judges as a witness on his behalf4 ,this woman swore that the man was never able to consummate the act of love with her unless he had been previously flogged1--an operation which it was also necessary to repeat before each successive indulgence4 ,that this was a means employed by ,abelard in his commerce with ,heloisa1 appears from the following passages in two of his letters to her2 ,verbera quandoque dabat amor non furor1 gratia non ira qu omnium unguentorum suavitatem transcenderent4#agd ,stripes which1 whenever inflicted by love1 not by fury but affection1 transcended1 in sweetness1 every unguent4 ,nosti quantis turpitudinibus immoderata mea libido corpora nostra addixerat et nulla honestatis vel ,dei reverentia in ipsis diebus ,dominic passionis vel quantarumque solemnitatem ut hujus luti volutabro me revocavit4 ,sed et te nolentem aut dissuadentem qu natura infirmior eras1 ut spius minis ac flagellis ad consensum trahebam4#age ,thou knowest to what shameful excesses my unbridled lust had delivered up our bodies1 so that no sense of decency1 no reverence for ,god1 could1 even in the season of our ,lord's passion1 or during any other holy festival1 drag me forth from out that cesspool of filthy mire2 but that even with threats and scourges ,i often compelled thee who wast1 by nature1 the weaker vessel1 to comply1 notwithstanding thy unwillingness and remonstrances4 ,the renowned ,tamerlane1 the mighty conqueror of ,asia1 required a like stimulus1#agf the more so perhaps from the circumstance of his being a monorchis4#agg ,the ,abb ,boileau1 in his well known and entertaining ,histoire des ,flagellants1 partly attributes the gross licentiousness of that period to the strange practice then in vogue of doing penance by being scourged in public2 and his brother the celebrated poet and critic1 defending the ,abb against the animadversions of the ,jesuits1 remarks very forcibly3 ,non1 le livre des ,flagellans ,n'a jamais condamn1 lisez le bien1 mes pres1 ,ces rigidits salutaires ,qui1 pour ravir le ,ciel1 saintement violens1 ,exercent sur leurs corps1 tant de ,chrtiens austres2 ,il blme seulement ces abus odieux ,d'taler et d'offrir aux yeux ,ce que leur doit toujours cacher la bienveillance1 ,et combat vivement la fausse pit1 ,qui sous couleur d'eteindre en nous la volupt ,par l'austrit mme1 et par la pnitence ,sait allumer le feu de la lubricit4#agh ,flagellation1 indeed1 as well as the custom of wearing the hair-shirt1 so common with the monks1 and even with religious lay catholics1 was1 by the stimulus it imparted to the skin1 and hence to the internal viscera1 much more likely to increase the energy of the physiological functions1 and thus excite the commission of the very acts they are intended to suppress4 ,the ,abb ,chuppe d',auteroche1 member of the ,acadmie des ,sciences1 and who died in ,california a few days after the observation of the ,transit of ,venus in #agfj1 remarks that the stripes given to persons frequenting the vapour baths in ,russia impart activity to the fluids and elasticity to the organs and gives additional stimulus to the venereal appetite4#agi ,m4 ,serrurier records the following curious case4 ,one of my schoolfellows1 who found an indescribable pleasure in being flogged1 purposely and wilfully neglected his duty in order to draw upon himself the correction1 which never failed to produce an emission of semen4 ,as may easily be imagined he soon began the practice of masturbation1 in which he indulged to so frightful an extent that rapid consumption ensued1 and he died1 a most horrible and disgusting object1 affording a melancholy example of that fatal vice4#ahj ,the case of ,jean ,jacques ,rousseau is well known4 ,when a child he was by no means displeased with the corrections administered to him by a lady considerably his elder1 he even frequently sought for a whipping at her hands1 especially after he perceived that the flagellation developed in him the manifest token of virility4 ,but he must be allowed to give his own account of it4 ,assez long temps1 says he1 ,madame ,lambercier s'entint la menace1 et cette menace d'un chtiment tout nouveau pour moi me semblait trs effrayante1 mais aprs l'excution1 je la trouvai moins terrible l'preuve que l'attente ne l'avait t1 et ce qu'il y a de plus bizarre est qui ce chtiment m'affectionna davantage d'elle qui me l'avoit impos4 ,il fallait mme toute la vrit de cette affection et toute ma douceur naturelle pour m'empcher de chercher le retour du mme traitement en le mritant1 car j'avais trouv dans la douleur1 dans la honte mme1 un mlange de sensualit qui m'avait laiss plus de dsir que de crainte de l'prouver derechef1 par la mme main4 ,il est vrai que comme il se mlait1 sans doute1 cela quelque instinct prcoce du sexe1 le mme chtiment reu de son frre1 ne m'eut point du tout1 parut plaisant4#aha ,as flagellation is practised by striking the skin with a rod formed of twigs1 until the heat and redness become more intense1 so if the twigs be replaced by fresh nettles1 the operation will become1--urtication4 ,the employment of urtication is of great antiquity1 for ,celsus as well as ,aretus mentions the use of it1 it being in those times1 a popular remedy4 ,that the ,romans had frequent recourse to it in order to arouse the sexual appetite1 is proved by the following passage from ,petronius ,arbiter1 which for obvious reasons1 we shall content ourselves with giving in the original only4 ,oenothea semiebria ad me respiciens2--,perficienda sunt1 inquit1 mysteria ut recipas nervos4 ,simulque profert scorteum fascinum quod1 ut olio et minuto pipere1 atque urtic trito circumdedit semine1 paulatim cpit inserere ano meo4 ,hoc crudelissima anus spargit subinde femina mea ,nasturcii#ahb succum cum abrotono miscet1 perfusis que inguinibus meis1 viridis urtic fascem comprehendit omnes que infra umbilicum cpit lenta manu cdere4#ahc ,menghus ,faventinus assures us that nettles have une proprit merveilleuse pour allonger1 tendre1 grossir et riger le membre viril1 qui1 par une parsimonie de la nature1 feroit craindre la strilit4#ahd ,urtication appears to have been well known in ,france during the time of ,rabelais1 who alluding to this mode of procuring the vigour necessary for the amorous conflict1 says1 se frotter le cul au panicaut 7a species of thistle7 vrai moyen d'avoir au cul passion4 ,une femme en mlancholie ,pour faute d'occupation1 ,frottez moi le cul d'ortie ,elle aura au cul passion4#ahe ,the irritation caused by nettles produces effects analogous to those which are observed in persons afflicted with the itch1 the ring-worm and leprosy4 ,the lubricity of those unfortunates is sometimes uncontrolable2 they suffer violent priapisms1 which are followed by ejaculation1 whenever a severe itching forces them to scratch themselves with a kind of furor or madness4 ,in a medical point of view1 observes ,dr4 ,milligen1 urtication1 or stinging with nettles1 is a practice not sufficiently appreciated4 ,in many instances1 especially in cases of paralysis it is more efficacious than blistering or stimulating frictions4 ,its effects1 though perhaps less permanent1 are general and diffused over the limb4 ,this process has been found effectual in restoring heat to the lower extremities1 and a case of obstinate lethargy was cured by ,corvisart by a repeated urtication of the whole body4 ,during the action of the stimulus1 the patient1 who was a young man1 would open his eyes and laugh1 but then sink again into a profound sleep4 ,in three weeks1 however1 his perfect cure was effected4#ahf ,in #aghc1 ,dr4 ,james ,graham1 an humble imitator of the celebrated ,cagliostro1 commenced giving his sanatary lectures1 which he illustrated by the dazzling presence of his ,goddess of ,health1 a character which1 for a short time1 was sustained by ,emma ,harte1 afterwards the celebrated ,lady ,hamilton1 wife of ,sir ,william ,hamilton1 ,english ,ambassador at the ,court of ,naples1 and the chre amie of the immortal ,nelson4 ,after describing various aphrodisiacal remedies1 the lecturer thus proceeds3 ,but1 gentlemen1 if all the above means and methods1 which ,i have thus faithfully1 ingenuously1 and with the frankest and most unreserved liberality1 recommended1 fail1 suffer me1 with great cordiality1 and assurance of success1 to recommend my celestial1 or medico1 magnetico1 musico1 electrical bed1 which ,i have1 with so much study and at so vast an expense1 constructed1 not alone to insure the removal of barrenness1 when conception is at all in the nature of things possible1 but likewise to improve1 exalt1 and invigorate the bodily1 and through them1 the mental faculties of the human species4 ,this bed1 whose seemingly magical influences are now celebrated from pole to pole and from the rising to the setting sun6 is indeed an unique in science6 and unquestionably the first and the only one that ever was mentioned1 erected1 or even1 perhaps1 thought of1 in the world2 and ,i will now conclude the lecture with giving you a slight descriptive sketch of the structure of the bed1 and the nature of those influences with which it glows--which it breathes forth1 and with which it animates1 regenerates1 and transports those happy1 happy persons who have the honour and the paradisiacal blessedness of reposing on it4 ,the ,grand ,celestial ,state ,bed6 then1 gentlemen1 which is twelve feet long by nine wide1 is supported by forty pillars of brilliant glass1 of great strength and of the most exquisite workmanship1 in regard to shape1 cutting1 and engravings2 sweetly delicate and richly variegated colours1 and the most brilliant polish6 ,they are1 moreover1 invisibly incrusted with a certain transparent varnish in order to render the insulation still more complete2 and that otherwise1 properly assisted1 we may have1 in even the most unfavourable weather1 abundance of the electrical fire4 ,the sublime1 the magnificent1 and1 ,i may say1 the super-celestial dome of the bed1 which contains the odoriferous1 balmy1 and ethereal spices1 odours1 and essences1 and which is the grand magazine or reservoir of those vivifying and invigorating influences which are exhaled and dispersed by the breathing of the music1 and by the attenuating1 repelling1 and accelerating force of the electrical fire1--is very curiously inlaid or wholly covered on the under side with brilliant plates of looking-glass1 so disposed as to reflect the various attractive charms of the happy recumbent couple1 in the most flattering1 most agreeable and most enchanting style4 ,on the top or summit of the dome1 are placed1 in the most loving attitudes1 two exquisite figures1 representing the marriage of ,cupid and ,psyche1 with a fine figure of ,hymen behind1 and over them1 with his torch flaming with electrical fire in one hand and1 with the other1 supporting a celestial crown1 sparkling1 likewise1 with the effulgent fire over a pair of real living turtle-doves1 who1 on a little bed of roses1 coo and bill under the super-animating impulses of the genial fire6 ,the other elegant groups of figures which sport on the top of the dome--the ,cupids1 the ,loves1 and the ,graces6--besides festoons of the freshest and most beautiful flowers1 have each of them musical instruments in their hands1 which by the exquisite and most expensive mechanism1 are made to breathe forth sounds corresponding with the appearance of the several instruments1--flutes1 guitars1 violins1 clarionets1 trumpets1 horns1 oboes1 kettle-drums1 c4 ,on the posts or pillars1 too1 which support the grand dome are groups of figures1 musical instruments1 organ-pipes1 c41 which1 in sweet concert with the other instruments1 at the commencement of the tender dalliance of the happy pair1 breathe forth celestial sounds6 lulling them in visions of elysian joys6 opening new sources of pleasure1 and untwisting all the chains which tie the hidden soul of harmony6 ,at the head of the bed1 in the full centre front1 appears1 sparkling with electrical fire1 through a glory of burnished and effulgent gold1 the great1 first1 ever-operating commandment1 ,,be ,,fruitful1 ,,multiply1 ,,and ,,replenish ,,the ,,earth6 under this is a most elegant and sweet-toned organ1 in the front of which is a fine landscape of moving figures on the earth1 birds flying1 swans1 c41 gliding on the waters1 a fine procession1 too1 is seen1 village nymphs strewing flowers before priests1 brides1 bridegrooms1 and their attendants1 who1 all entering into the temple of ,hymen1 disappear from the delightful eye4 ,the painting and embellishment of this front are most masterly1 and reflect the highest honour on the artists by whom they were executed2 and the whole view is terminated with fountains1 waterfalls1 shepherds1 shepherdesses1 and other peasants1 as pastoral sports and rural employment1 and by a little church1 the dial of which points out truly and distinctly the hour4 ,in the celestial bed no feather bed is employed2 sometimes mattresses filled with sweet new wheat or cut straw1 with the grain in the ears1 and mingled with balm1 rose leaves1 lavender flowers1 and oriental spices1 and1 at other times1 springy hair mattresses are used4 ,neither will you find upon the celestial bed linen sheets2 our sheets are of the richest and softest silk or satin2 of various colours suited to the complexion of the lady who is to repose on them4 ,pale green1 for example1 rose colour1 sky blue1 black1 white1 purple1 azure1 mazarin blue1 c41 and they are sweetly perfumed in the oriental manner1 with otto and odour of roses1 jessamine1 tuberose1 rich gums1 fragrant balsams1 oriental spices1 c42 in short1 everything is done to assist the ethereal1 magnetic1 musical and electric influences1 and to make the lady look as lovely as possible in the eyes of her husband and he1 in hers4 ,but to return1 in order that ,i might have for the important purposes1 the strongest and most springy hair1 ,i procured1 at a vast expense1 the tails of ,english stallions1 which when twisted1 baked and then untwisted and properly prepared1 is elastic to the highest degree4 ,but the chief elastic principle of my celestial bed is produced by artificial loadstones4 ,about fifteen hundred pounds' weight of artificial and compound magnets are so disposed and arranged as to be continually pouring forth in an ever-flowing circle inconceivable and irrestibly powerful tides of the magnetic effluxion1 which is well known to have a very strong affinity with the electric fire4 ,such is a slight and inadequate sketch of the grand celestial bed1 which1 being thus completely insulated1--highly saturated with the most genial floods or electrical fire6--fully impregnated moreover1 with the balmy vivifying effluvia of restorative balsamic medicines and of soft1 fragrant1 oriental gums1 balsams and quintescence1 and pervaded at the same times with full springing tides of the invigorating influences of music and magnets both real and artificial1 gives such elastic vigour to the nerves1 on the one hand1 of the male1 and on the other1 such retentive firmness to the female2 and1 moreover1 all the faculties of the soul being so fully expanded1 and so highly illuminated1 that it is impossible1 in the nature of things1 but that strong1 beautiful1 brilliant1 nay1 double-distilled children1 if ,i may use the expression1 must infallibly be begotten4 ,a digression may1 perhaps1 be here pardonable1 in order to give some notice of the latter and last days of the beautiful1 highly accomplished and fascinating woman mentioned above4 ,she had been presented to ,nelson by her husband1 who had previously told her that he was about to introduce her to a little thread-paper of a man1 who could not boast of being very handsome1 but who would become1 some day1 one of the greatest men that ,england ever produced4 ,after the battle of the ,nile he again visited ,naples1 and was now little better than a perfect wreck4 ,at ,calvi1 in #agid1 he had lost an eye4 ,at ,teneriffe his right arm was shattered and amputated close to the shoulder4 ,at the battle of the ,nile he was severely wounded in the head4 ,incessant anxiety and watchfulness for his country's honour and welfare had blanched his brow1 and shattered the little thread-paper of a man at the outset1 till1 on his return in triumph to his mistress1 he seemed to be on the verge of an early grave4 ,yet she proved herself a true woman1 if an erring one1 in her reception of the man she loved1 and unhesitatingly and unequivocally forsook her all1 to attend upon and worship him4 ,not far from ,merton turnpike stood the house of ,nelson and his mistress4 ,it was left with all its liabilities to ,lady ,hamilton1 but she was obliged to take a hasty departure1 and1 harassed by creditors1 in sickness of heart and without funds1 the unhappy woman escaped to ,calais4 ,now for the sad1 sad finale4 ,from the portal of a house1 as cheerless and dreary as can be imagined1 in the month of ,january1 with a black silk petticoat stretched on a white curtain thrown over her coffin for a pall1 and an half-day ,irish dragoon to act as chaplain over the grave1 which was in a timber-yard1 were the remains of ,nelson's much-adored friend removed to their final resting place1 under the escort of a sergent de ville4 ,she died without the common necessaries of life1 and was buried at the expense of the town1 notwithstanding ,nelson's last words1 ,blackwood1 take care of my poor ,lady ,hamilton6 ,whatever the errors of ,lady ,hamilton may have been1 says ,doran1 let us not forget that without her aid1 as ,nelson said1 the battle of the ,nile would never have been fought1 and that in spite of her sacrifices and services1 ,england left her to starve1 because the government was too virtuous to acknowledge the benefits rendered to her country by a lady with too loose a zone4 ,the remarks of honest old ,burton#ahg upon ,aphrodisiacs1 though quaint1 are so judicious and pertinent1 that we cannot better conclude this part of our essay than by quoting them3-- ,the last battering engines1 says he1 are philters1 amulets1 charms1 images1 and such unlawful meanes3 if they cannot prevail of themselves by the help of bawds1 panders1 and their adherents1 they will fly for succour to the devil himself4 ,i know there be those that denye the devil can do any such thing1 and that there is no other fascination than that which comes by the eyes4 ,it was given out1 of old1 that a ,thessalian wench had bewitched ,king ,philip to dote on her1 and by philters enforced his love1 but when ,olympia1 his queen1 saw the maid of an excellent beauty well brought up and qualified3 these1 quoth she1 were the philters which enveagled ,king ,philip1 these the true charms as ,henry to ,rosamond4#ahh ,one accent from thy lips the blood more warmes ,than all their philters1 exorcismes1 and charms4 ,with that alone ,lucretia brags1 in ,aretine1 she could do more than all philosophers1 astrologers1 alychmists1 necromancers1 witches1 and the rest of the crew4 ,as for herbs and philters ,i could never skill of them4 ,the sole philter ,i ever used was kissing and embracing1 by which alone ,i made men rave like beasts1 stupefied and compelled them to worship me like an idol4#ahi ,,anti-,,aphrodisiacs4 ,the means best calculated to produce effects contrary to those just treated of are of several kinds1 but such as are derived from hygiene are entitled to be considered as the most powerful4 ,previously1 however1 to describing the medicinal substances that may be efficaciously employed in moderating1 or rather checking1 too violent a propensity to venery1 some notice must be taken of the diet adapted to insure such a result4 ,the use of milk1 vegetables1 such as lettuce1 water-purslain1 cucumbers1 c41 and especially of fruit in which the acid principle predominates1 slackens the movement of the heart and of the sanguineous system2 it diminishes the animal heat1 the chief source of which is in the activity of the circulation2 it produces a feeling of tranquillity and of coolness2 the respiration being more slow1 occasions the absorption of a less quantity of oxygen1 add to which1 as a less quantity of reparative materials is contained in this description of aliments1 there result a less active nutrition1 the loss of embonpoint and the complete prostration of every principle of irritability2 in short1 it is of all diets the one least capable of furnishing fuel to the passions4 ,for common drink mere water1 and1 if the impulse of passion should increase1 a small quantify of nitre1 vinegar1 or vitrolic acid1 may1 occasionally be added to the water to make it more cooling4 ,other means conducive to the same end are a laborious life1 much bodily exercise1 little sleep1 and a spare diet1 so that the fluids may be more easily conducted to other parts1 and that there may not be produced a greater quantity than is requisite for the support of the body4 ,equally valuable ,when there's a young and sweating devil ,that commonly rebels1 will be found what ,shakespeare recommends-- ,a sequester from liberty1 fasting and prayer1 ,much castigation1 exercise devout4#aij ,should the desire of committing excesses rise to any height1 immediate recourse must be had to some serious and mind-absorbing occupation1 less nutritious food and drink should be taken1 all dishes peculiarly stimulating to the palate avoided1 as well as the use of wine and other spirituous liquors4 ,a cool regimen in every respect was particularly insisted upon by the ancients3 hence ,plato and ,aristotle recommended the custom of going barefoot as a means of checking the stimulus to carnal desire1 a suggestion which appears to have been acted upon by some of the monkish orders4 ,the cold bath was considered equally efficacious1 while some1 among whom may be reckoned ,pliny and ,galen1 advised thin sheets of lead to be worn on the calves of the legs and near the kidneys4 ,the first and most important of the hygienic means consists in shunning every species of excitement and in having little or no communication with the sex1 and the earlier such restraint is imposed1 the better4 ,he that is chaste and continent1 not to impair his strength1 or terrified by contagion1 will hardly be heroically virtuous4 ,adjourn not that virtue until those years when ,cato could lend out his wife1 and impotent satyrs write satires against lust--but be chaste in thy flaming days1 when ,alexander dared not trust his eyes upon the fair sisters of ,darius1 and when so many men think that there is no other way than that of ,origen4#aiaaib ,the next means is that of carefully abstaining from the perusal of all publications calculated to inflame the passions1 by which publications are meant1 not obscene books only4 ,with respect to these1 indeed1 a great error obtains1 for the persons most anxious to peruse them are1 for the most part1 old1 worn-out debauchees1 men whose generative powers are1 comparatively1 feeble1 if not altogether destroyed1 and who1 unfortunately for themselves1 require this unnatural and detestable kind of stimulus1 while1 on the contrary1 young men and those in middle life1 who had not drawn too largely upon their constitution1 and for whom the allurements of nature are themselves a sufficient provocative1 regard such publications with horror and disgust4 ,it is not1 therefore1 we repeat1 works of this description which we allude to1 but those the perusal of which is more dangerous during the period of the passions--novels1 more especially such as1 under the pretext of describing the working of the human heart1 draw the most seducing and inflammatory pictures of illicit love1 and throw the veil of sentimental philosophy over the orgies of debauchery and licentiousness4 ,nothing is more perilous to youth1 especially of the female sex1 than this description of books4 ,their style is chaste1 not one word is found that can offend the ear1 while the mind of the unsuspecting reader is often tainted and corrupted by the most impure ideas and descriptions clothed in the most elegant phraseology4 ,how admirably does ,voltaire stigmatise this attention to a mere superficial 7if the epitaph be allowed7 purity6 ,plus1 says he les murs sont dpravs1 plus les expressions deviennent msures3 on croit de gagner en langage ce qu'on a perdu en vertu4 ,la pudeur s'est enfuite des curs et s'est refugie sur les lvres4 ,there are two kinds of study particularly adapted to preserve the mind and the affections from the assaults of vice and libidinousness4 ,the first of these is the ,mathematics1 whose efficacy in this respect has been proved by frequent experience4 ,the ,venetian lady mentioned by ,rousseau in his ,confessions was not ignorant of this their power1 when1 seeing the singular effect which her charms had produced upon the1 as yet1 youthful philosopher1 said to him1 ,gianetto1 lascia le donne e studia la matimatica4 ,james1 give up the ladies1 and apply yourself to mathematics4 ,it will1 indeed1 be found that1 in all ages1 mathematicians have been but little disposed or addicted to love1 and the most celebrated among them1 ,sir ,isaac ,newton1 is reputed to have lived without ever having had sexual intercourse4 ,the intense mental application required by philosophical abstraction forcibly determines the nervous fluid towards the intellectual organs1 and hinders it from being directed towards those of reproduction4 ,after the study of the ,mathematics comes that of ,natural ,history1 which will be found to be almost equally beneficial1 requiring as it does1 the unremitting attention of the student1 his perambulation of the open country1 and the personal observation of all animated objects4 ,this peculiar influence of the above-mentioned studies ought particularly to engage the attention of persons who superintend the education of youth2 there being no doubt that the effervescence of youthful passions may1 to a great extent1 be allayed by directing the juvenile mind to either of those studies1 according as the constitution exhibits greater or less ardour and precocity4 ,sometimes1 however1 there are found idiosyncrasies which bid defiance to remedies of this description1 but1 nevertheless1 yield to the force of medicine3 of such1 the following is an instance3 ,a man1 by profession a musician1 of an athletic figure and sanguine complexion1 with red hair1 and a very warm temperament1 was so tormented with erotic desires that the venereal act1 repeated several times in the course of a few hours1 failed to satisfy him4 ,disgusted with himself1 and fearing1 as a religious man1 the punishment with which concupiscence is threatened in the ,gospel1 he applied to a medical practitioner1 who prescribed bleeding and the use of sedatives and refrigerants1 together with a light diet4 ,having found no relief from this course of treatment1 he was then recommended to have recourse to wedlock1 and1 in consequence1 married a robust and healthy young woman1 the daughter of a farmer4 ,at first1 the change appeared to benefit him1 but1 in a short time1 he tired his wife out by his excessive lubricity1 and relapsed into his former satyriasis4 ,his medical friend now recommended frequent fasting1 together with prayer1 but these also failing of effect1 the unhappy man proposed to submit to castration1 an operation which was judged to be highly improper1 considering the great risks the patient must necessarily incur4 ,the latter1 however1 still persisted that his wish should be complied with1 when1 fortunately1 a case having occurred in ,paris1 in which a person afflicted with nephritic pains occasioned by the presence of a calculus1 was cured by a preparation of nitre1 at the expense1 however1 of being for ever incapacitated for the pleasures of love1 the hint was taken1 and doses of nitre dissolved in aqua nymph were given1 night and morning1 during the space of eight days1 and with such success that1 at the end of that time1 he could scarcely satisfy the moderate claims of his wife4#aic ,some physicians place great confidence in the medicines called refrigerants4 ,the most favourite of these are infusions from the leaves or flowers of the white water-lily 7nymphea alba71 sorrel1 lettuce1 perhaps also from mallows1 violets1 and endive 7cichorium71 oily seeds1 and waters distilled from lettuce1 water lily1 cucumbers1 purslain1 and endives4 ,in equal esteem are the syrups of orgeat1 lemons1 and vinegar1 to which may be added cherry-laurel water1 when given in proper and gradually-increasing doses4 ,hemlock1 camphor1 and agnus-castus1 have likewise been much recommended as moderators of the sexual appetite4 ,according to ,pliny1#aid the nymphea alba was considered so powerful that these who take it for twelve days successively will then find themselves incapable of propagating their species1 and if it be used for forty days1 the amorous propensity will be entirely extinguished4 ,with respect to hemlock1 it is too dangerous a medicine to repose confidence in4 ,the ancients had a high opinion of camphor1 a reputation which this drug preserved until1 comparatively1 a late period1 for ,scaliger informs that1 in the #agth century1 monks were compelled to smell and masticate it for the purpose of extinguishing concupiscence2 and it was a favourite maxim of the medical school of ,salernum#aie that-- ,camphora per nares castrat odore mares4 ,camphor if smell'd ,a man will geld4 ,this fatal property1 however1 has been denied by modern medical authorities1 and apparently with reason1 if the fact be true that such workmen as are employed in extracting this useful vegetable product1 and who may be said to live constantly in a highly camphorated atmosphere1 do not find themselves in the leash degree incapacitated for gratifying the calls of l'amour physique4 ,there is no doubt1 on the other hand1 that camphor has been successfully employed in cases of nymphomania1 and that several medical writers have asserted its efficacy in neutralising the properties of cantharides1 adducing instances which would appear to prove its sedative power3 the following one is related by ,groenvelt3--#aif ,a young man who had taken a large dose of cantharides in some wine1 felt at first1 a sort of violent itching1 accompanied by great irritation in the bladder1 and soon after he suffered greatly from extreme heat1 together with an intolerable strangury4 ,bleeding1 emulsions1 injections1 and opium preparations afforded not the slightest relief4 ,groenvelt prescribed two scruples of camphor in two boluses4 ,the first dose partly mitigated the pains1 and the second one removed them entirely4 ,the remedies which were first administered had1 no doubt1 weakened the inflammation1 and the strangury being no longer kept up by the spasmodic state of the urinary apparatus1 camphor sufficed to effect a cure4 ,burton asserts the value of camphor as an anti-aphrodisiac1 and says that when fastened to the parts of generation1 or carried in the breeches1 it renders the virile member flaccid4 ,agnus castus1 so called from the down on its surface resembling that upon the skin of a lamb1 and from its supposed anti-aphrodisiacal qualities1 was in great repute among the ,athenians1 whose women1 during the celebration of the ,thesmophoria1 or feasts and sacrifices in honour of ,ceres or ,thesmophoria1 the legislatress1 abstained for some days from all the pleasures of love1 separating themselves entirely for that time from the men4 ,it was also usual with them during the solemnities to strew their beds with agnus castus1 fleabane1 and other herbs as were supposed to have the power of expelling amorous inclinations4 ,arnaud de ,villeneuve#aig exaggerates1 almost to a ridiculous degree1 the virtue of the agnus castus1 asserting as he does1 that the surest way to preserve chastity1 is to carry about the person1 a knife with a handle made of its wood4 ,it was also1 and perhaps is still1 much used by the monks1 who made an emulsion of its seeds steeped in ,nenuphar water1 and of which they daily drank a portion1 wearing at the same time round their loins a girdle made of its branches4 ,lettuce has also the reputation of being anti-aphrodisiacal4 ,lobel instances the case of an ,english nobleman who had long been desirous of having an heir to his estates1 but all in vain4 ,being1 however1 at length advised to discontinue eating lettuces1 of which he was particularly fond1 his wishes were gratified by his being blessed with a numerous offspring4 ,the desire for coition was also supposed to be diminished by drinking a decoction of the pounded leaves of the willow4 ,vervain1 dried coriander1 and also mustard1 drunk in a fluid state1 are also said to prevent the erection of the penis4 ,alexander ,benedictus declares that a topaz having been previously rubbed against the right testicle of a wolf1 then steeped in oil or in rose water and worn as a ring1 induces a disgust for venereal pleasures1 as does also1 if we may credit the same sapient physiologist1 a powder made of dried frog4 ,the two following prescriptions are also said to be of great efficacy3-- ,da verbena in potu1 et non erigitur virga sex diebus4 ,utere menth sicc cum aceto3 genitalia illinita succo hyoscyami aut cicut coits appetitum sedant4 ,it has even been asserted that coffee possesses the same property4 ,in the year #afie it was maintained1 in a thesis at the ,ecole de ,mdicine at ,paris1 that the daily use of coffee deprived both man and woman of the generative power4 ,m4 ,hecquet#aih relates the following anecdote as a proof of such effect3-- ,a ,queen of ,persia seeing some grooms using all their efforts to throw a horse upon the ground1 enquired the reason of the trouble they were thus taking4 ,her attendants gave her to understand as delicately as they could1 that it was far the purpose of castrating him4 ,how unnecessary is so much trouble1 said her majesty1 they have only to give him coffee1 and their object will be fully and easily attained4#aii ,most probably the queen spoke from her own experience of its anti-aphrodisiacal effects upon her royal consort4 ,there are some diseases which are considered as anti-aphrodisiacal1 on account of the decided aversion which the patient who is afflicted with them feels for the pleasures of the sexual union4 ,thus a species of epidemic leprosy is common among the ,cossacks of the ,jaik1 which is attended by pains in the joints and a disgust for copulation1 a disgust the more extraordinary1 not only because exanthematous diseases1 in general excite a desire for the above act1 but also inasmuch as this malady1 in particular usually attacks persons in the prime of their youth4 ,another disease analogous to the one just mentioned1 the ,plica-,polonica1 rages1 during the autumnal season1 in ,poland1 ,lithuania1 and ,tartary4 ,it is said to have been introduced into the first of these countries by the ,tartars1 who had it originally from ,india4 ,one of the most singular phenomena attending this disorder1 and which evidently proves the close sympathy existing between the head and the organs of generation1 is that when the patient is bald1 the ,plica not unfrequently fastens upon the sexual parts1 and acquires such a length as to descend below the calves of the legs4 ,the mode of treatment1 that of mercury and sudorifics1 proves the mucous character of the disorder1 and1 consequently1 accounts for its well known tendency to strike the whole animal economy with that prostration of strength which produces a total indifference to the sex4 ,continual exercise on horseback was considered by ,hippocrates#bjj as anti-aphrodisiacal and ,van ,sweiten commenting upon that opinion1 justly observes that the continual joltings caused by so violent an exercise1 added to the compression produced upon the parts of generation by the weight of the body1 was by no means unlikely to produce a focal relaxation of those organs to such an extent as to prevent erection altogether4 ,if whatever opposes an obstacle to the gratification of the sexual appetite may be considered as having a place among the anti-aphrodisiacs1 certain mechanical processes may be ranked as such4 ,of these1 fibulation1 from the ,latin word fibula 7a buckle or ring7 was the very reverse of circumcision1 since the operation consisted in drawing the prepuce over the glans1 and preventing its return1 by the insertion of the ring4#bja ,the ,fibula 7buckle7 is so called1 because it serves to fix together and to re-unite parts which are separated4 ,it was1 formerly a surgical instrument which1 besides the use now particularly in question1 served also to keep closed the lips of any extensive wounds4 ,it is mentioned as being so applied by ,oribuse1#bjb and by ,scribonius ,largus4#bjc ,employed1 therefore1 as it was for various uses1 the fibula appears to have different shapes1 now but little known to us4 ,rhodius#bjd has treated of all those mentioned in the writings of antiquity4 ,meinsius thinks that the custom of infibulating may be traced back to the time of the siege of ,troy1 for the singer ,demodocus1 who was left with ,clytemnestra by ,agamemnon1#bje appears to that critic1 to have been a eunuch1 or1 at least1 to here been infibulated4#bjf ,among the ancients1 as well as among many modern nations1 the laws of chastity and the restraints of honour appeared scarcely sufficient to hinder the sexes from uniting1 in spite of all the obstacles opposed by a vigilant watch and strict seclusion4#bjg ,indeed1 what ,roman virgin could entertain very strict ideas of modesty while she saw the goddess of love honoured in the temple1 or the amours of ,venus and ,mars celebrated1 while the poor cuckolded ,vulcan1 after seizing the amorous couple in his net1 way only thereby exposed to the ridicule of the ,olympic ,divinities4 ,there can be little doubt but that excess of this description bastardized and corrupted the ancient ,greeks and ,romans1 and that recourse was necessarily had to the fibula when the deities themselves set the example4 ,of what use1 indeed1 could be the moral lessons of a ,plato or a ,socrates1 even when enforced by infibulation1 if vice was thus sanctioned by divine example8 ,the only aim of such a state of things was to vanquish obstacles4 ,the art of eluding nature was studied1 marriage was despised1 notwithstanding the edicts of ,augustus against bachelors2 the depopulated republic wallowed in the most abandoned lust1 and1 as a natural consequence1 the individual members of it became corrupted and enervated from their very infancy4 ,the infibulation of boys1 sometimes on account of their voice1 and not unfrequently1 to prevent masturbation1 was performed by having the prepuce drawn over the glans2 it was then pierced1 and a thick thread was passed through it1 remaining there until the cicatrizing of the hole2 when that took place1 a rather large ring was then substituted1 which was not removed but with the permission of the party ordering the operation4#bjh ,the ,romans infibulated their singers in order to preserve their voice3 ,si gaudet cantu2 nullius fibula durat ,vocem vendentis prtoribus4#bji ,but should the dame in music take delight1 ,the public singer is disabled quite2 ,in vain the prtor guards him all he can1 ,she slips the buckle 7fibula7 and enjoys her man4 ,they even subjected to the same operation most of their actors3 ,solvitur his magno comdi fibula4 ,sunt1 qu ,chrysogonum cantare vetent4#baj ,take from ,chrysogonus the power to sing1 ,loose1 at vast prices1 the comedian's ring4 ,dic mihi1 simpliciter1 comdis et cithardis1 ,fibula1 quod prstat8444 carius ut futuunt4#baa ,tell me1 clasp6 frankly1 of what advantage are you to actresses and lute-players8 ,to enhance their favours4 ,menophili1 penem tam grandis fibula vestit ,ut sit comdis omnibus1 una satis ,hunc ego credideram 7nam spe lavamur in unum7 ,sollicitum voci parcere1 ,flacce1 su2 ,dum ludit media populo spectante palstra1 ,delapsa est misero1 fibula2 verpus erat4#bab ,una si gran fibula copre il membro di ,menofila1 che sola basterebbe a tutti i commenianti4 ,io ,o ,flacco1 avevo creduto 7imperocche si siamo sovente lavati insime7 che esso sollecito avesse cura delle sua voce2 lotta in mezzo la palestra a vista del popolo1 la fibula casc sventvrato2 era un' inciso4 ,nor were dancers and gladiators exempted from the same operation1 especially the latter1 in order that they might preserve all the vigour required in their horrible and degrading occupation4 ,the best description of the fibula is that given by ,holiday3 ,the fibula1 says he1 does not strictly signifie a button1 but also a buckle or clasp1 or such like stay4 ,in this place1 the poet expresses by it the instrument of servilitie applied to those that were employed to sing upon the stage2 the ,prtor who set forth playes for the delight of the people1 buying youths for that purpose1 and that they might not1 by lust1 spoil their voice1 their overseers closed their shame with a case of metal having a sharp spike of the same metal passing by the side of it1 and sometimes used one of another form2 or by a nearer crueltie1 they thrust a brazen or silver wire thought that part which the ,jew did lose in circumcision4 ,the form of the first1 and also another fashion1 the curious reader may here see 7being without any immodestie7 as they are represented by ,pignerius1 de servis1 p4 #hb4 ,but whatsoever the fashion or invention was1 the trust was but fond that was committed to them1 seeing that the art of lust and gold could make them as vain as the ,italian engines of jealousy in this day4 ,thus1 ',o ,lentulus1' says the poet1 speaking figuratively to some nobleman1 'it is that thou art married2 but it is some musician's or fencer's bastard that is born under thy lordly canopie4'#bac ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,vii41 ,figs4 #a-b1 ,,phallic ,,fibul4 ,winkleman furnishes us with a description of an infibulated musician1#bad it being a small bronze statue representing a naked deformed individual1 as thin as a skeleton1 and carrying a ring in his enormi mentula4 ,martial1 who laughs at everything1 speaks of these singers sometimes breaking their ring1 and says that it becomes necessary to send them to the fibula-makers in order to have the damage repaired3#bae ,et cujus refibulavit turgidum1 faber1 penem1 ,il di cui turgido membro abbia fabro fibbiato4 ,the practice of infibulation was very common in ,india1 from religious motives4 ,as a proof of their sanctity1 many of the ,santons1 or ,mohammedan saints1 as well as other devout persons1 bonzes1 fakirs1 and the like1 devoted themselves to perpetual virginity4 ,whether it was with the intention of placing themselves beyond the possibility of breaking their vow1 or of giving evidence of their constancy1 certain it is that they loaded their prepuce with an enormous fibula1 or ring2 and1 in their warm climate1 where nudity does not shock ideas of propriety or decency1 devout women not unfrequently repaired to these soi-disant saints1 to admire and venerate such efforts of virtue and self-denial2 they are even reported to have knelt down1 and1 in that humiliating posture1 to have kissed the preputial ring1 no doubt with the vain hope of thereby obtaining indulgences4 ,in some places1 these martyrs fasten their fibula with a lock1 the key which they deposit with the magistrate of the town or village4 ,but1 nature insisting upon her rights1 is often too strong for this self-violence1 nor can desire1 or the not-to-be-mistaken symptom of it1 be opposed1 or even prevented1 from being gratified2 and since the lock1 which obstructs the extremity of the prepuce only1 cannot hinder a kind of erection1 nor1 indeed1 of effusion of the seminal fluid1 it cannot do more than oppose the introduction of the male organ into the receptacle destined for it4 ,another description of fakirs were formerly to be seen in ,india1 and1 especially1 in its southern peninsula1 whose custom it was to traverse the country in a state of nudity1 and who had been rendered impotent by the following regimen4 ,the children destined for this penitential state are taken away from their parents at the age of six or seven years1 and made to eat1 daily1 a quantity of the young leaves of a tree called ,mairkousie4 ,at first1 the dose given them is not larger than a filbert4 ,this regimen must be persisted in until the party reaches the age of five-and-twenty years1 the dose being increased till1 at the maximum1 it is as large as a duck's egg4 ,during all this time1 the devotee is subjected to no other regimen1 except a light purge1 once in six months1 by means of ,kadoukaie1 or the black mirobolan4 ,although rendered completely impotent by this mode of treatment1 so far from their physical strength and beauty of form being diminished or deteriorated thereby1 they are1 on the contrary1 improved by it2 the enjoyment of constant good health is likewise almost an invariable consequence4 ,infibulation is not confined to the male sex exclusively1 for it is practised on girls and women in ,india1 ,persia1 and the ,east1 generally1 and most commonly consists in joining together the female sexual organ1 or closing the labia of the vagina by a suture made with waxed thread1 a small aperture being left for the egress of the urine and the menstrua4 ,linschet witnessed the operation at ,pegu1 as did also ,schultz1 ,brown saw it performed1 at ,darfour1 on females from eleven to twelve years of age4#baf ,at the time of marriage1 a cut of the bistouri dissevers the parts which have been closed by the effects of the suture4 ,sometimes jealousy contents itself by passing a ring through the parts4 ,women1 as well as girls1 are subjected to this disgusting operation1 the only difference being that the ring of the latter cannot be removed1 while that of the former has a kind of lock1 the key of which is in the husband's possession4 ,pallas informs us that the beautiful nation of the ,tcherkesses1 or ,circassians carefully preserve the virginity of their girls by means of a leathern girdle1 or rather corslet made of skin1 and sewn immediately upon the naked body4 ,the husband alone has the right of severing this corslet1 which he does1 on the nuptial night4 ,when the violation of virgin chastity and conjugal fidelity became more frequent1 fathers and husbands had recourse1 even in ,europe1 to a mechanical contrivance for the purpose of preserving intact the honour of the family4 ,this was a kind of padlock1 which shut up all access to the seat of voluptuousness4 ,the invention is attributed to one ,francesco di ,carrera1 an imperial judge of ,padua1 who lived about the close of the #aeth century4 ,the machine itself was called the ,girdle of ,chastity4 ,francesco's acts of cruelty brought him to the scaffold1 where he was strangled in #adje1 by a decree of the ,senate of ,venice4 ,one of the principal accusations brought against him was the employment of the ,girdle of ,chastity1 for his mistresses1 and it is said by ,misson#bag that a box filled with these articles was for a long time preserved in the palace of ,st4 ,mark1 at ,venice4 ,rabelais speaks of these girdles1 which he calls ,ceintures la ,bergamasque1 ,nay1 says he1 ,pantagruel1 may that ,nick in the dark cellar1 who hath no white in his eye1 carry me quiet away with him1 if1 in that case1 whenever ,i go abroad from the palace of my domestic residence1 ,i do not1 with as much circumspection as they use to ring mares in our country1 to keep them from being saillied by stoned horses1 clap a ,bergamesco lock upon my wife4 ,brantome has the following notice of these chastity preservers4 ,des temps du roi ,henri il yeut un certain ,quinquallier qui apporte une douzaine de certains engins la foire de ,st4 ,germain pour brider le cas des femmes4 ,ces sortes de cadenas estoient en usage ,venise ds devant l'anne #aebb1 estoient faites de fer et centuroient comme une ceinture1 et venoient se prendre par le bas1 et se fermer clef1 si subtilement faites1 qu'il n'estoit pas possible que la femme en estant bride und fois1 s'en peust jamais prvaloir pour ce doux plaisir1 n'ayant que quelques petits trous menus pour servir pisser4#bah ,an endeavour was made to introduce these ,bernasco padlocks into ,france during the reign of ,henry ,,ii41 and a shop was opened by an ,italian at the fair of ,st4 ,germain1 where they were publicly sold1 and in such numbers1 that the ,french gallants1 becoming alarmed1 threatened to throw the vendor into the ,seine1 if he did not pack up his merchandise and decamp1 which he immediately did for fear that the menace might be put in execution4 ,voltaire describes the ,cadenas as originating with ,pluto1 who1 jealous of his wife ,proserpine1 was advised3 ,qu'un cadenas1 de la structure nouvelle ,fut le garant de sa fidlit1 ,a la vertu par la force asservie1 ,plus ne sera l'amant favoris4 ,en un moment1 feux1 enclumes1 fourneaux ,sont prpars aux gouffres infernaux2 ,tisiphone1 de ces lieux1 serrurire1 ,au cadenas met la main1 la premire1 ,elle l'achve et des mains de ,pluton ,proserpine reut ce triste don1 ,or ce secret aux enfers invent ,chez les humains tt aprs fut port ,et depuis ce temps dans ,venise et dans ,rome ,il n'est pdant1 bourgeois1 ou gentilhomme ,qui pour garder l'honneur de sa maison ,de cadenas n'ait sa provision4#bai ,this sage advice1 a loud applause ,from all the damned assembly draws2 ,and straight1 by order of the ,state1 ,was registered on brass by fate2 ,that moment1 in the shades below1 ,they anvils beat and bellows blow4 ,tisiphoned1 the blacksmith's trade ,well understood2 the locks she made3 ,proserpina1 from ,pluto's hand ,receiving1 wore it by command4 ,this lock1 which hell could frame alone1 ,soon to the human race was known2 ,in ,venice1 ,rome1 and all about it1 ,no gentlemen or cit's without it4#bbj ,we shall close this our third essay with the amusing summary of anti-aphrodisiacal remedies1 as given by ,rabelais4 ,you say1 said the physician ,rondibilis to ,panurge1 that you feel in you the pricking stings of sensuality1 by which you are stirred up to venery4 ,i find in our faculty of medicine1 and we have founded our opinion therein upon the deliberate resolution and final decision of the ancient ,platonics1 that carnal concupiscence is cooled and quelled five several ways3-- ,firstly4 ,by the means of wine4 ,i shall easily believe that quoth ,friar ,john1 for when ,i am well whittled with the juice of the grape1 ,i care for nothing else1 so ,i may sleep4 ,when ,i say1 quoth ,rondibilis1 that wine abateth lust1 my meaning is1 wine immoderately taken2 for by intemperance1 proceeding from the excessive drinking of strong liquor1 there is brought upon the body of such a swill-down bouser1 a chillness in the blood1 a slackening in the sinews1 a dissipation of the generative seed1 a numbness and hebetation of the senses1 with a perversive wryness and convulsion of the muscles1 all which are great lets and impediments to the act of generation4 ,hence it is that ,bacchus1 the god of bibbers1 tipplers1 and drunkards1 is most commonly painted beardless and clad in a woman's habit1 as a person altogether effeminate1 or like a libbed eunuch4 ,wine1 nevertheless1 taken moderately worketh quite contrary effects1 as is implied by the old proverb1 which saith1--,that ,venus taketh cold1 when not accompanied by ,ceres and ,bacchus4#bba ,this opinion is of great antiquity as appeareth by the testimony of ,diodorus the ,sicilian1 and confirmed by ,pausanias1 and it is usually held among the ,lampsacians1 that ,don ,priapus was the son of ,bacchus and ,venus4 ,secondly4 ,the fervency of lust is abated by certain drugs1 plants herbs and roots1 which make the taker cold1 maleficiated1 unfit for1 and unable to perform the act of generation2 as hath often been experimented by the water-lily1 ,heraclea1 ,agnus-,castus1 willow-twigs1 hemp-stalks1 woodbine1 honeysuckle1 tamarisk1 chastetree1 mandrake1 bennet keebugloss1 the skin of a hippopotamus1 and many other such1 which1 by convenient doses proportioned to the peccant humour and constitution of the patient1 being duly and seasonably received within the body--what by their elementary virtues on the one side1 and peculiar properties on the other1 do either benumb1 mortify and beclumpse with cold1 the prolific semence1 or scatter and disperse the spirits which ought to have gone along with1 and conducted the sperm to the places destined and appointed for its reception1--or lastly1 shut up1 stop and obstruct the way1 passages1 and conduits1 through which the seed should have expelled1 evacuated1 and ejected4 ,we have1 nevertheless1 of those ingredients1 which1 being of a contrary operation1 heat the blood1 bind the nerves1 unite the spirits1 quicken the senses1 strengthen the muscles1 and thereby rouse up1 provoke1 excite and enable a man to the vigorous accomplishment of the feat of amorous dalliance4 ,i have no need of those1 quoth ,panurge1 ,god be thanked and you1 my good master4 ,howsoever1 ,i pray you1 take no exception or offence at these my words2 for what ,i have said was not out of any ill-will ,i did hear to you1 the ,lord1 he knows4 ,thirdly4 ,the ardour of lechery is very much subdued and mated by frequent labour and continual toiling4 ,for by painful exercises and laborous working so great a dissolution is brought upon the whole body1 that the blood which runneth alongst the channels of the vein thereof for the nourishment and alimentation of each of its members1 had neither time1 leisure1 nor power to afford the seminal resudation or superfluity of the third concoction1 which nature most carefully reserves for the conservation of the individual1 whose preservation she more heedfully regardeth than the propagation of the species and the multiplication of human kind4 ,whence it is that ,diana is said to be chaste1 because she is never idle1 but always busied about hunting4 ,for the same reason was a camp1 or leaguer of old called--,castrum1#bbb as if they would have said--,castum2 because the soldiers1 wrestlers1 runners1 throwers of the bar1 and other such like athletic champions1 as are usually seen in a military circumvallation1 do incessantly travail and turmoil1 and are in a perpetual stir and agitation4 ,to this purpose1 also1 ,hippocrates writeth in his book1 ,de ,aere1 ,aqua et ,locis3--,that in his time there were people in ,scythia as impotent as eunuchs in the discharge of a venerean exploit2 because that1 without any cessation1 pause or respite1 they were never from off horseback1 or otherwise1 assiduously employed in some troublesome and molesting drudgery4 ,on the other part1 in opposition and repugnancy hereto1 the philosophers say1 that idleness is the mother of luxury4 ,when it was asked ,ovid1 why gisthus became an adulterer8 he made no other answer than this1 ,because he was idle4#bbc ,who were able to rid the world of loitering and idleness might easily disappoint ,cupid#bbd of all his designes1 aims1 engines and devices and so disable and appal him1 that his bow1 quiver1 and darts should from thenceforth be a mere needless load and burthen to him2 for that it could not then lie in his power to strike or wound any of either sex with all the arms he had4 ,he is not1 ,i believe so expert an archer as that he can hit the cranes flying in the air1 or yet the young stags skipping through the thicket1 as the ,parthians knew well how to do2 that is to say1 people moiling1 stirring1 and hurrying up and down1 restless and without repose4 ,he must have those hushed1 still1 quiet1 lying at a stay1 lither and full of ease1 whom he is able to pierce with all his arrows4 ,in conformation thereof1 ,theophrastus being asked on a time1 ,what kind of beast or thing he judged a toyish1 wanton love to be8 he made answer1 ,that it was a passion of idle and sluggish spirits4#bbd ,from which pretty description of tickling-tricks1 that of ,diogenes1 the ,cynic1 was not very discrepant when he defined lechery--,the occupation of folk destitute of all other occupation4 ,for this cause the ,sicyonian sculptor ,canachus1#bbe being desirous to give us to understand that slowth drowsiness1 negligence1 and laziness1 were the prime guardians and governesses of ribaldry1 made the statue of ,venus1 not standing1 as other stone-cutters had used to do1 but sitting4 ,fourthly4 ,the tickling pricks of incontinency are blunted by an eager study2 for from thence proceedeth an incredible resolution of the spirits1 that oftentimes there do not remain so many behind as may suffice to push and thrust forwards the generative resudation to the places thereto appropriated1 and therewithal inflate the cavernous nerve1 whose office is to ejaculate the moisture for the propagation of human progeny4 ,lest you should think it is not so1 be pleased but to contemplate a little the form1 fashion1 and carriage of a man exceeding earnestly set upon some learned meditation and deeply plunged therein1 and you shall see how all the arteries of his brains are stretched forth1 and bent like the string of a cross-bow1 the more promptly1 dexterously and copiously to suppeditate1 furnish and supply him with store of spirits1 sufficient to replenish and fill up the ventricles1 seats1 tunnels1 mansions1 receptacles and cellules of common sense--of the imagination apprehension1 and fancy--of the ratiocination1 arguing1 and resolution--as likewise1 of the memory1 recordation1 and remembrance2 and with great alacrity1 nimbleness1 and agility1 to run1 pass and course from one to the other1 through those pipes1 windings1 and conduits1 which to skilful anatomists are perceivable at the end of the wonderful net1 where all the arteries close in a terminating point2 which arteries taking their rise and origin from the left capsule of the heart1 bring1 through several circuits1 ambages1 and anfractuosities1 the vital spirits1 to subtilize and refine them in the therial purity of animal spirits4 ,nay1 in such a studiously meditating1 musing person1 you may espy so extravagant raptures of one1 as it were out of himself1 that all his natural faculties for that time will seem to lie suspended from each their proper charge and office1 and his exterior senses to be at a stand4 ,in a word1 you cannot choose than think1 that he is by an extraordinary ecstasy quite transported out of what he was or should be2 and that ,socrates did not speak improperly when he said1 ,that philosophy was nothing else but a meditation upon death4 ,this possibly is the reason why ,democritus#bbf deprived himself of the sense of seeing1 prizing1 at a much lower rate1 the loss of his sight1 than the diminution of his contemplation which he had frequently found disturbed by the vagrant flying-out strayings of his unsettled and roving eyes4#bbg ,therefore is it that ,pallas1 the goddess of wisdom1 tutoress and guardianess of such as are diligently studious and painfully industrious1 is and hath been still accounted a virgin4 ,the ,muses upon the same consideration are esteemed perpetual maids3 and the ,graces1 for the same reason1 have been held to continue in a sempiternal pudicity4 ,i remember to have read that ,cupid1#bbg on a time1 being asked by his mother ,venus1 why he did not assault and set upon the ,muses1 his answer was1 that he found them so fair1 so neat1 so wise1 so learned1 so modest1 so discreet1 so courteous1 so virtuous1 and so continually busied and employed1--one in the speculation of the stars1--another in the supputation of numbers1--the third in the dimension of geometrical quantities1--the fourth in the composition of heroic poems1--the fifth in the jovial interludes of a comic strain1--the sixth in the stately gravity of the tragic vein1--the seventh in the melodious disposition of musical airs1--the eighth in the completest manner of writing histories and books on all sorts of subjects1 and--the ninth in the mysteries1 secrets1 and curiosities of all sciences1 faculties1 disciplines and arts whatsoever1 whether liberal or mechanic1--that approaching near unto them he unbent his bow1 shut his quiver1 and extinguished his torch1 through mere shame and fear that by mischance he might do them any hurt or prejudice4 ,which done1 he thereafter put off the fillet wherewith his eyes were bound1 to look them in the face1 and to hear their melody and poetic odes4 ,there took he the greatest pleasure in the world1 that many times he was transported with their beauty and pretty behaviour1 and charmed asleep by their harmony1 so far was he from assaulting them or interrupting their studies4 ,under this article may be comprised what ,hippocrates wrote in the afore-cited treatise concerning the ,scythians1 as also that in a book of his intituled1 ,of ,breeding and ,production1 where he hath affirmed all such men to be unfit for generation as have their parotid arteries cut--whose situation is behind the ears--for the reason given already1 when ,i was speaking of the resolution of the spirits1 and of that spiritual blood1 whereof the arteries are the sole and proper receptacles2 and that likewise he doth maintain a large portion of the parastatic liquor to issue and descend from the brains and backbone4 ,fifthly4 ,by the too frequent reiteration of the act of venery4 ,there did ,i wait for you1 quoth ,panurge1 and shall willingly apply it to myself1 whilst any one that pleaseth may1 for me1 make use of any of the four preceding4 ,that is the very same thing1 quoth ,friar ,john1 which ,father ,scyllion1#bbh ,prior of ,st4 ,victor1 at ,marseilles1 calleth maceration and taming of the flesh4 ,i am of the same opinion1 and so was the hermit of ,saint ,radegonde1 a little above ,chinon2 for1 quoth he1 the hermits of ,thebade can no way more aptly or expediently macerate and bring down the pride of their bodies1 daunt and mortify their lecherous sensuality1 or depress and overcome the stubbornness and rebellion of the flesh1 than by dufling and fanfreluching five and twenty or thirty times a day4 ,,footnotes #a ,for a representation of the ,egyptian ,phallus see ,plate ,i41 figures #a1 #b1 and #c4 ,these are taken from the ,recueil d',antiquits ,egyptiennes by the ,comte ,de ,caylus1 who1 speaking of the first of them1 observes3 ,cette figure reprsente le plus terrible ,phallus qu'on ait v1 proportion garde1 sur aucun ouvrage4 ,on n'ignore point la vnration que les ,egyptiens avaient pour cet emblme1 il est vrai2 mais je doute que cette nation sage et peu outre dans sa conduite et consacr dans les premiers sicles1 c'est a dire1 avant le rgne des ,ptolemes1 une pareille figure4 #b ,historia de los ,incas4 ,cap4 ,,vi4 #c ,in the church of ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome1 is kept1 en secret1 a large stone emblem of the creative power1 of a very peculiar shape1 on which are engraved ,greek3 ,zeus ,str4 ,only persons who have great interest can get a sight of it4 ,is it from this stone having some peculiar virtue that those preux chevaliers1 the cardinals1 keep it so closely8 ,perhaps they choose to monopolize the use of it8 ,i never saw it1 but ,i know that it was at ,st ,peter's4--,,higgins4 #d ,see ,plate ,,ii41 figure #a4 ,this figure of the ,lingham presents a kind of ,trinity1 the vase represents ,vishnu1 from the middle of which rises a column rounded at the top representing ,siva1 and the whole rests upon a pedestal typifying ,brahma4 ,from the ,voyage aux ,indes ,orientales et la ,chine1 par ,m4 ,sonnerat1 depuis #aggd jusqu'en #agha4 ,tom4 ,i41 p4 #agi4 #e ,voyage aux ,indes et la ,chine1 par ,sonnerat1 depuis #aggd jusqu'en #agha2 ,tom4 ,i4 liv4 #b4 #f ,see plate ,,iii41 figures #a1 #b1 #c1 and #d4 #g ,henry ,o',brien1 ,round ,towers of ,ireland4 ,london1 #ahcd4 ,chapter viii4 #h ,see ,plate ,,iv41 figure #a4 #i ,samuel ,,ii41 chap4 vi41 v4 #bj1 #ba1 #bb1 #bc4 #aj ,the indispensable and inseparable appendages to the male organ have thus been eulogized by ,giov4 ,francesco ,lazzarelli in his poem entitled1 ,la ,cicceide1 p4 #abj4 ,,le ,,prerogativi ,,de',,testicoli4 ,gran sostegni dei mondo1 almi ,c 444444 ,del celeste ,fattor1 opre ingegnose2 ,da caricare i piccoli cannoni1 ,ond' armata va l'uom1 ,palle focose3 ,robusti1 anchor teneri ,palloni1 ,con cui guiocan tra lor1 mariti e spose2 ,del corpo uman spermatici ,embrioni2 ,de' venerei piacer fonti amorose2 ,magazzini vitali1 ove ,natura ,l'uman seme riposto1 a' figli suoi ,d' assicurar la succession procura6 etc4 #aa ,genesis1 chap4 xxiv4 v4 #b1 #c4 #ab ,genesis1 chap4 xlvii4 v4 #bi4 #ac ,mmoires sur l',egypte1 publis pendant les ,campagne de ,bonaparte1 ,partie1 #b1 p4 #aic4 #ad ,the ,latin text of the law is as follows3--,si mulier stuprata lege cum illo agere velit1 membro virili sinistra prehenso et dextra reliquos sanctorum imposita1 juret1 super illas quod is per vim se1 isto membro1 vitiaverit4--,voyage dans le ,dpartement du ,finisterre1 ,tom4 iii41 p4 #bcc4 #ae ,hunc locum tibi dedico consacroque1 ,priape1 ,qu domus tua1 ,lampsaei est1 quaque silva1 ,priape4 ,nam te prcipue in suis urbibus colit1 ora ,hellespontia1 cteris ostreosior oris4--,catullus1 ,carm4 xviii4 #af ,see ,plate ,,ii41 figure #b4 #ag ,from possessing such an article of ,,virtu1 his ,eminence must surely have been of the opinion of ,cardinal ,bembo--that there is no sin below the navel4 #ah ,falce minax et parte tui majore1 ,priape1 ,ad fontem quso1 dic mihi1 qua sit iter4--,priapeia ,carm4 #ai ,see note #ba1 p4 #aa4 #bj ,see ,s4 ,augustine1 ,civ4 ,dei41 lib4 #f1 cap4 #i1 and ,lactantius ,de falsa religione4 lib4 ,i4 #ba ,see ,plate ,i41 figure #d4 ,this phallus was found at ,pompeii over a baker's door4 #bb ,thus his statue was placed in orchards as a scare-crow to drive away superstitious thieves1 as well as children and birds4 ,pomarii tutela1 diligens rubro ,priape1 furibus minare mutino4--,priapeia ,carm4 #gc4 #bc ,ind4 ,antiq4 ii41 p1 #cfa4 #bd ,ind4 ,antiq41 vol4 ,i41 p4 #bdg4 #be ,voyage dans la ,chine par ,avril1 ,liv4 iii41 p4 #aid4 #bf ,higgins1 ,anacalypsis1 vol4 i41 p4 #bfi4 #bg ,worship of ,priapus4 #bh ,ibid41 p #dh4 #bi ,for some ingenious and learned observations on the ,tau or ,crux ,ansata see ,classical ,journal1 ,no4 #ci1 p4 #ahb4 #cj ,chap4 ix41 v4 #c4 ,and the ,lord said unto him3 ,go through the midst of the city1 through the midst of ,jerusalem1 and set a mark upon the forehead of the men that sigh and cry for the abominations that be done in the midst thereof4 #ca ,for a description of some of the above-mentioned ,crosses1 see ,plate ,v41 also ,voyage dans la basse et la haute-,egypte pendant les campagnes de ,bonaparte1 #ahjb et #ahbi1 par ,denon--,planches #dh1 #gh4 #cb ,this city was the birth place of the deity ,priapus1 whose orgies were there constantly celebrated4 ,alexander the ,great1 in his ,persian expedition1 resolved to destroy ,lampsacus on account of its many vices1 or rather from a jealousy of its adherence to ,persia2 but it was saved by the artifice of the philosopher ,anaxamenes1 who1 having heard that the king had sworn to refuse whatever he should ask him1 begged him to destroy the city4 #cc ,journal d',henri ,,iii4 par l',etoile4 ,tom4 #e4 #cd ,historie ,religieuse du ,calendrier1 p4 #dbj4 #ce ,johannis ,goropii ,becani1 ,origines ,antwerpian1 #aefi1 lib4 i41 p4p4 #bf and #aja4 #cf ,the foreskins1 still extant1 of the ,saviour1 are reckoned to be twelve in number4 ,one was in the possession of the monks of ,coulombs2 another at the ,abbey of ,charroux2 a third at ,hildesheim1 in ,germany2 a fourth at ,rome1 in the ,church of ,st4 ,jean-de-,latran2 a fifth at ,antwerp2 a sixth at ,puy-en-,velay1 in the ,church of ,notre ,dame1 c41 c4 ,so much for relics6 #cg ,dulaure1 ,singularits ,historiques de l',historie de ,paris1 p4 #gg4 ,paris1 #ahbe4 #ch ,letter of ,sir ,w4 ,hamilton prefixed to ,payne ,knight's ,worship of ,priapus4 ,for a representation of the ancient1 ,ex voto1 in silver1 the size of the original see ,plate ,,vi41 figure #a4 ,it is copied from an additional plate inserted by ,m4 ,panizzi1 late librarian of the ,british ,museum1 in the fly-leaf of ,payne ,knight's ,worship of ,phallus4 #ci ,to these the canon law adds sorcery1 ligature or point-tying4 #dj ,zachais1 ,qust4 medico4 leg4 lib4 ,,ii41 tit4 ,i1 qust4 ,i4 #da ,see ,lectures on ,comparative ,anatomy by ,sir ,everard ,home1 ,bart4 ,vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #aff4 ,london #ahbc4 #db ,lib4 ,i41 ,epigram4 #ia4 #dc ,juvenal ,sat4 ,i41 vv4 #bjd1 #aje4 #dd ,orlando ,furioso1 ,can4 ,i1 stanz4 #di1 #fj4 #de ,rapport1 ,tom4 ,i41 p4 #cce4 #df ,sir ,charles ,morgan1 ,philos4 of ,morals1 p4 #be4 #dg ,nosographie philosophique4 #dh ,medical ,essays published by a society in ,edinburgh1 vol4 ,i41 p4 #bgj4 ,case reported by ,w4 ,cockburn1 ,m4,d4 #di ,rapport1 tome ,,ii41 p4 #dbb4 #ej ,essays1 ,book ,i41 chap4 xx4 ,cotton's translation4 #ea ,hippocrates de ,aer3 aqua et loco1 #baj4 #eb ,treatise on the ,venereal ,disease4 #ec ,comment4 de ,aer3 aqua et loco1 #baj4 #ed ,voltaire1 ,pucelle d',orlans1 ,chant4 xii4 #ee ,bigarrures du ,seigneur des ,accords4 #ef ,herodotus ,enterpe clxxxii4 #eg ,de ,legibus1 lib4 ii4 #eh ,ecologa viii4 #ei ,amor41 lib4 iii41 ,eleg4 #f4 #fj ,de ,asino ,aureo1 lib4 ii41 v4 #c4 #fa ,tacitus ,annal41 lib4 iv41 #bb4 #fb ,lib4 v41 ,sentent1 tit4 #bc4 #fc ,de rebus gestis ,francorum1 lib4 #d4 cap4 #id4 #fd ,histoire des ,franais4 #fe ,nominated to the ,bishopric of ,evreux by ,henry ,,iv4 of ,france4 ,his favourite authors were ,rabelais and ,montaigne4 #ff ,demonologie1 #afjc1 ,book ,i41 ,chap4 ,,iii41 p4 #ab4 #fg ,hercules1 puer1 ,l4 ,virgines1 una nocte1 gravidus reddit4--,clius1 lib4 #ad1 cap4 #h4 #fh ,trait premier de la dissolution de ,mariage pour l'impuissance et froideur de l'homme1 ou de la ,femme1 par ,antoine ,hotman1 p4 #fc4 #fi ,tableau de l',amour considr dans l'tat du ,mariage1 par ,,ii41 chap4 #b1 art4 #c4 #gj ,art4 ,portugal4 rem4 ,f4 #ga ,boileau ,despraux1 ,satires1 ,satire ,,viii4 #gb ,willick's ,lectures on ,diet and ,regimen1 p4 #ech1 et seq4 #gc ,from ,greek3 mandra1 relating to cattle1 and ,greek3 agaron1 baneful1 injurious4 #gd ,genesis1 ,chap4 xxx41 v4 #ad1 #ae1 #af1 #ag4 ,the last verse must be considered as decisive of the efficacy of the mandrake4 #ge ,solomon's ,song1 chap4 vii4 v4 #ac4 #gf ,see the word ,dudam1 in ,dr4 ,kitto's ,cyclopdia of ,biblical ,literature4 ,the learned doctor has given a sketch of the plant ,mandragora1 a copy of which the reader will find in plate ,,vi4 #gg ,onkelos was a celebrated rabbin contemporary with ,st4 ,paul1 and to whom the ,targum1 that is1 a translation or paraphrase of the ,holy ,scriptures1 is attributed4 #gh ,lib4 ,,iv41 cap4 #gf4 #gi ,quoted by ,oct4 ,celsius in his ,hierobotanicon1 ,part ,i41 par4 #e4 art4 ,dudaim1 from ,epiphan3 ,physiolog4 c4 #d4 #hj ,pliny's ,natural ,history1 ,vol4 ,,iv41 p4 #cig 7,bohn's ,classical ,library74 #ha ,columella ,de hortorum ,cultu41 v4 #ai1 #bj4 #hb ,see a manuscript ,interrogatory still preserved in the ,bibliothque ,nationale1 ,fonds de ,baluze1 ,rouleau #e4 #hc ,see ,de l'imposture des ,diables1 par ,jacques ,grvin1 ,tom4 ,,iv41 p4 #cei4 #hd ,from ,weir ,de ,mag3 demonia3 ,cours ,complet d'agriculture par l',abb ,rosier1 ,tom4 ,,vi41 p4 #dja4 #he ,rcollections des choses merveilleuses ,advenues en notre temps par ,george ,chastelain1 ,edition de ,coustelier1 p4 #aej4 #hf ,lettres d',amabed1 ,vol4 ,,xxxiv41 p4 #bfa4 ,edition ,beuchot1 ,paris4 #hg ,mandragola1 ,atto ,,ii4 ,scena #f4 ,see also ,la ,fontaine's tale of ,la ,mandragore1 founded upon the above comedy4 #hh ,see ,warburton on ,shakespear's ,othello1 ,act ,i41 ,scene #h4 ,by spells and medicines bought of mountebanks4 #hi ,see ,speed's ,historie of ,great ,britaine4 ,richard ,,iii4 ,book ,,ii41 page #iac folio edition1 #afcb4 #ij ,exercitatio de ,rachelis ,deliciis1 #dbj1 #afgh4 #ia ,atlantica illustrata1 #agcc4 #ib ,hierobotanicon1 #agde4 #ic ,journey from ,aleppo to ,jerusalem at ,easter1 ,a4,d41 #afig4 #id ,orchis is a ,greek word signifying testicle1 a name given by the ancients to this plant on account of the supposed resemblance of its root to that organ4 #ie ,eustathii ,commentarii ad ,homerum1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #cbe1 #djc-i4 ,editio ,lipsi1 #ahbg4 #if ,juliani ,calixen ,epistola4 #ig ,amatorio poculo furorem versus1 quum aliquot libros per intervalla conscripserat4 #ih ,epist4 dissuas3 ad ,rufinum ,c4 #bb4 ,tom ,,xii4 p4 #bde1 ad ,varon4 #ii ,remarks on the life and poems of ,lucretius1 p4 vi4 7,bohn's ,classical ,library74 #ajj ,probably to ,anticyra1 a ,greek town situated at the mouth of the river ,sperchius1 and reputed to produce the genuine hellebore1 recommended by the ancient physicians as a cure for insanity1 whence the well known adage1 ,naviget ,anticyram4 #aja ,sueton4 ,calig4 #ej4 #ajb ,juvenal4 ,sat4 vi4 v4 #fad4 #ajc ,hor4 ,epod ,lib4 ,carm4 ,v4 #agjc4 ,see also the admirable notes of ,dacier and ,sanadon upon the above ode4 #ajd ,disquisitionum ,magicarum1 ,lib4 ,,iii4 ,qustio ,,iii4 ,de ,amatorio ,malaficio1 page #g4 #aje ,cinq livres de l'imposture et tromperie des diables4 ,lib4 ,,ii41 p4 #baf1 #aefi4 #ajf ,de ,margarum ,daemonomania4 ,lib4 ,i41 ,cap4 ,,iii41 p4 #bg4 #ajg neid1 ,lib4 ,,iv41 v4 #ac1 #ad1 #ae1 and #af4 #ajh ,pausanias1 ,grci ,descriptio1 ,lib4 ,v41 c4 #bg4 #aji ,in his work ,de valetudine tuend4 #aaj ,trait universel des drogues simples4 #aaa ,the ,holy ,guide by ,john ,heyden1 ,gent41 ,greek3 ,philonomos a servant of ,god and a ,secretary of ,nature1 ,lib4 v4 p4 #fa4 #aab ,ibid41 p4 #fb4 #aac ,anatomy of ,melancholy4 #aad ,essays1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #bfb-c4 ,translated by ,cotton4 ,london1 #agdc4 #aae ,cujus rei istud est argumentum1 quod ubi rem veneream exercemus1 tantillo emisse1 imbecilles evadimus4--,de ,genitura4 #aaf ,tome #eb1 p4 #bhf1 et seq4 #aag ,juvenal1 ,sat4 #f1 v4 #cjb4 ,ad venerem1 says ,lubinus in a note on this passage1 miris modis instigant 7i4e41 ostre71 inde turpissim ill besti 7femin7 ostrea comedebant1 ut ad ,venerem promptiores essent4 #aah ,de la gnration de l'homme1 p4 #bgb4 #aai ,trait des dispenses et de ,carme1 ,paris1 #agji1 en #abmo1 rimprim trois fois4 #abj ,names given to the female slaves or concubines in the harem of the ,sultan4 #aba ,a large province of the ,deccan1 said to have been famous1 in ancient times1 for its diamond mines4 #abb ,that ,coryphus of voluptuaries1 ,george ,,iv41 so highly appreciated this quality in truffles1 that his ,ministers at the courts of ,turin1 ,naples1 ,florence1 c41 were specially instructed to forward by a state messenger to the ,royal ,kitchen any of those fungi that might be found superior in size1 delicacy or flavour4 #abc ,physiologie du ,gout1 par ,brillat ,savarin1 ,paris1 #ahei4 #abd ,martial1 ,epigram1 lib4 xiii4 epig4 #cd4 #abe ,ducange1 ,glossaire4 #abf ,j4 ,h4 ,meibomius de flagrorum usu in ,re medica et ,venerea1 ,paris1 #agib1 p4 #abe4 #abg ,see ,macaronana1 par ,m4 ,octave ,delepierre1 ,paris1 #aheb1 p4 #c4 #abh ,thevet1 ,portraits des ,vies des ,hommes ,illustres1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #ac1 fol4 edit41 ,paris1 #aehd4 #abi ,hume's ,hist4 of ,england1 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #cdh4 #acj ,dissertatio ,inauguralis de ,ambra1 iv4 p4 #cf4 #aca ,medicamentum quod non solum potenter stimulat1 sed vel efftum senem1 pro brevi tempore1 ad juventutem iterum restituit4 ,ibid4 viii41 p4 #dd4 #acb ,ne dans une condition obscure1 voue au libertinage ds sa plus tendre jeunesse1 autant par got que par tat1 ,made4 ,du ,barry ne put offrir son auguste amant1 malgr la fleur de la jeunesse et les brillants appas dont elle toit encore pourvue1 que les restes de la plus vile canaille1 de la prostitution4 ,vie prive des matresses de ,louis ,,xv41 p4 #aec4--,you are no doubt curious to hear an opinion of ,madame ,du ,barri's beauty from the lips of one who has seen her both in her days of prosperity and after her downfall4 ,she was a person of small1 almost diminutive stature1 extremely frail and delicate in feature1 which saved her from being vulgar2 but even from the first1 she always wore that peculiarly fane look which she owed to a youth of dissipation1 a maturity of unbounded indulgence4 ,at the period of my visit she was about thirty-six years of age1 but1 from her child-like form and delicacy of countenance1 appeared much younger1 and her gambades and unrestrained gestures of supreme delight on having1 as she said1 quelqu'un qui parler1 did not seem displaced4 ,although alone1 and evidently not in expectation of visitors1 her toilet was brilliant and recherch1 the result of the necessity of killing time4--,talleyrand ,papers4 #acc ,espion de la ,cour4 #acd ,gazetier ,cuirass1 ou ,anecdotes ,scandaleuses de la ,cour de ,france4 #ace ,in his ,praxis ,medica ,admiranda1 wherein he also gives the formula of an electuary ad excitandum tentiginem nulli secundum1 p1 #bie1 ,observ4 ,,xci41 as well as a recipe for pills ad ,coits ignaviam1 ,,cxiii41 p4 #big4 #acf ,encyclopdia ,parthensis1 ,article ,cachunde4 #acg ,see his ,premier ,trait de l'homme et de son essentielle anatomie1 avec les lments et ce qui est en eux1 de ses maladies1 mdicine et absolus remdes1 etc41 ,paris1 #aehh4 #ach ,cent4 #b4 #aci ,see ,celius1 lib4 xiv41 cap4 #c4 #adj ,histoire de ,ferdinand et ,isabelle1 ,tom4 ,,ii41 #cbf4 ,paris1 #agff4 #ada ,biographie ,universelle1 ,art4 ,wallenstein4 #adb ,detested by the ,parisians1 ,dubois was the object of innumerable caricatures1 of which the most sanglante was one representing him genoux aux pieds d'une fille de joie qui prenait de ce sale coulement qui afflige les femmes1 tous les mois1 pour lui en rougir sa calotte et le faire ,cardinal4 ,see ,erotika ,biblion4 ,paris1 #agib1 p4 #eb4 #adc ,mmoires du ,cardinal ,dubois1 vol4 ,i41 p4 #c4 #add lius ,tetrabilis1 ,i41 ,disc4 ,chap4 #cb and #cc4 #ade ,browne's ,travels in ,africa1 etc41 p4 #cdc4 #adf ,la gnration de l'homme1 ou tableau de l'amour conjugal4 ,tom4 #a41 p4 #bgf4 #adg ,ibid41 p4 #bcb4 #adh ,venette1 ,gnration de l'homme1 ,tom4 ,i41 p4 #bgi4 #adi ,de cultu hortorum1 v4 #ajh4 #aej ,moretum1 v4 #he4 #aea ,mag4 ,nat41 ,lib4 vii4 #aeb ,mala ,bacchica tanta olim in amoribus prvalerunt1 ut coron ex illis statu ,bacchi ponerentur4 #aec ,surag radis ad coitum summe facit3 si quis comedat aut infusionem bibat1 membrum subite erigitur4 ,leo ,afric41 ,lib1 ,,ix41 cap4 ult41 p4 #cjb4 #aed ,gomez 7,ferdinand7 of ,ciudad ,real1 a celebrated physician1 born #achh1 died #adeg4 #aee ,mag4 ,nat4 ,lib4 ,,vii41 c4 #af4 #aef ,tractado de las drogas y medicinas de las ,indias ,orientales chap4 ,,lxi41 p4 #cfj1 ,burgos1 #aegh4 #aeg ,travels in ,africa1 c41 p4 #cda4 #aeh ,lignac4 ,a physical view of man and woman in a state of marriage4 ,vol4 ,i41 p4 #aij4 #aei ,turc ad ,levenzinum contra ,comitem ,ludovicum ,souches pugnantes1 opio exaltati turpiter csi1 et octo mille numero occisi1 mentulas rigidas tulere4 ,christen4 ,opium ,hist4 #afj ,it was1 perhaps1 the knowledge of this fact that suggested to ,la ,fontaine the lines3-- ,un muletier ce jeu ,vaut trois rois4 ,to play at which game1 ,i'm sure it is clear1 ,three kings are no match for one muleteer4 #afa ,histoire ,naturelle du ,genre ,humain4 ,tom4 ,,ii41 p4 #abc4 #afb ,cabanis1 ,rapport1 c41 ,tom4 ,,ii41 p4 #hi4 #afc ,essais philosophiques sur les murs de divers animaux trangers4 #afd ,the care on thee depending ,hath fed upon the body of my father1 ,therefore1 thou best of gold art worst of gold2 ,other less fine in carat is more precious1 ,preserving life in medicine potable4 ,henry ,,iv41 sec4 part1 act iv4 sc4 v4 #afe ,lettres sur ,franois ,rabelais4 ,let4 ,,ii4 #aff ,de ,pnitenti ,decretorum1 lib4 xix4 #afg ,see ,millengen's ,curiosities of ,medical ,experience1 art4 ,flagellation ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #dg et seq4 #afh ,medic41 ,lib4 ,,iii41 art4 #ab4 #afi ,see ,richter1 ,opuscula medica ,col4 ,i41 p4 #bgc1 ,qui novit ex stimulantium fonte1 cardiaca1 aphrodisiaca1 diaphoretica1 diuretica aliaque non infirmi ordinis medicamenta peti1 perspicit plenius quam larga verberibus bene merendi sit1 uti prsertim in torpore nervorum1 paralysi1 impotentia ad ,venerem et naturalium excretionum eluxit4 #agj ,author of the work entitled1 ,de flagrorum usu in re venerea1 ,lug4 ,bat41 #afci1 with the motto3 ,delicias pariunt ,veneri crudelia flagra1 ,dum nocet1 illa juvat1 dum juvat1 ecce nocet4 ,lo6 cruel stripes the sweets of love ensure1 ,and painful pleasures pleasing pains procure4 #aga ,millingen1 ,curiosities of ,medical ,experience4 ,vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #eb4 #agb ,to this personage may justly be applied the ,french epitaph upon one who died under similar circumstances3 ,je suis mort de l'amour enterpris ,entre les jambes d'une dame1 ,bien heureux d'avoir rendu l'me1 ,au mme lieu o je l'ai pris4 #agc ,see his work1 contra ,astrologos1 ,lib4 ,,iii41 cap4 #bg4 #agd ,petri ,ablardi ,abbatis ,rugensis et ,heloiss ,abbatiss ,paracletensis ,epistol4 ,epist4 ,i41 p4 #aj4 #age ,ibid41 ,epist4 ,,iii41 p4 #ha4 #agf ,see ,meibomius1 p4 #dc1 note a4 ,edit4 ,paris1 #agib1 #abmo4 #agg ,name given to persons having only one testicle4 #agh uvres1 ,tom4 ,i1 p4 #bhc4 ,ed4 #agad4 #agi ,travels in ,siberia in #affa1 ,tom4 ,i41 p4 #cai4 #ahj ,dictionnaire des ,sciences ,mdicales4 ,art4 ,pollution4 #aha ,confessions1 ,tom4 ,i4 #ahb ,de ,nasturcio mira refert ,dioscoridas ,i41 #b1 c4 #ahe4 #ahc ,satyricon1 ,caput xxxviii4 #ahd ,pract4 part4 ii4 cap4 de passioni membr-gnital4 #ahe ,ducatiana ii41 b4 #eje4 #ahf ,curiosities of ,medical ,experience1 vol4 ,,ii41 p4 #ee4 #ahg ,anatomy of ,melancholy1 ,part #c1 memb4 #c1 subj4 #e4 #ahh ,pornodidascalus seu ,colloquium ,muliebre ,petri ,aretini ingeniossimi et fer incomparabilis virtutum et vitiorum demonstratoris3 ,de ,astu nefario1 horrendisque dolis1 quibus impudic mulieres juventuti incaut insidiantur4--,francofurti4 ,anno #afbc4 #ahi ,verum omni ist scienc 7magica7 7says ,lucretia7 nunquam potui movere cor hominis sol vero saliv mea 7id est ampleux et basiis7 inungens tam furios furere tam bestialiter obstupefieri plurimos coegi ut instar idoil me ,amoresque meos adorarint4--p4 #dg-h4 #aij ,othello1 ,act iii4 ,sc4 #aj4 #aia ,sir ,thos4 ,browne's ,works1 ,vol4 ,,iii41 p4 #hi4 ,bohn's ,edit4 #aib ,origen1 one of the ,fathers of the ,church1 born in ,a4,d4 #ahe1 is a melancholy proof how far the reason may be perverted by erroneous views in religious matters2 for according to ,fulgos1 ut corpus ab omni venerea labe mundum servaret1 omnique suspicione careret1 sectis genitalibus membris1 eunuchum se fecit4 ,he1 however1 lived long enough to condemn his error4 ,see his #aeth sermon upon ,st4 ,matthew1 cap4 #ai1 v4 #ab2 his work against ,celsus1 lib4 #g2 and his #gth ,treatise upon the #ahth and #aith ,chapters of ,st4 ,matthew4 #aic ,baldassar ,timus ,cas4 med4 ,lib4 ,,xix41 ,salacitas nitro curata4 #aid ,historie ,mundi1 ,lib4 ,,xxvi41 c4 #g4 #aie ,the medical school of ,salerno 7latine ,salernum7 was founded by ,robert ,guiscard at the end of the #aath century2 and about the year #aajj a collection of medical aphorisms1 was composed in ,latin verse by a certain ,john of ,milan1 and published under the title of ,medicina ,salertina4 ,of this poem1 which originally consisted of #abci verses1 only #cgc1 or about a third1 are extant4 ,these were published at ,paris in #afbe by ,rn ,moreau2 in #afec it was travestied by ,l4 ,martin2 paraphrased by ,bruzen de la ,martinire in #agdc1 and by ,dr4 ,levacher de la ,feuverie in #aghb4 #aif ,de tuto cantharidum in medicin usu interno4 #aig ,arnaud de ,villeneuve was one of the luminaries of the #acth century1 being distinguished for his profound knowledge of medicine1 chemistry1 astrology1 and theology4 ,he discovered the sulphuric1 muriatic and nitric acids1 and was the first to compose alcohol and the essence of terebinth or turpentine4 #aih ,trait des dispenses du carme4 #aii ,any man1 said ,abernethy1 the celebrated and eccentric surgeon1 that drinks coffee and soda water1 and smokes cigars1 may lie with my wife4 #bjj ,de ,aer3 ,aqu et ,locis4 ,liber1 caput x4 #bja ,comment4 in ,boerh4 ,aphor4 sec4 #ajfc1 ,vol4 ,,iii4 #bjb ,de ,machinis1 ,c4 ,,iv4 #bjc ,no4 #bjf4 #bjd ,exercitatio de aci1 ,cap4 #d1 et seq4 #bje ,odyssey ,,viii4 line #dgg4 #bjf ,introd4 to ,hesiod1 cap4 ,,vi4 p4 #ad4 ,edit4 ,plautin1 #afjc1 in voce ,greek3 aoidos4 #bjg ,annals of ,gallantry4 #bjh ,celsus has described the operation1 in detail4 ,medicina1 lib4 ,,vii4 c4 #be4 #bji ,juvenal1 ,sat4 ,,vi4 v4 #cgi-hj4 #baj ,ibid41 v4 #gc-gd4 #baa ,martialis1 lib4 ,,xiv4 ,ep4 #bae4 #bab ,martialis1 lib4 ,,vii4 ,ep4 #ha4 #bac ,holiday's ,juvenal1 ,sat4 ,,vi41 illustr4 #aa1 note ,unbutton a ,comedian4 ,for a copy see plate ,,vii41 fig4 #a4 and #b4 #bad ,monumenti ,antichi inediti4 ,rome1 #agfg1 fol41 p4 ,,iv4 c4 #h1 p4 #bdg1 fig4 #ahh4 #bae ,martial1 ,lib4 ,,ix4 ,epig4 #bh1 v4 #ab4 #baf ,travels in ,africa and ,egypt4 #bag ,there 7in the arsenal7 are also various whimsical bolts and locks with which he 7,carrera7 used to keep his concubines confined4 ,travels in ,italy4 ,see ,the ,world1 vol4 #ah1 p4 #aed4 #bah ,brantome1 ,dames ,galantes1 tom4 iii41 p4 #ach4 #bai ,le ,cadenas4 ,this poem was composed by the author when he was only eighteen years of age1 and it was occasioned by a lady who was in the circumstances here spoken of4 #bbj ,dr ,smollett's translation1 ,vol4 ,,xxxii4 #bba ,sine ,baccho et ,cerere friget ,venus4 #bbb ,castrum quasi ,castum1 ,castra1 says ,isidorus in his ,etymologies1 ,lib4 ,,ix41 sunt ubi miles steterit3 dicta autem1 castra1 quasi casta1 eo quod ibi castraretur libido4 ,a castle from castrating of lust4 #bbc ,quritur gystus quare sit factus adulter ,in promptu causa est3 desidiosus4--,de ,remed4 ,amoris4 #bbd ,otia si tollas1 periere ,cupidinis artes4 #bbe ,see ,pausanias's ,corinthians4 #bbf ,vide ,cicero1 lib4 ,v41 ,tusc4 ,questions and ,plutarch's ,treatise of ,curiosity4 ,it must1 however1 be observed1 that this story is wholly incredible1 inasmuch as the same writers affirm that ,democritus employed his leisure in writing books and in dissecting the bodies of animals1 neither of which could very well be effected without the eyes4 #bbg ,in ,lucian1 in the ,dialogue entitled--,venus and ,cupid4 #bbh ,the story itself is the same as that related by ,poggio 7,bracciolini7 of a hermit of ,pisa4 ,eremita1 says he1 qui ,pisis morabatur1 tempore ,petri ,gambacurt1 meretricem noctu in suam ce lulan deduxit1 vigesiesque ea nocte mulierem cognovit2 semper cum moveret clunes1 ut crimen fugeret luxuri vulgaribus verbis dicens3 'domati1 carne cattizella2' hoc est1 doma te1 miserrima caro6 ,,the ,,end4