In the next Place, the Publick Stews will prevent the ill Effects of excessive Lewdness, by preserving Men’s Constitutions so well, that although they may defer Matrimony some time for their special Advantage, yet they will have a sufficient Stock of Desire left to perswade them, one time or other, to quit the Gaiety of a Single Life: and when they do marry, they will be able to answer all the Ends and Purposes of that State as well, and rather better, than if they had lived perfectly chaste.
This may seem a bold Proposition, but the Proof of it is nevertheless obvious. However, to proceed methodically, there are three Ways by which lewd young Men destroy their natural Vigour, and render themselves Impotent: First, By Manufriction, alias Masturbation. Secondly, By too frequent and immoderate Enjoyment. And, Lastly, By contracting Venereal Disorders, as Claps or Poxes.
The first lewd Trick that Boys learn, is this Manual Diversion; and when they have once got the knack of it, they seldom quit it till they come to have actual Commerce with Women: The Safety, Privacy, Convenience, and Cheapness of this Gratification are very strong Motives, and chiefly persuade young Men to continue the Practice of it.
If these Pollutionists were so abstemious as to wait the ordinary Calls of Nature, this Action, however unnatural, would be no more prejudicial, when prudently managed, than common Copulation; but, instead of this, they are every Day committing Rapes upon their own Bodies; and though they have neither real Inclination nor Ability to attack a Woman, yet they can attack themselves, and supply all these Defects by the Agility of their Wrists; by which means they so weaken their Genitals, and accustom them to this violent Friction, that, tho’ they have frequently Evacuations without an Erection, yet the common and ordinary Sensation which Females afford to those Parts, is not able of itself to promote this Evacuation: so that they are impotent to all Intents and Purposes of Generation.
To put a Stop therefore to these clandestine Practices, and prevent young Men from laying violent Hands upon themselves, we must have Recourse to the Publick Stews, which cannot fail to have the desired Effect: For which of these private Practitioners can be so brutish, as to prefer this boyish solitary Amusement before the actual Embraces of a fine Woman, when they can proceed with the same Convenience, Safety, and Privacy in the one, as well as the other.
In the next Place, Men are often weaken’d, and sometimes contract almost incurable Gleets by too frequent and immoderate Enjoyment. This seldom or never happens but in private Whoring, when some particular Mistress has made such a strong Impression upon a Man’s Fancy, that he exerts himself in an extraordinary Manner beyond his natural Ability, and thereby contracts a Seminal Weakness, which is generally more difficult to cure than a virulent Running. Now this Danger will be pretty well remov’d by the Encouragement given to Publick Whoring, which, as I shall show more particularly hereafter, will divert Men’s Minds, and turn their Thoughts very much from private Intrigues: And it will be readily granted me, that no such Excess is to be fear’d in Publick Stews; where a Man only acting out of a general Principle of Love to the whole Sex, will be in no Danger of proceeding any farther than he is prompted by Nature, and the particular Disposition of his Body at that Time.
As for the third Cause of Impotency, the Venereal Disease, we have already prov’d that this Institution of the Stews is the best and surest Remedy against it; and shall only observe here how happily this Project provides against the various ill Effects of Lewdness, in whatever Light we consider them.
Thus, I think, the first Part of my Proposition pretty well clear’d, viz. That the Publick Stews will preserve Mens Constitutions so well, that they will have a sufficient Stock of corporal Ability, and consequently Inclination left to persuade them, sooner or later, to enter into the Marriage-State.
I say farther, that these Men, having thus preserv’d their Constitution, will answer all the Intents and Purposes of that State, rather better than if they had lived perfectly chaste.
When a Man and a Woman select one another out of the whole Species, it is not merely for Propagation; nay, that is generally the least in their Thoughts: What they chiefly have in View, is to pass the Remainder of their Lives happily together, to enjoy the soft Embraces and mutual Endearments of Love; to divide their Joys and Griefs; to share their Pleasures and Afflictions; and, in short, to make one another as happy as possible. As for Children, they come of Course, and of Course are educated according to their Parents Abilities.