SEX & SEXUALITY, 1640-1940

Literary, Medical and Sociological Perspectives

Parts 3 and 4: Erotica, 1650-1900, from the Private Case Collection at the British Library, London

Extracts - Part 3

The following extracts will give a taste of the slightly less explicit material to be found in Part 3.

REEL 1 The Cabinet of Venus Unlocked (1657-1658)

“Season of the year

Women are most lustful in the Summer, but Men in the winter. Women being of cold and moist temper, are refresh’d and cherish’d  by the application of its contrary, whereas a man is debilitated by the too much extracting of his proper hear. Wherefore for the commodity of both Sexes, the Spring is to be chosen as the best season of the year for generation….”

REEL 2 The Whore’s Rhetorick (1683)

“…. For that, Daughter , I must tell you: a Whore is a Whore, but a Whore is not a Woman; as being obliged to relinquish all those frailties that render the Sex weak and contemptible. A Whore ought not to think of her own pleasure, but how to gratifie her Bedfellow in his sensitive desires: She must mind her interest not her sport….”

REEL 2 Erotopolis The present state of Betty-Land (1684)

“The country of Betty-Land is a Continent adjoining to the Isle of Man, having the Island of Man wholly under its Jurisdiction, it is of so large an Extent, that it speads its self through all degrees whatsoever, but the chiefest degrees  which are known to those that travel are from 16 to 45 both of Southern and Northern Latitude, that they steer by the Rules of Compass shall never know the Dominions of it. The Planet which rules it is Venus, tho some aver that it lies all within the Tropic of Capricorn….

…. Having thus given you a description of the Country, it may  not be amiss to show you something of the nature of the Inhabitants. They are generally very Amorous, or rather universally given to Love; which according to the interpretation of some of the Sages, is as much as to say Libidinous….”

REEL 3 The Fifteen Plagues of a Maiden-Head (1707)

“The Seventh Plague

Of late I wonder what’s with me the Matter,

For I look like Death, and am as weak as water,

For several Days I loath the sight of Meat,

And every Night I chew the upper Sheet;

I’ve such obstructions, that I’m almost moap’d,

And breath as if my Vitals all were stop’d,

I told a Friend how strange with me it was,

She, an experience’d Bawd, soon grop’d the Cause,

Saying, for this Disease, take what you can,

You’ll ne’er be well, till you have taken Man.”

REEL 3 A New Description of Merryland (1741), published by Edmund Curll

“CHAP III Of the Air, Soil, Rivers, Canals, etc

The Air in MERRYLAND is very different, being in some Provinces perfectly pure and healthy, in others extreamly gross and pestilential; for the most part it may be said to be like the Air in Holland, “generally thick and moist, by reason of the frequent Fogs which arise from its Lakes and Canals”, yet it is mostly very pleasant and agreeable to the Inhabitants, tho’, it cannot always be said to be wholesome. In the most healthful Provinces it agrees well with young and vigorous Constitutions; but for old Men, or those who are consumptive, this Country is at best esteemed very pernicious, especially if they enjoy it too much, which many are tempted to….”

REEL 4 Arbor Vitae: or, The Natural History of the Tree of Life (1741)

“The Tree of Life is a succulent Plant, consisting of one only strait Stem, on the Top of which is a Pistillum, or Apex, at sometimes Glandiform and resembling a May-Cherry, tho’ at others, more like the Nut of the Avellana or Filbeard-Tree....

The Tree is of slow Growth, and requires Time to bring it to Perfection, rarely feeding to any purpose before the Fifteenth Year; when the Fruits coming to good Maturity, yield a vicious Juice or balmy Succus, which being from Time to Time discharged, at the Pistillum, is mostly bestow’d upon the open Calyx’s of the Frutex Vulvaria, or Flow’ring Shrub….”

REEL 4 The Female Husband: or The Surprising History of Mrs Mary alias Mr George Hamilton (1746) by Henry Fielding

“….they took up their lodgings together, and lived in the same detestable manner as before; till an end was put to their vile amours, by the means of one Rogers, a young fellow, who by his extraordinary devotion (for he was a very zealous Methodist) or by some other charms, (for he was very jolly and handsome)  gained the heart of Mrs Johnson, and married her.

This amour...was kept an entire secret from Mrs Hamilton; but she was no sooner informed of it, than she became almost frantic, she tore her hair, beat her breasts, and behaved in as outrageous a manner as the fondest husband could, who had unexpectedly discovered the infidelity of a beloved wife….”

REEL 6 An Essay on Onanism by M Tissot

“A youth, who had not yet attained his sixteenth year, devoted himself with such fury to masturbation, that, at length, instead of sperm, he brought forth nothing but blood, the emission whereof was soon followed with excessive pain, and an inflammation of all the organs of generation. Being by accident in the country, I was consulted thereupon; I ordered very emollient cataplasms, which produced the effect that I expected; but I have since learnt that he died soon after of the small pox; and I do not doubt that the shocks, which he gave to his constitution, by this infamous rage, greatly contributed to render that disorder mortal. What instruction for youth!...”

REEL 7 Harris’s List of Covent-Garden Ladies (1788)

“Miss L-st-r, No 6, Union Street, Oxford -Road

…. Such our all pleasing L-st-r leads the train, and, smiling like the morn, unfolds her heaven of beauties. Oh, for a Guido’s touch, or Thomson’s thought, to paint the richness of her unequall’d charms; every perfection that can possibly adorn the face and mind of woman seem centered in this bewitching girl; hither resort then, ye genuine lovers of beauty and good sense; here, whilst Plutus reigns, may you revel nor know satiety; here feast the longing appetite, and return with fresh vigour to every attack. Now arrived at the tempting age of nineteen, her imagination is filled with every luscious idea, refined sensibility, and fierce desire can unite, her form is majestic, tall, and elegant….”

REEL 11 Select Poems on Several Occasions by the Right Hon The Earl of H********N (1824)

“The Longing Woman

The loving husband was at care

In managing this nice affair,

And, coming in, said to his wife,

“The parson’s come to save your life”

“Tis very well,” said she, “My dear”.

But when she saw the inch appear,

She curs’d and swore that she was wrong’d:-

“It was not for that inch I long’d,

You stupid blockhead, let me tell ye,

It was the inch that’s next his belly.”

REEL 12 The Exquisite Vol 1 (1842)

“On the Present State of Prostitution in Paris

…. There are prostitutes remarkable for their beauty and their freshness, for their recherché dress, for the elegance of their manners, and who by their “tournure” might be supposed to have received a superior education; but what a change when you make them speak! It is no longer that silvery tone of voice which so much augments the charms of woman; nothing proceeds from their mouths but harsh and discordant sounds, which grate upon the ear, and which a carman could scarcely imitate.

In general this huskiness of the voice does not display itself before the age of twenty five; it is most common in the girls of the most abandoned class, in those who habitually frequent the liquor shops, and who, when intoxicated have the habit of vociferating and screaming—in girls, who from the highest class, have descended to the lowest, and have adopted vile and filthy habits….”

REEL 13 The Secret Companion, A Medical Work on Onanism and Self-Pollution (1845) by James Brodie

“….Self-pollution is a habit so baneful to many, apparently approaching to years of maturity, but who, alas! by their perverted inclinations, create a worm in the core, which destroys the germ of manhood, and proves more destructive than any disease to which the rising generation is liable; it entails the greatest misery, and generates languor, debility, disease, and weakness of mind, instead of that vigour so essential to the purposes of life….”

REEL 13 On the Use of Night-Caps or, Seven Years’ Experience on the Practicability of Limiting the Number of a Family…. (1845)

“…. There are several checks used for the limitation of a family; and it may be as well to mention most of them…. The first I shall notice is, in my opinion, only practicable with a very few cold blooded mortals. Only those males, whose enjoyment of Nature’s most luscious development is at a very low point can practise it with success. It consists in the male, just previous to the flow of the vital stream, withdrawing his member, and placing it between his own abdomen and that of his consort, where the impression takes place…

The next check which has been adopted, is an injection into the female (previous to copulation) of medicinal fluids, to kill the seed before it can reach the womb….

The third plan is to use a small sponge, attached to a silken string, which the lady or gentleman introduces into the vagina at an early period of their mutual proceedings….

I have now only to describe the best plan, which consists in placing over the gentleman’s gentleman a very fine nightcap, made of a tissue, resembling gold beater’s skin. It is so fine, that the exquisite sensation caused by contact and friction, is but very slightly impeded by its use….”

REEL 14 The Exhibition of Female Flagellants (1860) published by William Dugdale

“….This evening we were both engaged to go to a ball, and she had dressed herself in a very elegant manner. To be brief, my dear girl, I was whipped by this lovely woman, not only then, but several times since, in such a charming manner, that I shall never think of her but with the utmost delight…. She had the prettiest manner of tying a rod, and selecting the nicest twigs that ever you saw….”

REEL 14 The Adventures of a School-Boy; or, The Freaks of Youthful Passion (1866) by James Reddie

“… I found Eliza was every moment getting more and more excited, and her actions becoming freer and less embarrassed. But I felt that if I continued it longer we must both inevitably bring on the final crisis. Having already succeeded so well in my undertaking, I was anxious that she should enjoy the supreme happiness in the most complete manner possible, and I had little doubt that her excited passions would now induce her to give every facility to my proceedings. Changing her position a little to favor my object, I abandoned the advantage I enjoyed in the rear for the purpose of obtaining a more convenient lodgement in front ….”

REEL 16 The Romance of Lust; or, Early Experiences Vol I (1873)

“….Miss Evelyn at last concentrated all her attention on my well-developed member, which she most endearingly embraced and fondled tenderly, very quickly putting him into an ungovernable state of erection. I was lying on my back, and she partially raised herself to kiss my formidable weapon; so gently putting her upon me, I told her it was her turn to do the work….”

REEL 18 The Amatory Experiences of a Surgeon (1881) by James Reddie

“Fierce lust now took full possession of me, and no consideration, however sacred, would have prevented me from gratifying my burning passion upon the person of the lovely being before me.

I sought and found the hem of her dress, and without experiencing much opposition succeeded in passing my hand up to her knees, it did not stop there, but with redoubled ardour it aspired to take possession of things above. A thigh of large and beautifully moulded proportions, ravished me with its softness, yet further, a mossy growth of fine downy hair, rewarded the boldness of my searching hand.

Wound up to a fearful pitch of excitement, I worked my finger into as charming a little recess as ever tempted man….”

REEL 20 Venus in India, or Love Adventures in Hindustan (1889)

“…. Her beautiful breasts were round, plump, and firm looking. I longed to take possession of those lovely, lovely bubbies! to press them in my hand, and devour them and their rosy tips with my mouth! Her petticoats fell between her slightly parted thighs, and showed their roundness and beautiful form perfectly….”

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