Another Branch of this Objection, without which the Objection itself would be of no Force, is, that the authorizing of Public Stews is a Public Encouragement for People to Whore.
If by People are meant those in the Stews, I hope it will be thought no Crime to encourage such People, rather to confine themselves to the Practice of one Vice, than live by committing a Thousand; especially when that one Vice is what they would really practise, whether they were encourag’d or not.
But if any imagine that this particular Licence would be a general Encouragement to the whole Nation, they are certainly mistaken. For, as to the Men, they are already as bad as they can be; if any Thing cures them, it must be Satiety: Let them have full and free Leave to take a Surfeit of unlawful Love, and they will soon learn to prefer the Chaste Embraces of Innocence before the bought Smile of Harlots loveless, joyless, unindear’d casual Fruition.
It is a right Observation, that Restraint does but whet a Man’s Passions instead of curing them.
Exuperat magis, ægrescitque medendo. Æn. 12. And a late ingenious Author, who study’d Mankind, speaking on this Subject, has these Words: To put down Publick Stews, is not only to disperse Fornication into all Parts, but, by the Difficulty, to excite wild and wanton People to this Vice.
It was observ’d at Rome, that in the full Liberty of Divorces, there was not a single Instance of one in fifty Years: And that Cato long’d for his Wife again as soon as she was in another’s Possession.
The Master of Love says positively,
Quod licet ingratum est, quod non licet acrius urit.
And Martial speaking to a married Rake, B. 3. Ep. 68. says,
Cur aliena placet tibi, quæ tua non placet uxor? Nunquid Securus non potes arrigere?