It was impossible for an Author of any Spirit, after a particular description of the unnatural use of the Parts, that he could finish his Labours without thoroughly examining their admiral Structure: They being no less curious than delightful to a Youthful Swain, that’s fir’d with Imagination.
The infinite number of fine Vessels are pleasing in Representation, as well as otherways Ravishing, and the Nerves and Arteries are equally beautiful, as they are transporting. The great and exquisite sense of the Parts of Generation, give an Enjoyment transcending all others; and the Wisdom of our Creator, for the support of the World, cannot be too sufficiently admir’d, in that Man is propagated by an excess of Pleasure.
The following Treatise, I have by no means compos’d to give a loose to Debauchery. I have only persu’d the common Rules of Anatomy in this way of Writing, and interspers’d a great variety of curious Observations and natural Consequences as yet unobserv’d, and I was naturally induc’d to it more for the Information of Mankind in general, than for the Sons of Æsculapius in particular. The Gentleman of all Ranks not superannuated, may find some Pleasure in perusing it, and the fair Sex will meet with such ample Instructions, as not to fail in the choice of an agreeable Person, for the amorous Combat.
For my Dissertation upon the Generation of Man, I am chiefly oblig’d to Messieurs Lamy, and Dionis,[[1]] those two excellent Anatomists; and if, in some parts of my Performance, I seem more Ludicrous than any Author that has hitherto writ on the Subject; you’ll find on due consideration, ’tis owing to a more exact Enquiry; and Curiosity is not easily satisfied in the depth of the secrets of Nature. And I hope what I have mention’d from a Learned Casuist,[[2]] will be a sufficient Antidote against the unlawful use of those curious Parts I have so particularly described; as an Addition to which I farther recommend a small Treatise (not long since publish’d,) Entitled, Essays relating to the Conduct of Life, which contain sufficient and easy Instructions for a regular OEconomy, not only where the Passions are prevalent, but in all the Vicissitudes incident to Human Nature.
[1]. Dissertation sur la Generation de L’Homme. Par Monsieur Dionis, Paris 1697.
[2]. Traite de l’Impuritie, par Monsieur Ostervald.
In the Writing of this small Work I carelesly omitted a material scrutiny of a Paragraph in Onania; Page 16. says this Author, ‘some Women are with held from being Prostitutes by their covetousness only: Others for nothing else, but the fear of Diseases, or the having of Children. Lascivious Widows, who understand the World have reason to scruple second Marriages on many accounts; some love their Liberty; others their Money; and if they value their Reputation, they’ll not dare to venture on unlawful Embraces; whereas in Self-pollution, neither the Cautious, nor the Covetous imagine that they have any thing to fear.” I take it that this very plainly encourages the Sin of Self-pollution, if I may be allow’d to deduce the Consequences of the latter from the former; for he first says rightly, that unlawful Embraces are injurious to Reputations; but then insinuates that Self-pollution may be practis’d without any Apprehensions. This and many other parts of his Treatise, demonstrate his View to be the sale of his Medicines, though with a great deal of Cant he pretends the contrary, besides the very tacking of his Apothecary’s-shop, to his stupid Performance, without any farther considerations sufficiently shews his real Intentions. And I am so far from imitating this ignorant Empirick, that the only Remedy I prescribe, is that Infallible Specifick, in every ones power, Chastity.
ONANISM