"KNOW THYSELF." __________■ _________________ £^THE PHYSIOLOGIST; OR, SEXUAL PHYSIOLOGY REVEALED. Mysteries and Revelations in Matters of great Importance to the Married and Unmarried of both Sexes;—and Useful Hints to Lovers, Hus- bands, and Wives. A complete Guide to Health, Happiness, and Personal Beauty. Containing such Information as can he had'by those only who have the advantage of a Medical Education. WITH PRACTICAL REMARKS ON MANHOOD, WITH THE CAUSES OF ITS PREMATURE DECLINE, AND MODES OF PERFECT RESTORATION. Economy and Abuse of the Generative Organs. Effects of excessive in- dulgence, Love, Courtshjp, and Marriage. Its proper Season. Directions for choosing a Partner. Mystries of Generation. Causes and Cure of Barrenness. Prevention of Offspring. Solitary practices, with their best mode of treatment, &c. « BY EUGENE- BECKLARD, M. D. i Translated from the Fourth Paris Edition, with Corrections and Additions. BY M.SHERMAN WHARTON, M. D. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER." PUBLISHED BY THE TRANSLATOR BOSTOiN, 1345. CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. Causes of the delicate and feeble Health of the Youth of both Sexes at the present day—Horrible consequences of Solitary Practices—Im- portance to Health of the Seminal Fluid—The Injurious Effects of Lib- ertinism, and too early Marriages. CHAPTER II. Must Man be born of a Woman 1—Arguments of Adrastus—The falla- cy of his doctrine—Animals produced independent of the usual modes of generation—Produced from flint, by a chemical process—Can the Human Race be originated by a process so iinnaturall The curious Theories of Michas, the Chinese, of Epicurus, and others concerning the origin of the Human Race—The faMey of such theories, &c. > T CHAPTER III. On Barrenness—To be fruitful and multiply, the principal end of Man's earthly existence—Beautiful Theories and infallible Arguments confirm- ing the immortality of the Soul—Barrenness removed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred—The case of Napoleon and Josephine-Causes and Cures in the Male and Female, illustrated1 with actual occurrences. CHAPTER IV. On the Prevention of Offspring-Arguments for and against-Means that may be made use off—Process of Conception, &c. CHAPTER V. Hints and Facts of much importance to both Sexes—On Physiology- Renewing Life-Long Courtships-Period of Child-Bearing-Obstruc- tions-Fruitful Months-Twins-Red-Haird Women-Marriage and Poetry-Ideas of beauty-Habitual Miscarriages-The Hymen-Nutri- tive Tubes-Coquetry-Living Bodies-Violation-Consumption cured by Marriage-Cure of Epilepsy-Matrimonial Regret-Transfer ofTas - Bi8n-Herraaphrodites-Longing for Marriage-Love of Plants and Animals-Iutercoun* of Trees-Effects of Bad Temper-Cleanhness- 455369 4 CONTENTS. Difference in the Sexes—The Eyes—Complexion—Puberty—The Hair— Signs of Pregnancy—Total Abstemiousness—Excesses—Climate—Men- struation—Causes of Laborious Menstruation—Period of Gestation— Suckling—Exercise—Strengthening Milk—The Best Nurse—Diet— Consummation. CHAPTER VI. Advantage of Marriages—Importance of Care in choosing a Partner— The Causes of unhappy Marriages—Terrors of Absolute Continence- Case of Saint Jerome and others—Sufferings of continent Women. CHAPTER VII. Instruction in choosing a Partner—What Marriages are most happy and productive of healthy and handsome Offspring—The Causes why De- formity, Disease, and insanity result from certain Marriages, and Health and Intellect from others—Reasons why Relations should not intermarry —With Man, as with Animals, the breed should be crowed—Description of a well-formed Woman, &c. CHAPTER VIII. At what Age Marriage should be consummated—Injurious result of too early Marriages in the Female—In the Male—Marriage the only sure cure for certain Diseases. CHAPTER IX. Solitary practices, with their fcst Mode of Treatment—Consumption, Impotency, and Idiocy caused by this Self-Pollution—Duty of Parents to their Children, upon discovering the habit in them—Inconsistency of withholding information on the subject—How the habit may be re- moved. CHAPTER X. Matters of importance connected with Conception, seriously consider- ed—Difference in the anatomical Construction of the Sexes &c. CHAPTER XI. Opinions, Suggestions, and information on matters connected with the ^neral subjects of this work-Parturition-Twins-Gestation-Fir.t Lire-Procreation of the Sexes^Aborttons; Causes, Preventatives, and C«e8-MoV,ng0f the Fcetus-Love-The Menses-Cessat.on of Men- stru. tion-Labor-Milk-Teething-Green Sickness-Impotency-Uter- me 3 eptem—Leucorrhea—Seminal Flux. CONTENTS. 5 CHAPTER XII. The art of Courtship—The great secret of success in love-making — Woo in truth—Case of Monsieur L...., who shot his rival—Bashfulness should be avoided—"Popping the Question"—First Love should be en- couraged—The importance of looking well before leaping—Remedies for eradicating from the mind the seeds of a hopeless, or an unhappy passion —No suoh thing in this state of existence as single blessedness. CHAPTER XIII. Resemblance between Parents and their Offspring—Theory of a n English Writer—The Mental Organs of Children greatly influenced by the frame of mind of the Parents at the period of reproduction. CHAPTER XIV. Beauty, with Instructions in the art of promoting it—No such thing as a general standard of Beauty in Organic bodies—Description of a well- formed Man—Directions for Dressing—Description of a Beautiful Woman—Three species of Female Beauty—Directions for promoting Beauty in the Female. CHAPTER XV. Revelations and Opinions connected with, and incidental to, the vari- ous subjects of all the foregoing chapters—Procreation—Love-Matches— Double Uterus—Co,urting—Early Affection—Modesty—Protracted Fer- tility—Sympathetic Love—Sign of Nursing—Chastity—Celibacy—Love- age. CHAPTER XVI. The laws of Nature—The Degeneration of Man, caused l>y indulging his Propensities—The condition of Ancient States, causes of their Down- fall__man will, ere long, awake to the voice of Reason—Cleanliness- Libertinism—Rules for preserving Life, Health, and Happiness. TRANSLATOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. The utility of a work of this kind has never been disputed by the wise; on the contrary, it has been asserted by the learned in every age, and is more generally in the present, that a knowledge of the things herein con- sidered is essentially necessary to "health and happiness." Dr. Becklard, the author of this volume, is one of the most distinguished physicians of France, and probably one of the most profound physiologists of the age; and this last productiou of his far supersedes all his former attempts, as well as those of others. It has been translated into several languages, and found its way into nearly every civilized country of the world, being acknowledged to be superior to all other works of the kind extant. And-, indeed, this little volume seems to be sought after by all, being without a rival. Several editions have already been published and sold in this country, and many undoubtedly have been benefited thereby; though the translation and the original work itself w»s less perfect than the present. There is now an increased demand for them, and the translator esteems himself extremely fortunate in being able to present to the public this excellent and useful volume, which, with all its improve- ments, he flajtcrs himself, approaches perfection. The health, the happiness, the moral and intellectual progress of our race,—all depend upon scatteriug faf and wide the important truths of physiology. Ignorance and a false and pernicious delicacy have too long held up a screen between man and himself. The mind, that animates and controls the corporeal frame, has been ignorant of the mechanism of that frame, and passion has been allowed to pursueits wasting course, unrestrained by the monitions of knowledge. It is an incontestable truth, that all violations of the physical laws en- tail upon the violator misery, disease, and death. And yet how many at this moment, are living in direct opposition to them, and laying up for themselves a terrible retribution ! *fc The object of this work, then, is a pure and noble one; and thou»li the self-styled moralist may denounce it as peurient, the author will feel TRANSLATOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 7 content to endure his censures, if the truths he makes pnblic result in the g ood he so confidently anticipates. There are few adults to whom this work will not impart knowledge; there are no ycuth who may not gain from it valuable instruction. PREFACE. I have but few pefatory remarks to offer. In the body of the work the elucidation of its arguments must be be looked for; and I leave it to stand or fall by its own merits. It may be well to remark, how- ever, for the information of persons residing out of Paris, that I can scarcely be called an officious or upstart meddler in the mysteries of physiology, inasmuch as I have studied it with unremitting attention for nearly thirty years, and have written several works upon it, both anony- mously aud under my own name, which have received general favor with the public. My practice in the lying-in-hospital, Jtoo, has also given me facilities of information in certain functions and mysteries, not enjoyed by many who have written on subjects which may be found amply discussed in the following pages. With no desire to obtain for myself the character of an innovator, I have thrown overboard many theories which have been received as axioms among medical men of limited practice, or else those who preferred to take their authorities on trust, to the labor of giving them their own serious consideration; but I have done so in no instance on my own individual responsibility; but on fact after fact, case after case, and experiment after experiment all submitted to the opinions of the first physicians in France, amonest Baron I aT* me"tl0n Drs' Guerin' VelPea«> Dubois, and the venerable As this book was written rather more for the information of the public han the faculty, I have adopted a popular and familiar style, and omit- ted medical terms whenever I could hit on substitutes which would ex- plain the meaning without, mystification. I have also been careful to exclude all objectionable words, which, owing to the nature of the :& l£Z?b\Z?0( T- VTdifficulty- stm'l so f=i^ ! object, that, if I have erred in the premises, it has been on the side of delicacy; for my principal aim was to produce a volume on the subiect discussed, which, though amply explicit in all its relations the mos ^/KSiifftt Jisasfor prom~3= ^od^ so are residents of populous places, where habits 8reTontTteJf which fr£ PREFACE. 9 quently make life miserable; and where the sexes should be brought to know, by such rules as may be laid down on the subject, whom to ef- fect and whom to shun in their matrimonial engagements;—that is, which parties are physically and mentally constructed to make each oth- er happy in domestic life. Many parents, from feelings of false modesty, may, perhaps, endeav- or, while they themselves profit by this volume, to keep their children in ignorence of the important lessons it teaches. But is this right and parental? Nay, is it not rather injustice and cruelty, to deprive them of a knowledge, the want of which may involve them in unhappy marriag- es, or leave them the victims of habits (about whose evil effects they have never formed an idea) which may terminate in consumption, im- becility and even madness? Yea, it is not too much to say that there are hundreds of imbeciles and maniacs in this single city, and in every large city, who, had the subjoct-matter herein discussed been made known to them in the days of their youth, would have been now healthy and reasonable creatures. Hereafter, should insanity, idiocy, or imbe- cility be produced by ignorence, the parents of the sufferers cannot be held blameless, as the means of prevention is herein laid before them. How strange the reason, that would prefer a destroyins ignorence to a saving knowledge, and call in morality! The principal anthorities 1 have consulted in preparing this volume, are my own experience, and the verbally expressed opinions of many practical members of the faculty, for whose assistance and information I hereby return my most cordial thanks. I am also indebted for casu- al hints to the writings of Hunter, Blumenback, Swammerdam, Dubois, Goad, Buffon, and others; but in cases where there was a point at is- sue between us, I trusted more to my own experience than to their the- ories. Bnt taking in view the sentence I commenced with, I have written too long a preface, and accordingly I shall at once close it, with a highly relevant motto from Virgil, to wit,—"Adeo in ieneris consue- scere inullum est." BECKL ARD'S PHYSIOLOGY. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. Cause of the delicate and feeble health of the youth, at the present day — Horrible consequences of Solitary Practices — Importance to health of the Seminal Fluid —Injurious effects of Libertinism and too early Marriages. i It cannot have escaped the observation of every reflective person, how many of the youth of both sexes, of passing times, appear in delicate and enfeebled heath. It is a common re- mark, that we have degenerated from our ancestry—that v/e are not so hardy, well formed, and longlived, as those from whom we have descended ; this conclusion we have arrived at by.reference to ourselves, but only as we have neared the sear and yellow leaf. If, then, the fact be so strikingly observable as just stated, in the younger branches also of the community, the picture of the perspective must be still more dispiriting, and the axiom further corroborated. This change is certainly more ap- parent in large towns than in country villages. There are few families but one or more sickly members are to be found among them, who seldom reach maturity, or, if ever, live but to be- come objects of sympathy or commiseration to others, or who sustain an existence shorn of all the charms that render life en- durable. There muu be some other cause than the ordinary mischances of humanity, to account for such physical and men- tal prostration. The hollow, sunken eye, the blanched cheek, the withered hands and emaciated frame, and the listless life, have other sources than the ordinary illness of all large com- munities. It is not ill feeding, ill ventilation, overwork, or the greatest of all mental calamities, excessive anxiety, that alone rob young life.of its growth and development; nor is it only intemperance, or the joyous excesses of gay existence, that snap the thread of connection between youth and puberty. Variable as our climate is, and destructive as its consequences may be, which the statistics of consumptive mortality testify, there is becklard's physiology. 11 yet another poisonous influence, that undermines the sapling juice of adolescence, and too often, alas ! consigns to the pre- mature tomb the brightest hopes of the otherwise happy and fond parent. Reader.it is the aim of the following pages to expose that deadly Upas (for such it may be truly compared to, sacrificing all who seek solace beneath its shade,) the fascina- ting voice of self-pollution. The existence of this habit holds not its origin of yesterday, nor is the denouncement of it, of like recent date; it is coeval with the first peopling of the earth, and the lust for its enjoyment is innate with our nature. Con- demnatory, notwithstanding, as the practice must be, and ever has been, by well-regulated minds, there yet should be some allowance made for that which is as much an error of instinct as of self-cultivation. To such then, who are enchained to it from ignorance of its direful tendency, may this little volume prove a welcome friend; to such as are allured by it, notwithstanding the light of reason has shown the hideous consequences that lie in ambuscade, yet, so long as the mistaken votary escapes the attack, fears not the probability, may the subsequent delin- eation of them be not a useless monitor. Self-pollution is a habit practised by persons of all ages,.and of both sexes, and is by some commenced even before infancy merges into adoles- cence. I fear few readers need a definition ol its meaning. It may appear sophistry to condemn the indulgence of that which is part of the economy of our system, and the proper exercise of which is essential for our health, gratification, and perpetuity ; but a necessary function becomes obnoxious, when abused by excess, or prematurely cultivated. Self-pollution is the imita- tive act of sexual association, but far more baneful, enervating and demoralizing, than the actual commission of the sexual function in its legitimate form, whether precociously or excess- ively exercised. T,he function of generative capacity was given us for wiser and better ends than mere personal delight. Its pure and legit- imate indulgence cements the affection of man and wife, and leads to the perpetuity of the union; whereas, if indulged in without control, those very objects are frustrated, and disap- pointment, and the future imbitterment of life, is sure to suc- ceed. Of all conditions of disordered heath, none are so truly pit- iable and distressing as that state denominated Nervous Debil- ty. I apply the term in its broadest sense. I do not-mean simply the lassitude-which is felt after a night's rioting over the pleasures of the fable, the wine-room, or even after a soiitary night spent in licentiousness and debauchery. I do not mean 12 becklard's physiology. that exhaustion of spirits and animal energy which follows the fruitless exertions of the man of business, nor do I mean that intensity of depression caused by grief from family, pecuniary, or other domestic loss. I mean that condition of mind and body insiduously brought about by the practice, the long-contin- ued indulgence, the early commenced and persisted in habit, of self-pollution. The other effects just enumerated are relievable as soon as the cause is removed, -or the result be subdued by the lapse of a comparatively brief space of time; the latter- named evil, if carried beyond a certain extent, is irreparable; the victim is denied the solace of hope, and when the time ar- rives that he should partake of the real joys he has anticipated, he finds, to his discomfiture and mortification, their realization at an immeasurable distance. This is a sad picture, but a true one; and one, unhappily, too often to be met with. My pur- pose, however, is not to dismay, but to forewarn ; not to appal and horrify, but to check depravity, and console the luckless victim ere it be too late; a false step mey be taken which may be retracted, and the earlier the error may be discovered, the sooner can the mischief be repaired. The proper end and aim of sexual purposes is marriage.— Let us next investigate what is their abuse, and the conse- quences. Their abuse consists of precocious indulgences, of excess, of misapprobation—and, not least, misuse, or what may be better expressed entire continence. Their consequences are a prema- ture debility, the contraction of disease, permanent ill health, enfeebled progeny, if any; domestic disappointment and mise- ry; and, not unfrequently, insanity and death. Precocious indulgences may be of two kinds; early libertin- ism or premature familiarities with the other sex ; the other the folly, error, or debasing vice, of Onanism. Folly it is, at all t.mes; error, when practised unconscious of its mischievpus- ness; and vice, when mdulged ir> by those who do know better.' ,n fZhflll ac^ain^nceship with the other sex is, perhaps, not not nf gratification of their sexual appetites; but farly 1 be Vinism and oo early marriages speedily and surely tell thefr own aid similar tale. I will proceed to desoribe what may be expected wha'froTbretarded'er Preven'edby renouncingthe See' 7^\ v^.1,be,SUr<, t0 hapPen- II interferes first with the growth and bodtly development of the individual. As i suppo^ beckland's physiology. 13 that the seminal fluid requires more blood for its concoction than any other secretion in similar quantity, of the body, the loss of that fluid must be very exhausting; hence, the general expansion of the system is not only arrested, but function after function gives way ; palpitations of the heart come on, and are induced by the slightest exertion or excitement — periodical headaches, noise and buzzing through the ears — imperfect vis- ion, objects like falling stars annoying the sight — temporary attacks of squinting— amaurois, ending in total loss of sight — pimples and blotches on the face — a shrivelled state of the frame, with constant cold feet and hands — loss of memory — incapacity to turn the attention to anyone subject — frequent fits of abstraction — total inability to study — dislike to society — attacks of despondency, melancholy, involuntary shedding of tears — religious monomania — heats and flushes of the face on the slightest occasion — thoughts, and frequently acts, of suicide. The stomach is soon put out of order —the appetite becomes capacious ; sometimes it is much increased, at others nearly absent — a train of youthful dyspeptic symptoms set in, such as flatulence, constipation, or looseness — extreme heaviness and torpor after eating —.restless nights, frightful dreams,coughs night sweats, foetid breath, constantly furred tongue, &c. From all this — and the reader may be assured that there are and have been cases of which this is by no means an overdrawn picture — it is seen that the most formidable diseases that infest or punish the human race, accrue from this accursed and unhap- py delusion— an abuse of the reproductive organs; that dys- pepsia, insanity, paralysis, and consumption, enrol largely among their sufferers the devotees to sensuality. CHAPTER II. Must Man be born of a womanl — Arguments of Adrastus— Animals produced independently of the usual modes of Generation, by a chem- ical process — Can the Human Species be originated by a process so unnaturall According to Adrastus, and others, he need not. Adrastus contends, that every living species the world contains has been from all eternity ; and hence, that the time has never been when there was no man or woman ; so that, according to his system^ .. 14 becklard's physiology. the human race cannot be the offspring of one general mother. And he further insists, that the meanest reptile that crawls is the representative of an equally everlasting line of ancestry.— The last assumption, however, has been set at nought by ex- periments in modern chemistry, though without showing the necessity of original parents ; for they not only argue that liv- ing animals, of perfectly original construction, may be produc- ed at pleasure, and independently of the usual modes of gener- ation, but they have actually so produced them. This, I know, has been stOutly denied by men of powerful authority on such a subject. They contend that the animal- culae seen in such cases, and supposed to be then created,— if I may be allowed the expression,— were in a state of torpid and impalpable existence before; and were merely roused into ac- tion by the galvanic shock; but they argue in the face of the fact, for animal life has been produced by foreign means, in a situation which rendered it impossible that it could have had a previous existence in any form. For instance, De Barre, Beckwith, and others, melted flint by a powerful chemical process, and immediately, as it cooled, be- fore any insect had time to deposit its eggs in it, brought their battery to bear on the inanimate dust, and possessed millions of the particles with a sentient and b,usy organic life ! And further io show that these substances were perfect animals, Professor Beckwith placed some of them in a glass box, where he fed them with.dust from their parent flint; and, as he anticipated soon discovered that they were capable of reproducing their kind, in a manner more agreeable to the common laws of na- ture, than that of their own birth. These animals had a family resemblance, but no affinity in form with any of the insects of Linna;us. Nor is this altogether a new discovery, for the ancients also wl'iSffh l° ^ manufa?\urersofammah; an assumption for wh.ch there is some Bible authority, vide the plagues of Egypt as recorded in Genesis. to)T ' But though insects have been originated by a process so un- natural can ,t be so with the .human race? A sect of "he earned Buddh.tes answer in the affirmative, and point to ^em- elves as beings who were produced by artificial means° And here is a school of philosophers in China, who are said to hold the same opinions. l £., in Che begioniag, L° g?Tw 1 TLifflSS 7CI t merely a cuh.vEUed msect, whom ,he gods brought his pre* becklard's physiology. 15 ent size and state of perfection, by ages of care ; just as gar-. deners, by good management, produce the finest apples from the pits of the veriest crabs ; and, in answer to the question, where did the original insects come from? Michas tells us, that atoms, or rather monads, pervade space, and are from all time ; that every monad is a principle of life, and that fr,om them all things but the gods are derived. Thus, he maintains, that inanimate objects, such as rocks and trees, are composed of matter rife with a dormant living principle; and, indeed, certain modern naturalists go further in respect to the vegetable kingdom, and assume that all plants and trees feel their existence, and have sensations of pain and joy; and that the pollen, or fecundating dust of the male, causes the female to thrill with pleasing emo- tions, and to become feelingly fruitful. A Spanish writer, whose name I forget, affirmed that he felt pulsation in a lime-tree ; and Wordsworth, the English poet, beautifully says, " 'TJs my belief, that every flower Enjoys the air it breathes;" which is so poetical a faith, that I am half a convert to it; but still, while it is sufficiently demonstrated that plants or trees cannot have issue but through communication of the sexes, I am not prepared to admit that they feel their being in such a degree as to be sensible of the emotions of love. The theory of Epicurus, of the origin of the human race, is at least as natural as either of the foregoing. He says, that men were first produced from the ground, like grubs or mush- rooms. The primitive earthf he believed to have been fat and nitrous, and that the sun's heat covered it with tumors or blis- ters, which burst on maturity, suffering little animals, of the tadpole formation, which had been generated inside, to escape, like chickens from egg-shells. And these animals, he tells us, gradually developed themselves, and became human beings; and, finally, that when the earth left off bearing children to the sun, they were gifted with the organs necessary for reproduc- tion, but by what medium he does not inform us, further than that it was thought the agency of the gods; for he would not admit that these beings ever condescended to interfere in the matters and things of this world. And these, or such as these, aTe the only effective arguments that have been, or probably can be, adduced against the primi- tive history of the human race, as written by Moses. Conse- quently, I little regard them; and am persuaded that, from Adam downwards, all men have been, and must be born of wornan. This preliminary chapter bears a negative relationship to 16 becklard's physiology. much of the subsequent matter of this work; but it was princi- pally written to correct a notion which seems to prevail in the community, that I am a convert to the (to me obnoxious) doc- trinies of Madame George Sand. CHAPTER III. On Barrenness — To be fruitful and multiply, the principal end of Man's existence — Beautiful Theories confirming the immorality of the Soul — Barrenness removed in most cases — Case of Napolean and Josephine. "Be ye fruitful and multiply," is a commandment which should be cheerfully obeyed by the children of men; and, in fact. it would seem to be the principal end, if not the only one, of man's earthly existence; and so imperative is the voice of na- ture in the matter, that the universal mind of the human race is more concentrated on the feeling that leads to the consumnation desired, than all other attributes of being put together. No two men are exactly agreed on any other subject; no two differ on this. The ambitious, the humble, — the fierce, the gentle,__ the high, the low, —the barbarous and fhe cultivated, — howev- er widely opposed may be their gpneral natures, are united in the desire which finds its accomplishment in the reproduction of their kind. Wherein lies the mystery of this ? Setting aside revelation it seems natural to suppose, that it mav be to the end of supply.' mg other worlds with spiritual inhabitants, there to carry out some great and manifest object of their creation in this; for it is but reasonable to judge, that nothing has been maae in vain • whereas, were to be born and to die the only result of our being' the human race were a vanity, - nay, a very cruelty, and a curse,-for matter would progress, as vvell through the realms of space without it; so that the cares, pains, and vexations in- cident on man's existence, might be dispensed with, (for'the ■ Power that created him is as merciful as almighty,) were there no longer service required of him, than to flatter himself with hopes-which are as natural to him as the air he breathes-- a. Tl i!Tr t0 be realized- ^d to g^vel in the dust with which he has so little sympathy. All living thingi on 355 becklard's physiology. 17 planet are, apparently, in their proper sphere of action, but man ; they require notliing artificial to reconcile them to it; nature sup- plies them with all they want; and their instinct — so7much more perfect in a limited sense than reason — guides them to it. Hence, they are happy, and in their proper home. But man is naked here, and at enmity with the sphere he moves in, — he is less perfect as to his wants, and means of supplying them, than the meanest animal that crawls ; — his faculties, are unsuited to his condition; he is forever spurning the present,and anchoring his hopes on the future and in a sphere of existence more suitable to his ideas, which surely would not' happen were the earth our proper parent; for, in that case, it were natural that we should cling to her with an immortal fondness, nor yearn to be separ- ated from her in life, nor yet in death. Yes, though she gives him his body, she is not the mother of the mind of man ; for she does not and cannot supply it with the high nourishment which it requires. And these things duly considered, and taken in connec- tion with its mysterious aspirations, are, it seems to me, an in- fallible argument for the immortality of the soul. And, to pur- sue the idea further, it strikes me, that the earth may be the nur- sery of the solar system, and that souls proceed from one planet to another, until they finally arrive at the sun, there to perceive rtie utility of their being, and glory in a world without a grave. Thus, every sun would be the heaven of its own system — the realization of the spirit's hopes. And may not this be the secret of their stupendous attraction ? But, whether the intention is, or is not, to supply heavenly worlds with inhabitants, there is nothing more certain than that it is one of the first duties of the hurrian race to increase and mul- tiply • and the man who leaves the world without having obeyed the injunction, can scarcely be said to have fulfilled the great end of his existence. " But " perhaps, replies the reader, " many men are so consti- tuted that they cannot have offspring." This I deny; for ail men who are not evidently of monstrous conformation, or who have not been seriously injured by artificial means, are equal to the task of reproduction; indeed; without the parts and means necessary to reproduction, he could searcely exist at all; and would be no more a human being than if he were deficient of heart or brains. Such things, they tell as, have been; but 1 have never seen any proof of it; and I believe it will be con- ceded to me, that I have had as much anatomical experience as any man in France. I am also convinced that there is no such thin* as natural barrenness in natural women, and thai the caus- es w°hich are supposed to render women so, can, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, be removed. 18 becklard's physiology. However, it cannot be denied that a vast number of married persons are unblessed with offspring, whose exertions are un- doubted, and who would give much that it were otherwise ; and for the benefit of such this chapter was principally written. The causes of unfruitful marriages are numerous. One is the mutual coldness oftbe parties ; another, the mutual intensity of their desires; a third, their unfitness, in consequence of the dif- ference of their physical construction, for-sexual intercourse; be- sides which may be mentioned leucorrhea,.disgust, timidity, ir- regular menstruation, great Jowness of spirits, extreme indul- gence, &c. Also the obliteration of the vaginal canal, or absence of the ovaries or uterine tube, in the female ; but these latter are of such rare occurrence that the parties so afflicted may be put down as vagaries of human nature, and, therefore, monsters; and women so situated, if they know their, afflictions, are .alto- gether unfit for the duties of married life; and are guilty of a serious offence in smuggling themselves within its pale/ How- ever, not one female in every million, is thus circumstanced, and consequently not one of every million is of necessity barren. I said unfitness for intercourse is one cause of unfruitfulness. It is not, however, a rare one ; for young married persons, prob- ably in the ratio of five hundred to one, become physically adapted to each other, even though there should be some seeming barri- ers at the commencement. Nevertheless, it frequently happens, that a couple will have no offspring ; and yet, on being divorced, and forming other connections, both will have children, which indicates an unfitness for intercourse in the first instance. Thus it was with Napolean Bonaparte and Josephine, who, though un- fruitful in connection, gave proof that the deficiency did not lie in either, but only in their relationship to each other. T do not think, however, that this marriage was unfruitful from the cause indicated; I am impressed with the idea, that both were too high- ly intellectual to produce the excitement necessary to the end de- sired ; or, as I may say, that the coldness of each, as to amorous pleasures, repulsed the other. Therefore it js probable, that proper stimulants would have excited a mutual warmth of feel- ing, and given an heir to the throne of France. Baron Larrey expressed the same opinion ; and I have it from good authority that the Emperor felt this, and resorted to borax^majorum and even Verry's Tmcture of Magnanimity, though without effect • which (offspring being the dominant desire of his heart) induced him to repudiate a wife whom he dearly loved, and to marry one of stronger desires, to counteract his own absenceof animal feel- ing. And that Maria Louisa was such an one as his case re- quired, her amative phrenological developments bear sufficient' becklard's physiology. 19 proof, to say nothing of the birth of the duke of Reichstadt. But had Magnius's Lucina Cordial been introduced into the world previous to the act of repudiation, I have no doubt that the grand desire of the great conqueror's "soul might have been gratified. without forsaking the nuptial couch of his first consort. Very rarely, as I remarked in other words, are married people so anatomically constructed as to. be unequal to the consum- nationofthe nuptial rights. When they are, the best remedy is separation. But it is to be confessed, that a preventive were better ; that is, a foreknowledge of the fact— a discovery before marriage — that there was a physical disagreement between the parties; a circumstance, which'might be easily learned on in- quiry, did the custom of society permit such a proceeding; and I have no hesitation in adding, that the false modesty which in- terdicts it, is the medium of much unhappihess to married peo- ple. However, in another part of this work, relative to the mode of choosing a partner, I have laid down such rules as, I think, may prevent people from marrying blindfold. But still, I could wish to see common sense taking the place of a mock delicacy, in this matter ; and that it were permitted us to be as particular concerning the choice of a bosom partner, in a thing of so much importance, as we may be in the choice of a horse ! A couple, of full habits and strong amorous propensities, will be likely not to have children ; and much, too, to their own sur- prise ; as they conceive, that they are especially qualified to bring about a different result. They little dream that haste is not speed in this matter ; and that a slower pace would be a readier means of getting to the end of their journey! In other words, there is too much intensity in their devotions; for what they produce, they destroy ! Time, however, by qualifying their ar- dor, usually remedies this defect; but, should it fail to do so, the necessary moderation may be produced by light vegetable diet, cooling medicine, and occasional trips to the seashore — for the sea air, I suspect, has but little effect in the way desired; upon those who reside constantly within its influence, Again, con- jugal enjoyment, on the.part of the female, should be followed by repose; as but very little motion, or agitation, in persons of warm temperaments, is' sufficient to arrest the ovulvm on its way to the place assigned it. And, furthermore, when it is supposed conception may have taken place, the parties would do well — at least for a month or so — to put a bridle on their desires ; for the spasmodic agitation, consequent on the embrace of a very amorous couple, is calculated to destroy the embryo in its earlier state of existence, and hence to occasion abortion or miscarriage. 20 becklard's physiology. But say several great authorities, among whom may be found Baillie, Swamraerdam, Larrey, and the venerable Dubois : " the. o-reat and leading cause of sterility is weakness or debility on the part of the male or female, or both ; " "and," adds the last, 11 if this matter were duly attended to, nine tenths of the people who are now pining for heirs might be blessed with numerous pro- genies. This weakness or debilitation may be in some instances natural, but it is generally an artificial result,'produced by severe labor, libertinism, long-residence in an unhealthy-cli- mate, secret habits mostly acquired at schoolr and other causes. This is the case when the man is in fault;, and to the same causes, or nearly such, may be attributed the deficiency in the other sex. Immoderate love of dancing, and tight lacing, may also produce an artificial sterility in woman, by causing a loos- nessand lassitude of system, the consequence of which is an in- ability to respond to the action of the male by the sympathetic pressure, which is, no doubt, nedessary for the conveyance of the ovulum to the chamber prepared for its reception and nour- ishment. I shall now proceed to give such instructions in the premises, as I know from most ample experience on my own part, and also from the experience of several eminent accouchers and others, must be of the utmost value and importance to that order of married people who are most interested in the subject in hand. Debilitation in man — for absolute impotency is a thing-qf such rarity as to be almost out of the question— is mostly ow- ing to derangement of that part of the system connected with the functions of generation. The result of this, as a great writer affirms, is, that the semen is not of a teeming and busy nature, and, likewise, that it is not imparted with a force suffi- cient, at the site of fecundation. Hence a stimulant is necessary; but it is also requisite that this stimulant should strengthen without much exciting, or- the- latter evil only will be corrected ; that is, the requisite force will be obtained, but not the nourishment required by the productive principle. Indeed, it is known, that drugs, of merely exciting qualities, rather impoverish this, principle than otherwise; which accounts for the disrepute int3 which Spanish flies, tinc- ture of lyttse, and essence of marjorum and arrow-root, have fal- len of late years. Syrup of pine apples and port wine, mush- rooms roasted, and steeped in salad oil, or borax, are better ; but in these, neither the excitement or the nourishment is.sufficient. And, indeed, I know of none of the older remedies tha't combine becklard's physiology. 21 the requisite qualities, in a degree, to warrant me in saying, that they may be depended on with much confidence. Consequently, the subject has occupied the minds of the most eminent of the medical faculty, at least, from the days of iEtius, who, about the year 495, wrote a large volume oa the subject, in which he stated that the ancients were, no doubt, in posses- sion of a preparation adequate to the removal ot sterility ; but it trad been then lost for several ages. Hermias was the next writer of authority who went- into the matter largely ; and he was followed by Khijhoff, Herahjus, Bliss, Ludwig, and others. And again, in the the year 1682', Renaud published.his "Theo- ry on the Mysteries ot Fecundation," in which he contended that he had discovered the anxiously fought desideratum; but it does not appear that he made any use of it in his own prac- tice, or that he divulged the secret to others. And so things remained' until the appearance of Verrey's Tincture, which is, doubtlessly, a compound of much merit, but which was soon destined to be thrown into the shade by the ■discovery, by Dr. Magnin; of his far famed Lucina Cordial, that leaves nothing to be wished for in the premises; but is so admirably adapted :o the use intended, that it not only excites and nourishes to an equal degree, but. it is followed by no re- action, which is the consequence of all other artificial stimu- lants. ■ • 1 have taken great pains to analyze this most excellent pre- paration, but without being able to arrive at a knowledge of all its component parts. I should judge, however, by various ex- periments^ that its invigorating and enriching qualities are as six to one in comparison with eggs, and as nine to two with oysters, while it begets a strength to eject the fecundating prin- ciple fully equal to that ot Battey's decoction, and consequently superior to that or any other nostrum with which the modern a4s4iave been acquainted. Cold and impoverished-must be that nature which cannot be warmed by it into 'the glow and ability necessary to fruitfuloess ; and there is but little hope ot the fertility of the.nuptial couch-which remains unolessed under its auspices. , . , Within fhe range of my own practice, I could cite at least one hundred cases, in which the Lucina'Cordial has been ad- ministered with the most eminent success, and a number ot my medical friends bear equally decisive evidence to its worth, and! can now add, with another writer on the subject, that a great many of my fair patients are now in a fair way to add further testimony in the establishment of its rtpo«"?n- , Many curious and interesting stories are told of the effect ot 22 becklard's physiology. this cordial; such as the disappointment of family expectations by the appearance of unexpected heirs, and so forth ; but they are of a nature too delicate for admission here ; the more so, as I wish to make my book as grave and unexciting- as the nature of such a work will allow; but one anecdote, which I copy from an erudite contemporary, is too good to be omitted. After giving many instances of the potency of the cordial, he says, " I was applied to by an Irish gentleman and lady, (both of very cold natures,) who were blessed with^offspring afterthe mutual use of five bottles. And, by the way, I can tell a laugh- able anecdote in connection with this case. • The gentleman and lady alluded to, shortly afterwards returned to Ireland, having in their possession several unopened bottles of the cor- dial. In the'neighborhood of their residence therejdwelt a far- mer's wife, who was anxious for children, but could not succeed in the great end of her desires; and was, therefore, accounted barren, and pronounced so by her attendant physician. This person was once lamenting her situation to my patient's nurse, when the latter (a shrewd "woman by-the way) immediately pro- posed to remove the difficulty for a certain compensation, a part to be paid in advance, and the remainder when appearances made success evident.' The bargain was immediately struck, and, in a few months afterwards, the farmer's wife was ra an interesting situation, she having received from the nurse two bottles of Lucina Cordial, which the latter had obtained from her mistress. The farmer's wife notwithstanding, refused to pay the balance of her agreement, and was immediately sum- mend for the amount before a magistrate; who,,upon' a full statement of all the facts, before a crowded court, allowed the amount of the claim ; which was paid accordingly. These'par- ticulars were furnished me by the girl's master; who added, that the defendant finally admitted the potency of the cordial, but thought she had paid enough (five pounds) for the child." This mixture is also unrivalled as a'remedy in luorrJieq flu or albus; and, in fact, in nearly all diseases occasioned by the" weaknesses which are incident to particular functions. While on this subject I will mention a list of other remedies said to contain fertilizing virtues ; but, as I am inclined to think, rather on the authority of popular opinion than on the lest of actual experience. They are water-cresses, duckweed, carrots dandelions, artichokes, figs, potatoes, shell-fish, peaches hemp- seed, eggs, oysteps, calves' feet jelly, &c, all of which are, no doubt, incentives to amoutous propensities; but, as I indicated I have no faith that their influence extends any further. A^ain' the females of some countries, says Ludwig, swallow spiders' becklard's physiology. 23 flies, ants,; crickets, and even frogs, to promote fecundation; and in Spain they sip dew from the olive leaf for the same purpose. Certain political economists, who have been so eloquent on the evil results to be expected from the — to them — alarming increase of population, may find fault with me for being so ex- plicit in this matter; but, notwithstanding;^ think that society in general will hold me excused for. the writing of the current chapter, and a large portion of it regard me as a friend and true benefactor. Moreover, I am confident^ with Lisfranc, Roux, and many who have adopted the same sentiment, and in the same language, that when children are wished for they are ne- cessary. And when they are not, the advice here given will not be followed,and consequently can do no harm. The following hints may be of importance. Morning is undoubtedly the most auspicious to generation. More children are born inrthe spring of the year, than at other seasons, which is a proof against the popular opinion that " spring is the season mest fertile of fruitful embraces." Whert a female with a low womb is married to a very mas- culine man, they must correct the difficulty by a means that may seem obvious, or they will probably have no offspring ; for if the seed is planted beyond the soil designed for it, bow can it bear fruit? When the case is directly otherwise, a stimulant might be necessary to secure it from falling short. It is a popular error, that there is a mode by which male or female offspring may be produced at will. No consequence whose theory of the mysteries of reproduction are correct, they are agreed on certain points, which shows this to be impossible. There are tolerably conclusive rules, however, for telling the sexes of children before they are^ born ; and were I to be guided entirely by the testimony of my own experience, I would say, that these rules are infallible. Ladies experience more sick- ness with boys than with girls, probably because they are gen- erally larger and more lively. Their foreign appetites are also of a stronger, better defined, and more natural character. For instance with the one thev will long for meat, spirituous li- quors .&o. ; with the other, for chalk,,isinglass,, and various substances which would be quite repugnant to her at other times. Again, roundness of form promises a boy; whereas when the tendency is nearly all to the front, and the hips and back gives but lit'tle evidence of the-lady's situation, the great probability isMhat the stranger is a girl. At all events these indication's never deceived me. Old women say, that boys lean to the right side, and girls to the left; also that boys im- 24 becklard's phy/siology. prove the beauty of the mother's countenance, while girls de- tract from it; notwithstanding, the latter cause them the least sickness. But these signs I hold to be mere fables, as I never could see their philosophy established. On the whole, when a lady in the'family way is prone to sickness^ in the morning— longs for food of an invigorating quality— and carries her in- crease of form rather all round her, than in any particular place, the chances are altogether in fayor of a boy — perhaps, indeed, imperitively so; whereas, if her symptoms are other- wise, and as described above, she will in all probability be delivered of a girl. I claim to be original in these discoveries, as I am not aware that any other physician has studied or written on this subject. When stimulants are considered necessary to aid in repro- duction, they should not be used carelessly, but should be as- sisted by diet, repose, airy location, &c, or tfie advantage de- rived from the nostrum may be rendered nugatory. At such times, cheerfulness is a great auxiliary, and all undue excite- ments, or troubles from pecuniary or other embarrassments, are to be avoided. Also amorous intercourse should be but sparing- ly indulged in. • . And nothing further need be said on the main subject of this chapter, for it covers the whole ground of the question at issue; and, if- its contents are abided by, can scarcely fall of bein°- of advantage to those persons whose condition it discusses and for whose guidance and benefit it was especially written ' eans CHAPTER IV. On the Prevention of offering;.-Arguments for and a-ainst — VP that may be made n,e of- Progress of Conception, &c! While all must admit, that the reproduction of our kind is he evident intention of the sympathy of the se^sLL , H..s equally certain, that there JrenC«,„ ^ cases in n °ther' tr.es, wherein sueh a consummation w£Abetter a'vomed For example; ind.gentTeOple cannot be very'anxious for n„ merous offspring, to rear up in poverty very fS??fZX must find it very Unpleasant to be neatly Xv? r. i S? f pregnancy; and it is not *'*M?^ltoZ£*2Z£>£ becklard's physiology. 25 who are afflicted with hereditary'disease, can derive happiness from bringing into the world beings, whose existence may, in all" probability, be a burden to them. Again, many females are saconstructed as only to be able to give life to others at the sacrifice, or, at least, the imtni- nent risk, of jheir own. And, furthermore, it fequently hap- pens that young unmarried females, in a moment of excitement, Tall into errors, from the consequences of which they might probably recover, were a lawful and crimeless mode left open to them for avoiding the ban of the public, and burying their shame in their own bosoms. I am aware, that in the latter case there is this objection — that, by removing the chances of detection, we may tend to pro- mote the commission of crime. But, even here, the moral view of the case is in my favor; for if, in some instances, I may remove a barrier from the consummation of forbidden pleasures, to c6mpensate for the evil, I may say that I abolish the crime of infanticide altogether; and also check the growth of another crying evil in this, and. the majority of other large communities — the increase of illegitimate children. " It may," says a celebrated writer on population, " be urged, that to prevent pregnancy is an act in opposition to the rule of the Creator; but this charge is easily set aside, or else we must take it for grained, that every human discovery and invention that has been made, were so many sins against heaven. The Creator in the begining left man in a state of nature, without any thing, the gift ofreason eccepted, to conduce to his com- forts more than the beasts of the fields.- If, therefore, the prin- ciples of those who may censure my theory are correct, the very building of houses maybe considered a crime,— yea, and a great crime too.'as .it is a primeval one, and hence relatively speaking, one of the causes of all the other sins of human im- provement! Carrying this principle out would upset all the ar- tificial machinery in the world —give instinct a preference over reason —and drive the whole human, family to the woods for food and protection. The march of events, however, proves that the great Architect intended, that man should make use of his reasoning and inventive powers for the improvement of his station ; and he- who would, oppose this axiom, must base his theory upon the presumption that reason is a vanity in man, and has been bestowed on him as a .curse, inasmuch as it moves him to the commission of things, which —if viewed through that medium — it would be a sin to commit. But.the very command of the Creator himself would upset this shallow hypothesis: for has he not expressly ordered, "that temples should be built to his honor and glory." 26 BECKLARD'S PHYSIOLOGY". For myself, I love children — but would certainly rather not see them at all, than see them crowding into the world to con- tend with incurable diseases, or against the horrors of poverty, and serai-famine, which is the fate of at least a third of the offspring of the lower orders, even in Ihe proud city of Paris.— And; from all we can learn, the children of the poor in English cities are yet more unfortunate; for there fhey are not only half starved, but worked in factories fourteen and sixteen hours a day, like mill-horses; and often brutally whipped for the non- fulfilment of tasks, which, through sheer bodily debilitation, the little sufferers are unabe to perform. Political'economists who are tinctured with the absurd no- tions of Martin, Liceto, Stultz, Louis, Malthus, and many more of that class, who wrote so much to^rove they knew so little, may suggest that there is a way of correcting ihe evil better than the one I propose ; that is, by laying a heavy tax on mar- riage, which would amount to about the same thing as prohib- iting it altogether among the majority. But would tttis have the desired effect ? — Nonsense ! — Nature wOuld laugh at such laws; and the result would be, that there would be no virtue — so tospeak—among the poor; while we would have as many children as ever, and fewer people to take care of them. Be- sides, the rabid advice of the dreamers dare, not be broached, much less acted upon, by the legislators of any country, claim- ing the slightest knowledge of civilization. Hence, as people under all circumstances, whether they are poor, or afflicted with disease, or so organized as to risk life in reproduction, will get married, I feel that I am doing a good thing for the public, in showing how nature may be allowed the free exercise of her rights without being productive of the evil complained of. Two other medical writers have treated of this subject, but owing, perhaps, to its delicacy, or their own want of experience, have not gone into it with sufficient perspicuity or fulness. I will endeavor to do both, and in language which can give no offence to the most fastidious. Any exercise calculated todisiurb^he embryo within twenty- four hours after inception may be sufficient to'prevent offspring. Dancing about the room, before repose, for a few minutes, might probably have that effect. But trotting a horse briskly over a rough road on the following day," would insure it. The cause of this is simple. It merely extends to the agitation of the ovum before it has duly secured a place in the chamber provid- ed by nature for its reception. Jf, besides dancing, an emission could be effected through the urinal canal, the ovum could not well escape destruction. At becklard's physiology. 27 all events, the chances are so small, that ladies adopting these precautions must necessarily have small families. If they fail once in every five years, it will be a matter rather to be won- dered at than otherwise. , All attitudes of enjoyment but the natural one, are inimical tq fertility. However, they are not to be depended on; and, besides, it bas b'een contended that they are frequently the means of monstrous conceptions. Strong cathartics would be likely so to agitate, as to dislodge the embryo, even a month after the intercouse. It might, how- ever, only injure it, so that it is a rather hazardous experiment. Swammering says, that this is one of the causes of malforma- tions. From an obvious reason, too, all stimulating fluids that pass off freely are anti-reproductionists. Indeed, repose should be indulged in, and drinking avoided as much as possible, at cer- tain times, when offspring is desired. Hence, victuals that promote thirst, combined with excitement and exercise, are great enemies to generation. Dr. Foshanv knew a gentleman who discovered, after marriage, that his wife had a disposition tending to insanity. Not caring 10 have offspring thus afflicted, when occasion required, he used'to dance "with her, and make her, eat salt viands, and they never had any children. And I have, in my practice, recommended the same course of conduct with much success. If the conjugal act were not carried to the ultimatum, but by a great mental eftbrt terminated before, the probabilities would be a thousand to one against children. Such a system, however, requires too much presence of mind, and self-sacrifice, to be generally followed. • The sea air assists fecundation. On the contrary, bathing in salt water, or any other wa'ter, soon after coition, militates against it. . A fine spongue, of an incband a half or so— according to circumstances — in diameter, and fastened to a silk string by which to withdraw it, by absorbing the generating fluid, would effectually prevent a certain result. An oiled-silk covering, worn by the male, and sold at most of the toy-shops of this-city, (Paris,) would necessarily have the same effect. This plan may be implicitly relied on. Food, made stimulating by spices — is, though exciting, ex- tremely innutritious, and therefore promotive of sterility. Water — if warm, so much the better — used with a syringe, seon after the act, is almost certain to seccre the end desired — one or two drops of vitriol in the water would make this system 58 becklard's physiology. infallible —three or four syringefuls, used energetically, will be a sufficient guarantee from danger; nay, even to procure abactus {artificial abortion) during the first two months. The latter, however, I hold to be a species of infanticide, and, moreover, it must be attended with clanger to the patient's health. There is a tree called by the learned the Vitex agnus castus, by the vulgar the Chaste Tree, the seed whereof make an excellent oriaphrodisiac, and were formerly much used for that purpose. It being discovered, however*, that they sometimes had a precisely opposite effect, they fell into disrepute ; it not being then understood that the very qualities which reduced some natures belcrw moderation, were the precise mediums to tone others — otherwise too ardent — to their proper temper for certain demonstrations. For instance, a couple of immoder- ately warm desires are no; apt to have children. Herlce, to such, the seeds of the Chaste Tree would-be an invaluable cor- rective, if they were desirous of offspring. Malformation in the female, or diseases which produce cer- tain effect;?, 6uch as contraction of the vagina, cohesion of its sides, cicatrix occasioned by ulceration, flour albus, and so forth, unless carefully attended to, will protract fecundation, ^uid may even prevent it altogether. The vagina, it may be well to state, is the canal which leads from the external orifice of the female pudendum to the uterus, and is endow.ed to a certain degree with contractive and expanding powers. At times, however, as I have indicated, it is not possessed of these powers, but re- mains nearly close and rigid,'and hence incapable of action, until remedies have been applied. These remedies are various, the usual ones are emollient applications, and to dilate it to the proper size with a sponge —or else by bougies —thin, lovg in- struments, with or without caustic, according to circumstances — which are to be changed from time to time, still a larger succeeding a smaller bougie, until the orifice has been sufficient- ly extended. Elastic gum is trip best thing that instruments can be made of, but wax ones are in general use. When caus- tic is used, it is formed in a thin roll", in the middle, to the end of destroying the structure, or any part with which it comes in contact. Females under treatment for' contraction would do well to live separate,from their husbands for some time; or both may be injured; Should emollients, the bougie, and such methods, fail, the lancet will have to be resorted to, which is a certain alternative; the other means', however, are • preferable, and, with practice, are- certain of success. On the contrary, when the orifice is too open, and the contractive power deficient, stimulants are the best remedy, whether the object be to pro- becklard's physiology. 29 duce pleasure, negatived by the supineness of the vagina, or to propitiate offspring; for the} process of impregnation is as fol- lows— (at least, it is the most probable one, for there is still some mystery about it) — the uteras, or womb, opening during the act, draws in the semen by aspiration, and directs it to the overium by means of the Fallopian tubes, the extremities of which closely embrace that organ. Thus, unless the female vairina is in a busy, active state, there is but little apprehension of offspring. Let me add, that this supineness, even in the most healthy females, is a sure attendant of disgust or abhor- rence; therefore, I have no faith in the stories of women, who are said to heve borne children as the consequence ot rape or violatiop. Indeed, the thing is impossible unless the parties are agreedVfor the muscular effort, to the action of which the uterus responds, is voluntary on the part of the female, and is only called in play in moments of enjoyment. What then follows? Why, that if pregnancy follows a rape, the act was not without pleasure to the victim, which is an idea that seems difficult of admission. But I am getting rather away from the main subject of this chapter. It is the proposal of plans for the preventation ot off- spring ; and I have submitted to the reader all that I ever knew to be efficacious. The reader, I trust, will do me the justice to say that I have treated the subject-matter of this Chapter as delicately as it could possibly be handled, yet without in any way mystifying the meaning intended to be conveyed. A few [of the remedies set forth in it have been practised by others; but many of them, and especially those for destroying the embryo by the promotion of thirst, or by bathing, which are the. simplest of all, and about as efficacious as any, were discovered by myself, and this is the first time I have made any general communication of the im- portant secrets; not that I Avas selfish of them, but I wished to test their virtues before I made'them public. 30 becklard's physiology. CHAPTER V. Hints and Facts of much importance to the Married and Unmarried of both Sexes. The knowledge contained in this chapter is the result of many years' search, thought; and experence. It contains much that will be new to the reader, but nothing is authoritatively advanced, the truth of which I have not fairly tested. Young physicians will be pleased, to find so much that they should know in a few words, for the. chapter contains nearly^ every thing worth seeking for, connected with the subject it treats of; and many things not considered, or even hinted at, by previous physiologists. Dr. Guerln did me the honor say, after looking ever it in manuscript, that he never read so little matter with so much profit. On Physiology.— Physiology is the science of life,— life it- self being an aggregate of phenomena, which manifest them- selves in organized bodies. Some philosophers hold the opin- ion, that it is merely the effect of the elements on creation, com- binations of matter, and that there is no such thing as a living principle. This theory, however, is easily disproved ; but not by the substitution of any which explains the mystery of sen- tient existence. Renewing Life.— In 1667, France was thrown into a state of great excitement, by a publication of a theory of life, by a physician named Richard Lower, who contended that life might be renewed and prolonged, indefinitely, by transfusing the Mood of young into that of old people. The system was first tried on dogs, with, according to Lower, the most complete results. However, it not only failed with men, but in some instances it came near killing those who were candidates for immortality owing to the difference of temperament between the receiver and giver of the blood. Nevertheless, the doctrine continued to be steadily maintained by some visionaries, with this saving clause that the party who received the vital fluid must have been of the same habits, temperament, state of health &c when at the same age of him who yielded it. Long Courtships.— Beware of long courtships, for there are so many «sl,pS 'twixt the cup and the lip," that t is almost as well to marry m haste and repent at leisure becklard's physiology. 31 Period of Child-bearing.— Women may be ten, eleven, and even twelve months, in a certain condition, the ignorance whereof causes much domestic trouble, end has occasionally been the means of divorces. On the contrary, full-grown chil- dren may be born in the seventh month after conception, and some say in the sixth, or even less, but I doubt them. At least, out of all my experience, I never had personal knowledge of a case of the kind, but one, and then I had my suspicions, grounded on various circumstances, apart from the main one, which -was rather unfavorable to the lady's character. The law, which rarely, if ever, suffers itself to be guided by excep- tions, holds it a proof of illegitimacy, if the period of child- birth is delayed until the tenth month after the husband and wife have lived together.— Armande. Obstructions.— Should any unexpected barriers be discovered to the consummation of-the rights of marriage, a physician should be consulted without delay. A false modesty, in such cases, may be productive of the most serious consequences.— The Duchess de Bern is a case in point. After being married about six weeks, she was on the eve of separating from her husband, when one of the ladies of the court learned the cause, and prevailed on her to consult a member of the faculty, who soon set all to. rights. However, both the duke and duchess had suffered much through their delay or ignorance. The fruitful months.— It is estimated that the healthipst chil- dren are born in February, March^ April, and May. Conse- quently, May, June, July, and August must be the months most auspicious for conception. This is merely the popular opinion, but Dubois, La Bache, and a skilful writer in Le Temps, assert that their experience corroborates it. ^Twins.— A female may have twins, the offspring of different fathers. Thus, a woman in North America, being delivered the same day of a black and a white infant, acknowledged that, nine months before, she had been on the same day with her husband and a negro slave. In births, where one child precedes the other, for one or two months, it is fair to suspect adultery; and, indeed, the infants themselves, mostly, give evidence of a different male parentage. Ideas of Beatuy.— Men of poetical or sanguine temperament prefer the beauty of the face ; those of stronger animal propen- sities, the beauty of form. The latter make the most attentive husbands, as they are most content with the realities of life. 32 becklard's phvsiology. Red-haired Women.— Fair-haired ladies claim to make the most affectionate wives; but he who mairies a red-haired wo- man, would do well not tO be remiss in his attentions, for, they woo warmly, and expect to be warmly wooecl. A French wo- man with red hair, is a rare occurrence ; but wherever there is one, love has a decided votary. Marriage and Poetry.— Marriage blunts the imagination.— A married writer of fiction must bold Hymen in check, or weary his readers; and poetry is almost irreconcilable with the state of wedlock. Schiller observes, that one cannot woo his wife and the muses ; and tbere is no doubt, much philosophy in the assumption. Thus it would seem that ■ poetry is the escape of love, when not otherwise directed. ; Habitual Miscarriages.— The force of habit is such in wo- men, that when a female once miscarries, she will be always liable to miscary when the same stage of pregnancy occurs.— The knowledge of this fact may produce the care which will prevent such a result. The Hymen.— The existence of the Hymen m women is no certain evidence of virginity,—neither is its absence of deflor- ation. Young females may be deprived of it by illness; and it has been found in ladies at the period of delivery. However, these are exceptions, and very rare ones. As a general rule, the Hymen indicates the maiden,.and vice versa; so that a man missing it, on marriage, may have good grounds for suspecting his wife's chastity, unless she can otherwise explain the cause of its absence. Coquetry.— Beware how you marry a confirmed coquet; for her manners are not so much the result of affection, as the actual changes of her mind; and her phrenological develop- ments will show that consistency is not in her nature. Bailie had, no doubt, good grounds foraying that a confirmed coquet would rather have any man than her husband, after the first six months of marriage. A little well-directed coquetry, however is the spice of courtship. ' Transfer of Passitn.- Love is partially the effect of mental, but more so of physical, feeling. This is especially the case with men; and hence, when they despair of the consummation of one passion, they can always relieve it, or escape from it altogether, by nourishing another. y * becklard's physiology. 33 Nutritive Tubes.— Every animal, from man to the polypi that clinges to the rock, has a nutritive tube, open at the extremities ! Hence the sponge (if an animal,) being differently constructed, may be considered of a lower order than the polypi. Living Bodies.— All living bodies spring from a germ, which was part of another being. This rule holds good throughout the animal and vegetable kingdom. Violation.— Conception cannot take place under feelings of horror or disgust. Hence, no woman ever became pregnant from a rape committed on her against her inclination. For and Against.— Consumption, in either sex, has been cor- rected by marriage. The chances, however, are in favor of females ; for it has been known to bring the decay of men to a hastier climax. Matrimonial Regret.— Men are liable to regret their marriage on the morning after its consummation, and to sigh for the freedom they have lost. But this is only an evanescent feeling, partially attributed to the fact, that at the commencement, the realities of love are usually found to be unequal to the antici- pations. A week corrects this uneasiness, and contentment mostly occurs before the end of the honey-moon. Hermaphrodites.— There is no such thing on record as a gen- uine hermaphrodite. It is true, doubts have arrsen as to which sex individuals belonged, who seemed to exhibit the attributes of both; but in all cases it was proved that the parties were either men or women, and that the mixed appearances which caused the doubt, were the consequence of malformation. Longing for Marriage.— Young, unmarried ladies, from the time they arrive at the age of puberty, think and talk about little besides love and its attributes. Young men, however, though they have other objects of pursuit, are more carried away by thepassion. When crossed in love, a woman becomes melan- choly, a man insane. Bad Habits.— There is but one mode in which the sexes of the human race can know each other, without the sacrifice of pleasure, and probably risks of yet greater importance,—and that mode is dictated by nature. Valsalva and others assumed that monstrous births were often occasioned by shunning the advice of nature in this particular. 34 bdcklard's physiology. Loves of Plants and Animals.— It is the received opinion, that all sentient beings are susceptible of the passion of love, and derive enjoyment from the communications of the sexes. And many claim the same distinction for the inhabitants of the vegetable kingdom; so that the loves of the plants may be no fable. Intercourse of Trees.— Trees may have intercourse, though at a great distance from each other, their pollen or fertilizing power being borne by the wind. Otherwise, the act flf repro- duction, in trees, .plants, &c, is carried on'in much the same manner as among locomotive-beings. Effects of bad Temper.— Constant bad temper in a wife will wear away the affections of the most devoted husband; and they can never be renewed. A man of lymphatic temperament. whose nature 13 difficult of excitement, is alone proofao the ceaseless bickerings of an irritable woman. Cure for Epilepsy.— Marriage is the only certain cure for uterine epilepsy. P«^y.-Atthetimeof puberty, the blood of both sexes tends towards the parts subservient to reproduction, which caus- es these organs to awake from their torpor, and to expand. Use of Cleanliness.— Cleanliness in youth is a corrective of puberty. So are meagre diet light clothing, and hard beds Difference in the Sexes.- There is a striking analogy between the organs of generation in the sexes, the chief difference bein" that they are nearly external in man, and .U.SferXiawcS beauty, ana may ZS^eff^T^il^J0^- they &SSeH under the influence of a virtuous dlsfte • tt ?nffecl,on,l'e heart> becklard's physiology. 35 The Hair.—A profusion of hair is a sign of an amorous dis- position, as is also a rough, husky voice. When a man is cas- trated, he looses his betfrd, and his voice grows feminine. He is also liable to periodical hemorrhages, like the other sex.-- Likewise he becomes artful, depraved, and foolish. Resemblances.— Children should resemble both parents or there may be a fair doubt of their legitimacy. However, not- withstanding the theories of Strauss, Gillett, and Walker, the rule is not imperative; for I, and others, have seen infants'who in face or form, bore not the slightest similitude to their female parents; which must be taken as proof positive in the premises. Still, this so-rarely occurs, as to be only the exception to the rule. Signs of Pregnancy.— To an experienced observer, a wo- man's eye betrays her condition-, when she is in a certain way, before her form gives any manifestations of the fact. The symptoms may be partially concealed by the use of snuff, which corrects the glassiness of the optics, cousequent on the earlier stages of pregnancy. Total Abstemiousness.— It has been frequently maintained that total abstemiousness from sexual indulgences would in- vigorate the mind, and exalt the genius. Facts, however, prove otherwise ; for persons sworn to chastity grow weak in intell- ect; while eunuchs become foolish. Nevertheless, a man who wishes to distinguish himself, must not give loose to his sexual passions, for excess of indulgence greatly impairs the faculties of the mind. Still, it is better to give way to nature, no mat- ter how rashlv,— if diseases are avoided,— than to resist her altogether. The former only injures,— the latter destroys. It was the belief, with a certain school of alchyrnists, that he only who was perfectly chaste, could discover the philosopher's stone. A perfect man, capable of beiHg so, is as rare a thing as the philosopher's stone itself; and could he possibly obtain the ob- ject of his desires it is more than probable he would find the stone a dear bargain, at the price he paid for it. Excess.— Beware of youthful excesses, for, sooner or later they have to be paid for. A great English philosopher truly says, "the debaucheries of youth, -are so many conspiracies against old age. Medium of Reproduction.— Irritation and excitement seems to be the great medium of reproduction, in all organized beings. 36 becklard's physiology. On Climate.—Married persons, desirous of offspring, and who have been disappointed therein, should, if they seek a change of climate, choose one colder than that which they have been used to. It need scarcely be remarked, that races inhabit- ing moderately cold, are more fruitful than those who dwell in hot climates. There should be but little hope of becoming pa- rents, in persons who cannot accomplish their desires.by the aid of warm stimulants, in a cool, bracing, climate. Menstruation.— Obstructed menstruation may be. effectually cured by the root of the ntba linctorum, or maddar, but it should be taken under advice, as, injudiciously used, it is calculated to injure the system. Causes of laborious Menstruation.— One of the most active causes of laborious or obstructed menstruation, is "disappoint- ment in love, and a transfer of the affections would work a cure without any other remedy. Superfluous Menstruation.— Emetics of iflecacuhana, and cold sea-bathing are the best remedies for this complaint.— Either may do; combined, they can hardly fail of being effec- tive. On Puberty.— The age of puberty is not, bv a universal rule, earliest in warm climates. In the inhospitable latitude of Si- beria, for instance, the woman of the Mongolian race feel its influence in their twelfth year; and a contemporary writer says, that they are marriageable at that age; but this is preposterous,' they are no more fit to, encounter the duties of married life' than a precocious boy, who rday say smart things in a drawing- room, is qualified to undertake the multifarious and practical duties of manhood. The same may be said of the Esquimaux women the women of Lapland, and, indeed, of the inhabitants generally of the polar regions; which" is attributed by some authors to the smallne3s of their stature, and their fish diet — But this argument is easily set aside, for the same precocity ex- ists throughout ail the varieties of the Mongolian race whether they reside in warm or cold climates, are short or tall! or live on fish, vegetable, or animal diet. What, then is the cause of tins early precocity ? I am unable to answer. But. from the excessive developeraent of the vital system of the north-eastern people and their peculiarly voracious appetites, I am inclined £.5ipk;il|hat".lie8Jm *• Emitted f&t of their being the lea=t intellectual, and consequently most animal of the hSman family; for it cannot be denied, that the mind has a great effect becklard's physiology. 37 on the bodily functions ; and if so, why may not the desire for certain enjoyments, ripen into early action the organs from whence they emanate? However, this physical precocity is, in general, the effect of warmth of climate, and may be acceler- ated any where, by the free use of stimulating meats, aromatics, coffee, wine, and other sprodisiacs. A writer of some 'note, though visionary in many ot his speculations, savs,—"In taking a general view of the period of puberty, it appears that in Europe women reach it later in the north'than in the south. In some elevated northern regions, it does not occur until after twenty years of age. In England, it occurs from fourteen to sixteen in girls, and from sixteen to eighteen in boys. In most parts of France, puberty in women commences, usually, at fourteen years of age ; and in the south- ern departments, and great towns, at thirteen. In Italy, it takes place at twelve. This is also the case, very generally, with the Spanish women ; and in Cadiz they very ofren marry at that age. In Persia, according to Chardin, it occurs at nine or ten. Nearly the same is the case in Arabia, Barbary, Egypt, Abyssinia, Senegal, and various parts of Africa. Thus, puberty in women commences, generally, in tropical climates, from nine to ten." But still, no matter how early it commences, or in what climate, the desires it creates cannot be gratified with- out injury to the health, until all the other parts of the system have a corresponding development. Period of Gestation.— It is impossible that a mature child can be born before the seventh month after conception. The maturity, however, should be amply proved, before a child born within the seventh month should be considered legitimate.— And this cannot be-ascertained by the weight, for some healthy children weigh but eight, while others weigh eighteen pounds when they come into the world. Suckling.— A feeble woman should not_suckle her infant, or it will partake of her own debilitation. Lowness of spirits, passion, &c, have corresponding effects on the milk, and con- sequently must make it innutrjtious. Exercise.— Too much rest during pregnancy is injurious to both mother and child. Hence, ladies so circumstanced, should be as active as at other times, and take as much moderate exer- cise in the open air as they can. Strengthening Milk.- Porter-milk is the strongest that a child can be suckled on, but it is apt to make them sleepy and peev- 38 beckland's physiology. ish on being disturbed., The nurse will also find advantag-e by a moderate'allowance of bottled porter. The best Nurse.— Hartsoeker contended that a child would thrive better on its mother's milk than that of a stranger.-— Natural, however, as this may seem, I cannot say that it is borne out by facts. Diet.— Milk-diet, though if enriches the blood, moderates the desires. It might be advantageously adopted by married persons of warm dispositions, who cannot have offspring; and which is the usual result, in such cases, of intensity of enjoy- met. Violent love is but rarely fruitful love. Consummation.— Albeit man is the active and womari the passive agent in the consummation of marriage, the latter is supposed to enter more fully info the intensity of its enjoyment. This, however, is an hypothesis whicb can sever be clearly demonstrated. CHAPTER VI. Advantages of Marriage—Importance of care in choosing a Partner— The cause of unhappy Marriages—Terrors of Absolute Continence— Sufferings of Continent Women. I fully agree with a certain famous physiologist, that "mat- rimony, as established in Christian countries, generally con- tributes to the health and happiness of the .human species ;" but I am not so sure that he is right, when he says that " men be- fore they are married are always discontented." My conviction is, that a bachelor, even beyond the hope of matrimony, is not so discontented a being as a man who is married, but not to his mind. And the same rule will apply, even more forcibly, to the other sex ; for men have a partial corrective, which, if not sanc- tioned, is at least winked at, by society ; whereas women have none but the one which involves their'destruction. Consequently, great care should be taken in the choice of a partner for life, not only as regards beauty, habits, manners, &c, but physical construction and desires. It is a. great error in society that, which compels people to marry, while so much becklard's physiology. 39 in the dark on certain subjects in which-they are so vitally con- cerned. For instance, it is not to be expected that much hap- piness can attend the union of a lymphatic man, with a san- guine woman, or vice versa; and equally, or even more disa- greeable is the result, when a wedded couple discover that their physical conformations are unsuited to each other; and that, hence, they cannot duly realize the most important of the en- joyments of wedlock. It might ,be well for millions, if the manners of the age permitted inquiry on those subjects; and it might be accomplished through relations or friends, without any great sacrifice of modesty. At all events, the mode of taking each other, for better or for worse, blindfolded, is in nine cases out of ten the cause of unhappy marriages, divorces, elopements, desertions, and so forth ; for if a couple are physi- cally and mentally,agreed, contentment is the natural result ; — otherwise, matrimony is not to them the thing they expected and hoped for, and each pines for enjoyment which they find it impossible to convey to the other. I could furnish many illustrations of this, with the names and especial causes; and it might be well for society, if society allowed of such a proceeding. I have a friend, who married a woman he loved, and who loved him. She was cold, he was the reverse.. After a time he shunned her society, and used to sit moping in his study ; and then he often informed me that he did not think he was calculated for domestic life, as he felt no sympathy with what the world called its "endearments." Well a little time elapsed, and this ill-assorted pair — for a reason which I do not care to make public — were divorced, and for some months thereafter my friend continued to revel in his single blessedness. At length, however, he grew weary of it, and united his destinies to a lady, who is, to an external observ- er, decidedly inferior in personal attractions to the one he parted from; but, nevertheless, she is the realization of all his desires, for.he is never at ease when she is out of his sight ; and from beine a railer at Hymen, he has become one of the most domes- tic persons in the world. Now had reasonable questions been put and answered before marriage, my friend would never have trusted himself in bonds which he was sure to break, nor be now compelled 10 live with a lady he adores, without having the privilege of making her his wife. Again, one of the most beautiful, and not the least respectably connected, ladies in Paris, has lately become the victim of a marriage, which gave promise of being a happy one, but fumed out —in consequence of the opposite temperaments of .he par- ties — to be the reverse. I do not mean in their manners, for 40 becklard's physiology. they were both amiable, and attached, and so far got on very well together; — but the wife was devoted, and amorous —the husband caieless of love's delliance — the result of which was, that the lady made a slip, was discovered, and (as with women there is no half-way house between honor and infamy, which the public will permit them to retire to,) is now lost to respecta- ble society. Had this female taken care to have'chosen a hus- band of a temperament as enthusiastic and loveable as her own, she would have found at home the sympathy her nature yearned for, and thus been saved the commission of an error that result- ed in a destruction, which, under the circumstances, she could scarcely resist. I would almost prefer the old Scotch fashion of " hand-fast- ing" for a time, to that of taking things on chance, without any future honorable alternative. The method spoken of is simply this. When a couple became affianced, they were c* hand-fast- ed," that is to say, they lived together for some time as man and wife, and at the expiration of the period agreed on, if they found they were duly qualified to make each other happy, they were married ; but if not they shook hands and parted, to try their fortunes elsewhere. And it' has happened, that ladies in high life were three times hand-fasted before thev were wedded. And if—as it sometimes would happen —one of these limired marriages was productive of issue, the child was provided for by the father, and regarded as no discredit to its mother's fair fame. This may have been carrying matters a little too far but it at least afforded chance of amusement, which is not the case with our more refined, and, I suppose I must call it, more moral system of wedlock. However, marriage in any mode is far better than no mar- riage at all; for to say nothing of its immorality, promiscuous intercourse enervates the system, oppresses the brain,*and blunts the appetite of desire. Variety, in fact, counteracts healthy and vigorous excitements, tor its stimulations are but as the passing moments of unnatural strength during the crisis of fever Hence, men who have been renowned for their amorous pro- pens.ties, according to their own admission, derived- but little enjoyment, yet great prostration, from sexual intercourse -and their children, when they had any whom they could vouch for have been ,n most cases, weak, puny, and embacil>. ' Thus the laws ot Hymen do.not restrict but actually promote S f !a"r.!S^and.are ^e only certain road to ihLTfo e.,„u • .u r .--- U1") v.ciiam roaa to thpm • such is the state of society, that without legal vows fidelkv' becklard's physiology. 41 he rarely finds himself truly at home, except in the marriage^ couch. M. de Hensierck argues with eloquence in favor of polygamy. He insists that it is agreeable to the original intention, and re- fers to certain customs among the ancient Jews in evidence. He further insists, that no man can be satisfied with one wife; but that four, differing in disposition and style of beauty, woMld bound his desires. And several distinguished German philoso- phers are of the same opinion. , But I hold them to be in error, for jealousy must be the sure attendant of polygamy ; and, in- deed, it would seem one of the principle intentions of this vigi- lant sensation, to make one man7 and one woman faithful to each other. However, in some nations,— China, for instance, — a plurality of wives is said to produce no unpleasant domes- tic results ; and the Chinese novelists, when they wish to have their heroes in a state of extreme conjugal felicity, usually give them two wives, of opposite temperament and style of beauty, who are as tenderly attached to each other as they are to their common husbahd." But in all cases the women must rather be regarded in the light of slaves than of bosom partners; and it they had their own will in the matter, I doubt not they would alter the system; for every female is a natural despot in the affairs of love, and will of her own consent, permit of no rival near the throne. At all events, I am satisfied that the doctrine of plurality would not answer in civilized countries, where the sexes are more on a par in general privileges; for there, ll the men insisted on two wives, there is nothing more certain, than ♦hat the women would compromise the matter, by providing themselves, legally or otherwise, with two husbands. Furthermore; " In places where a plurality of wives are al- lowed " sajs an eminent writer, "the carnal appetite grows sur- feited andVcasionally so depraved, that other objects become yet dearer to it than the female sex. Thus the monarchs of the celestial empire have been known to indulge in the most un- natural excesses, many of them preferring male to female favor- ^ Hence," com the same author, " if we would escape evil" marriage is not only a benefit but a necessity. Let me add Sat while marriage as legal in most parts of Europe, p o- motes sexual pleasures, it secures constant moderation which S necessary fo?r the health of the body, and yet more so for that ^Whe'Tptrsons eschew both marriage and Kbertanism un- natural indulgence, - .0 which I have devoted .1 chapter^else- where in this book,- is, in nineteen case out of twee y the consequence; and where it is avoided, and absolute continence 42 becklard's physiology. persisted in, the party will have to purchase the peculiarity by a life of anxiety, sorrow, and suffering. Among the effects of the later are ferocity, determination of blood to the head, indi- gestion, inordinate desires, heart throbbings, inability to divert the mind from the prevailing passion, partial insanity, and early death. Besides, to be continent is not to be chaste, as it is sure to engender a constant change of voluptuous images, and un- tamable desires, which it would be difficult to reconcile with strict purity. By long and severe fasts, and shunning the soci- ety of the female sex, I have no doubt that men may greatly suppress their animal desires; but they can by no means ob- literate them; and clergymen of the most austere orders have admitted this, whenever they choose to speak freely on the sub- ject. An ecclesiastic in Bordeaux, finding it impossible to starve out his desires, shot himself through the heart, where lay the seat of his disease. Pope Gregory the First, admitted the difficulties, in this re- spect, that celibacy imposed on its votaries, but argued that, were it otherwise, continency would be no virtue, and absti- nence from sexual intercourse no sacrifice. Monsieur M., an ecclesiastic, wrote more particularly on the subject. He said that, at the age of thirty-two, being bound by a vow of celibacy, he began to feel the action of the reproduc- tive organs very intensely ; and that his health was thereby in- jured. At this period he fixed his eyes on two women, who made such an impression on him, that they appeared to be illu- minated and to glitter with an electric fire, so that be retired thinking it was an allusion of the devil. He had then violent contraction and tension of the limbs, which were succeeded by delirium; and afterwards his imagination was assailed bv ob- scene images, suggested by the desires of nature. In a word continence to his body, was obscenity to his mind, and made him most miserable. ' The confessions of Fathen Anselmo, an austere and virtuous man, are further eminent illustrations to the same effect also the memoirs of Abbe Catineau ; and, likewii the admission e clS- O^oln^'Ta\cUch> S-'jerotrwno exclaims, U, how often have I, when settled in the desert in that vast solitude, which, burned up by the solar heat'a? fords to monks a horrid habitation -how often have I imJirin uW^n/? bf ?r \raoment » the midst of Roman pjfas! ures ! But I sat alone because my heart was full , f■ ™,£a bitterness My members, deformed ashey weff abhoTed'tue sack which invested them, and my shrivelTflesh endured the becklard's physiology. 43 thirst of Ethiopic fire. Daily tears, — daily groans were mine ; and if deep sleep oppressed me, I slid my scarcely adhering bones down upon the naked ground, and my mind was full of dreams at variance with my vow. I, therefore, for fear of hell, had condemned myself to such, imprisonment, the companion • of scorpions, and wild beasts, did often in imagination find my- self amid the choirs of maidens. Pallid was I with fastings, and in a frigid body, yet my mind burned with desires; the flesh being dead before the man, the fires of lust alone boiled up ; and thus must it be with all who, like me, endeavor to sacrifice the flesh to the spirit." Nor is the case better with the other sex. Indeed, if any thing, the images of the mind of woman are more intense, as she has fewer objects to distract her attention, and hence, she is the greater sufferer by absolute continence. Thus, it is rare in man, but not in woman, to die for love. Languor, melan- choly, uneasiness, and haziness of the eyes are the earliest symptoms of suppressed desire in females ; then chlorosis ; and then, probably, death ; unless her passion finds vent in marriage — or in a solitary practice, the evils of which are fully consid- ered, further on. Having thus, in the difficulties of continence, illustrated the necessity of marriage, I will now proceed to give some instruc- tions as to the best method of choosing an appropriate partner ; and these instuctions may easily be taken advantage of, unless where matches are made in an indecent hurry. I may be told that love is blind and will not be advised, or taught to see, on such a subject. I insist, however, that he would be advised, if he know beforehand that the parties inspired by him were physically and mentally disagreed, to such an extent, that the objects, for which they were chiefly brought together could never be duly consummated. This may be a good place to state that nymphomania, uterine epilepsy, uterine cholics, virgin convulsions, hysterics, and other morbid affections, are cured by marriage, and effectually so by no other remedy. Nor is this all; for marriage purifies the complexion, removes blotches from the skin, invigorates the'muscles, and makes thy carriage erect and free, and the voice full and firm; and, in fine, is the principal medium through which nature makes the human spe- cies tranquil, healthy and happy. 44 becklard's physiology. CHAPTER VII. Instructions in choosing a partner — What Marriages are most happy, and productive of healthy and handsome offspring —The causes why deformity, disease, snd insanity result from certain connections, and health and intellect from others'— Crossing the Breed, &c. When two persons of parallel dispositions or appearances are united, it is common to observe that they are a well-matched couple. In fact, however, they are not; and the very resem- blance which seems to claim admiration, is a strong ground for saying that they are unsuitable companions. The profound physiologist will readily admit the justness of the assumption ; and that marriages are most happy and most productive of healthy and handsome offspring, when the husband and wife differ, not only in mental conformation, but (in bodily construc- tion. A melancholy man should mate himself with a sprightly woman, and vice versa; for otherwise they will grow weary ol the monotony of each others company. By the same rule, should the choleric and the patient, the ambitious and the humble, be united ; for the opposites of their natures not only produce pleasurable excitements, but each keeps the other in a wholesome check. Had Macbeth been married to a person of a disposition less aspiring than his own, he would never have murdered King Duncan. In the size and form of the parties, the same principles hold good. Tall women are not the ideals of beauty to tall men; and if they marry such, they will soon begin to imagine greater perfection in other forms than in those or their own wives. And this is well ordered by nature, to pre- vent the disagreeable results which are most certain to grow out of unions where the parties have a strong resemblance. For instance, tall parents will probably have children taller than either; and mental imbecility is the attendant of extreme size. The union of persons prone to corpulency, of dwarfs, &c, would have parallel results ; and so, likewise, that of weakly and attenuated couples. To use a lucid but homely phrase, the " breed should be crossed," to make it good. Thus the tall should marry the short, the corpulent the lean, the choleric the gentle, and so on; and the tendency to extremes in the parents will be corrected in the offspring. " I do not mean to produce any ridiculous associations in the reader's mind, by advancing that Brobdignags should marry Lilliputians, men mountains becklard's physiology- 45 become united to shadows, but that the choice of partners should be so regulated as not to propitiate the birth of semi- monsters; for parents prone to corpulency beget flabby and shapeless infants ; where the parents are alike of cold and un- excitable natures, their children are likely to be subject to idi- ocy the issue of a very ill-tempered couple will probably be a semi-brute ; and melancholy fathers and mothers produce hypo- condriacs and subjects for suicide. Apart from these serious considerations, there are reasons whv persons of the same dispositions should not be united in wedlock and which I have before hinted at, but not so explicitly as the subject deserves. An amiable wife to a choleric man is like oil to troubled waters;—an ill-tempered one will make his life a misery and his home a hell. The man of studious habits should marry a woman of sense and spirit, rather than of erudition, or the union will increase the monotony of his ex- istence which it wouid be well for Ins health and spirits to cor- rect by a little conjugal excitement; and the man of gloomy temperament will find the greatest relief from the dark forebod- n"sPof hTs mind in the society of a lively and sm.l.ng partner. Further in wedlock, "like love not their like " so well as some- thin' o !an opposite name to excite them. Timid maidens are most affected o brave men ; sages to good house-w.ves who Eve their domestic duties better than books; and men of blunt dispositions can best apnreciate the graces of refined wives. In a word the affections of antipodical natures sympathize most delrlv a partial illustration of which may be seen in the fact that the erea est philosophers find their sweetest relaxation in hepraufe of childhood; and yet an apter one in the equally ^JnteTMe^ct,that the bully and the gentlest boy of the school usuallv select each other for compan ons. However in some particulars, the dispositions and construe. .•rtn?^f married people must assimulate, or they will have but lions of married people m and wamj few enjoyments, „^common-The man ^ ^.^ & made in the choice of a Partn; ,f ' rea2ed bJ the fore- hardly be explained ^^^^l^^TeXr should going hints will be a suffitaent j?«^ dispositi0n to marry, fna'Sad sel m Se^ise, le-e add that the opposite 46 becklard's physiology. natures must be those that excite not shun each other. Thus the bold and timid will sort well in wedlock; as their natures, though opposed in their general features, may unite in love: but the very lymphatic and the very sanguine should by no means come together, as they can haVe no sympathies in com- mon, on the point which is matrimony's principle charm and grand consummation. But nature generally assists art in the choice of partners. We instinctively seek in the object of our xlesires, the qualities which we do not possess ourselves. To the fair of both sexes, the brunette complexion is the most engaging, and vica versa; and the same principle governs throughout, alike in the physi- cal and moral conditions. Thus the slender affect the plump, the tall the shorter, and the impassioned the mild, the boister- ous the calm, and so on to the end of the chapter. And this is a most admirable arrangement of Providence, as it establishes an equilibrium, and prevents people from tending to extremes ; for it is known that the union of dwarfs are fruitful of dwarfs, that gianis proceed from the embrace of giants; and that the offspring of parents alike irritable, alike, passive, alike bashful, &c, inherit the prominent qualities of both, to such a degree as seriously to interfere with their prospects in the world. It;has another advantage. Through its means, " every eye forms its own beauty ; " hence, what one person rejects, is the beau-ideal of another's conceptions; and thus we are all pro- vided for. r This difference of tastes has been a stumbling-block with writers in all ages. They could not define why an object that was beautiful, or the reverse, to one, was not the same to all But, had they thoroughly investigated the matter they would have perceived that a manifest design was at the bottom of it and that, in this variety of tastes, nature was wisely acomplish- lng her own ends, and producing harmonies. Many physiologists have argued that like does not produce like; but the testimony of all experience is against them S«. for instance, the children of red-haired parents, of those who have supernumery toes, and the reader will require no further evidence of the invalidity of their doctrine. But .he main proof of my assumption, and the grand argu- ment in favor of un.ting opposites, is to be found in the evil con- equences attending marriages among blood relations H«e here is, generally, a moral and physical resemblance between the part.es, which ,s almost certain to entail suffering on S offspring. This is str0ngly illustrated in the degeneracy ofFro • becklard's physiology. 47 al and noble families, who marry among each other. In Spain, where the proud old Hidalgos carried this absurdity to its great- est height, the race at length became so ugly, puny, and imbe- cile, that to be dwarfish and hidious was consideredlanjevidence of nobilitv ; and when strength and beauty graced the offspring of rank, the mother's fidelity was more than suspected. The Hidalgos, to avoid all risk of ignoble admixture, not only mar- ried their own blood relations, but confined their choice to first and second cousins ; nor was the sad result to be seen alone in decrepit offspring, but in the birth of hopeless idiots. Royal families take a wider range, but still not sufficient to insure bodily and mental vigor. Hence they are for the most part, afflicted with hereditary diseases, but more than all with scro- fula, which is one of the most offensive that pertains to human nature. All the Bourbons suffered thus; s» the reigning family of Holland and Austria. The injurious result of a union between persons having a close moral and physical resemblance, will be augmented, if there is also a close kindredship of blood. The fruits of such a marriage must degenerate, if, indeed, it should be ^fruitful at all ; but here nature again kindly steps in to arrest the evil, — for mairied relatives, near of kin, have rarely, ir ever, numer- ous progenies ; — owing, probably, to the. fact, that being, for the most part, of a like form and disposition, the one cannot fre- quently cause in the other that state of excitement which is ne- cessary to the ends of reproduction. In fine ; with man, as with animal, the best way to improve the breed is to cross it; for the intermarriage of like with like, and relative with relative, not only causes men to degenerate, but, if the svstem became universal, would in time bring the human race "to a termination altogether. A male or female with a very low forehead should careiuNy avoid marriage with a person of like conformation, or their off- spring will, in all probability, be weak-minded, perhaps to par- UaThe10syystem of crossing-is so perfect, that marriages between persons/natives of different countries, are like y to be pleasant and fruitful. Speaking on this subject, ^English writer say "TheParsianshaveso improved by mtroduc.ng foreigners to breed from, that they have completely succeeded in washing out the stain of their ^Mongolian origin." And the same author adds to the effect, that in those parts of Persw^here there iS no foreign intercourse, the inhabitants are sickly and stunted while in those that are frequented by strangers, they are large and healthy. 48 becklard's physiology. To make what is termed a " handsome couple," the female should be about three inches less than the male ; and if the parties are proportionably developed throughout their systems, this selection may be found of advantage in other matters be- sides appearances. Wide haunches in a man, as well as being a deformity., argue flabbiness, and a weak overgrowth in the procreant functions.— On the contrary, they are beauty in woman, and a proof that the productive organs are well developed. Hence a strong and amorous man would not do well to marry a female with nar- row haunches; for though such a pair maybe equal to the consummation of marriage, it is almost certain there will be a difficulty at the time of delivery, especially if the child be ro- bust in proportion with the father. In another chapter, I have explained the reason of this. It may be well to say, here, a person of delicate bodily construction, not only in reference to certain rights, but because the offspring of such a person is like- ly to be small, and hence suited to the peculiarity of her confor-- mation. This may seem to the general reader a little thing to be so especial about; but it involves advice of great importance to those for whom it is intended. For instance, a woman with narrow haunches always suffers much on delivery; the giving birth to large children seriously effects her health, and wrecks her constitution ; and it constantly happens, in such cases, that delivery cannot be effected at all, unless by operations which must destroy the life either of the child or the mother. No matter, how delicately formed a female may be in other parts if her haunches are wide, and the attributes thereunto pertain- ing regular and proportionable, she need dot be afraid to marry a giant. I use the word haunch in its largest sense, that is, to express the hips, and fore and hinder parts, or, in other words to take the whole circumference of the pelvis. " A well formed woman," says a modern physiologist, "should have her head, shoulders, and chest small and compact, arras and limbs relatively short, her hunches apart, her hips elevated her abdomen large, and her thighs volumnious. Hence «=he" should taper from the centre, up and down. Whereas in a well formed man, the shoulders are more prominent than the hips. Great hollowness of the back, the pressing of the thighs against each other in walking, and the elevation of one hip above the other, are indications of the malformation of the pelvis. From the same writer I take the following, which is applica- ble here. It is very correct in its estimates of beautv in both becklard's physiology. 4& The length of the neck should be proportionably less in' the male than in the female, because the dependence of the mental system on the vital one is naturally connected with the shorter courses of the vessels of the neck. The neck should form a gradual transition between the body and head, its fulness concealing all prominence of the throat. The shoulders should slope from the lower part of the neck, because the reverse shows that the upper part of the chest owes its width to the bones and muscles of the shoulders. The upper part of the chest should be relatively short and wide, independent of the size of the shoulders, for this shows that the vital organs which it contains are sufficiently devel- oped. The waist should taper little further than the middle of the trunk, and be marked, especially in the back and loins, by the approximation of the hips. The waist should be narrower in the upper part of the trunk and its muscles, because the reverse indicates the expansion of the stomach, liver, and great intestines, resulting from, their ex- cessive use. The back of woman should be more hollow than that of man ; for otherwise the pelvis is not of sufficient depth for par* turition. Woman should have loins more extended than man, at the expense of the superior and inferior parts, for this confirmation is essential to gestation. The abdomen should be larger in woman than m man, tor the same reason. . Over all these parts the cellular tissue, and the plumpness con- nected with it, should obliterate all distinct projection of The surface of the whole female form should be characterized by its softness, elasticity, smoothness, delicacy, and polish, and by the gradual and easy transition between the parts. The moderate plumpness already described, should bestow on the organs of the woman great suppleness. Plumpness is essential to beauty, especially in mothers, be- cause in them the abdomen necessarily expands, and .would afterwards colapse, and become wrinkled. An excess of plumpness, however, is to be guarded against. Young women who are very fat are cold, and prone to barren- DCIn'no case should plumpness be so predominant as to destroy the distinctness of parts. ,,, ,, A male and female formed ™ the in nun winrlrl would be well 4 50 becklard's physiology. matched, and have fine children. . If a female throws her feet much to the rear in walking, her knees are inclined inward. A woman that marches rather than walks, has large hips, and a well developed pelvis. If she moves along trippingly on tip-toe, a large calf and strong muscles are indicatedT The foot lifted in a slovenly manner, so as to strike the heel against the back of the dress, is a sure sign of a small calf and narrow pelvis. A heavy walk, when there is but little spring on the. toes, is evidence of slenderness and weakness of the limbs. When the foot and ankle assume a bony appearance, and the, heel strikes the ground before the ball or edge of the foot, they indicate that a female has passed the meridian of .life, no matter how other appearances may weigh against them. Blue eyes should marry black ; for when persons, both haying: blue eyes are united, their offspring are apt to have'very light hair, and a tendency to blindness. When a person is of con- sumptive habits, this is a peculiarly important consideration, for it is known that in consumptive families, hazel and black- eyed children die, while the blue eyed live. Hence, a man or woman having dark eyes and consumptive tendency should choose a blue-eyed partner* However, I by no means advise consumptive persons to marry at all; that is, unless the disease be artificially produced, and is not hereditary; for in the former case matrimony may be of service, and has been known to pro- duce a thorough cure, when all other appliances have failed. The person who studies this book thoroughly, will not be easily deceived in the make, form, or internal conformation, of eithet male or female, though having to. judge of them outside their dress. The moral, qualities are things to be discovered by parentage, time, and conversation. And, thus advised there cannot be much difficulty in bringing about matrimonial ar- rangements, so as to " cross the breed," which, as I have clear- ly shown, is a consideration of much importance in married life. becklard's physiology. 5 1- CHAPTER VIII. ..'.',. .:,. . : At what Age Marriage should be consummated—Injurious result of too early Marriages in the Male—In the Female—Marriage the only sure cure for certain Diseases. ",: ■ ' "■ i,. Very early in life,— varying from ten to, sixteen years,— the anxiety of the sexes to be together begins to be felt; and, were people as robust as they might be,—did they .live in a simple state of nature, and without suffering, the fatigues and hardships generally experienced in savage life, the: chances are that their desires might be consummated as well then as in after years, and without the incurrence of physical injury. As it is, how- ever, there is a serious day of reckoning for early indulgence ; for precocious persons,—unless their constitutions are as pow- erful as their desires,—who give way to their passions.at their first axactions, barter their youth-.foe ,,their, enjoyment, and are old and weary ofthe. world, a* an age.,,when people of more moderate habits are only in the meridian of pleasure and ex- istence.," .-■'.: ..' .rllffi ■ . ,. , It, has been written, over and over again, that, m Arabia, and other warm climates, gils ,of twelve, and boys of fourteen, are ripe enough for marriage. In their affections they rnay be— for a warm climate has an- undoubted influence upon them ; but, otherwise, ,they are unsuited for such a change of life ; for early communion of the sexes is as productive of physlCal prostraUaa in sultry, latitudes as in other places,. . ,.,. - The.Werage to ma.rry, atf ,the world over is: between twenty-Sre and thirty: for men, and nineteen and twenty-five for women ; and, in fact, previoustp the ages , of nineteen and wenty,five, they are, as a general rule, inadequate to, the re- nuiremepts of matrimonial intercourse Some, young men, ^o imagine that early development of the passions jsa proof of:n^K wUl not" readily admit, this ; but I can. te I them thattheir strength to accomplish does not keep pace w th their KII. Hence, boysVho marry derive but little enjoy- ment from the connubial state;, and ladies who unite them- Sswhh juveniles, become disappointed, and suspect their huKnWi^iy.T^^ f giVedeSteinPfsraP,T- tj.ip \ _ whereas, the only.thing they are deficient in is age. Many a separation, and even elopement, has been thus occa- 52 becklard's physiology. sioned; and the offspring of such marriages is usually puny and consumptive. Further, men who marry too young, unless they are of a cold and phlegmatic constitution, and thus moderate in their con- duct, become partially bald, dim of sight, and lose all elasticity of limb in a few years-; while women, In a like position, rarely have any bloom in their cheek or fire in their eye by the time they are twenty-five. And all profound physiologists agree that, from the same cause, the mental faculties suffer in the same ratio. A medium, however, is to be observed. It is not well to defer till middle age the period of connubial intercourse; for too tedious a spinstership is as much calculated to hasten the decay of beauty as too early marriage. Hence, there is rarely any freshness tD be seen in the maiden of thirty; while the matron of that age, if her life has been a happy one, and her hymemal condition of not more than ten years' standing is scarcely in the leyday of her charms. And the same rule°will apply with equal ioree to the other sex ; for after the first prime ot life, bachelors decay and grow old much faster than married men. Hence, says the pott : " Cortnnbial pleasures keeps men in their prime; While those who shun them wittier ere their time/' The rich are qualified for marriage before the poor. This is- owing to the superiority of their aliment; for very nutritious food, and the donstant use of wines, coffee, &c, greatly assist ™£i °Pm^ tHe °T*S °f reProa««i°n ; wherea*, he mod generally made use of among the peasantry of most countries as.vegetables, corn,, milk, &c, retards their growth (W to his difference of diet the daughter of a marf of wfeahh £h« keeps a good table, will be as fdequate to™e«ain dutie of mt ried hfe at eighteen, as the daughter of the humble peasant at wenty-one. Singular as it may seem, it is never. hK"rae that love novels, amorous conversation, playingparlorffaLs for kisses, voluptuous p ctures,1 waltzing and in toJlxr I?f r loWOTirgin convulsioos, tec., should bl ZS ,he TOult "* becklard's physiology. -53 The female who marries before the completion of her wo- manhood,— that is, before puberty is established,— will cease to grow, and probably become pale and delicate; the more es- pecially if she become pregnant soon after marriage. A per- son thus circumstanced will be liable to abonion, and painful deliveries. In fine, unless under very peculiar circumstances indeed,— such, for instance, as may be involved in the afflic- tions noticed in the preceding paragraph,—marriage should not take place until two or three years after the age of puberty.__ Let me, therefore, advise the male reader to keep his desires in leading-strings until he is at least twenty-five; and the female not to enter within the pale of wedlock until she is past her eighteenth year; but after those periods, marriage is "mraity, turbatiSn enbfvafes?the whole' bSi "a?d mentaTsvSern'i ^ not unfrequently leaves theta a totalwVeck 7 ' '^d Again, they arrest'the' growth of statu™ .' anA „,*,-i t< the growth of the organs? and the devdopmem of thV^!* BECKLARo's PHYSIOLOGY. 55 course. Indeed, the confirmed onanist becomes incapable of consummating the rights of marriage; and is, in consequence, compelled to continue the system of self-sacrifice; for, as Du- bois says, " forbearance at this stage is out of the question ; as the slightest circumstance, such as the sight of a female bust, a picture, or a pretty foot, is sufficient to awaken eroic desires." Men who have practised this habit to much excess are inca- pable of giving life to robust children. Speaking of solitary indiscretion, Boerhaave says, " It causes convulsions, emaciation, and pains in the membrane of the brain ; it deadens the senses — particularly the sight; gives rise to dorsal consumption, and various other mental and bodily dis- orders." Guerin denounces it as the curse of youth; and maintains that it would be better tc- indulge in open debauchery. Good speaks of it as an offence most injurious to health and morality ; and Lallery affirms, that it is a powerful promoter of lunacy. Young girls are as much addicted to this offence as boys, but are not perhaps equal sufferers by it. It does not drain their system, and hence, cannot cause them so much debility; hut then it interferes with their growth, causes blotches on their skin, disturbs-the economy of the uterus, not unfrequently de- prives thern of the mark of maidenhood; and, while it aug- ments their desires -±- in fact, renders them almost insatiable t- it begets in them almost an aversion to the other sex. Cooper is my authority for the last assumption ; I will not venture an opinion on the point myself; but this I know, that young wo- men who make use of large foreign substances , to procure pleasure, cannot, for obvious reasons, derive as much enjoyment from rights sacred to the married state, as other females. About the age of puberty this habit is generally commenced. However, it is not uncommonly practised by children at school, which is apt to make the effects yet more deplorable, than when it is delayed to a later period. It is supposed by many that this habit is learned, and that no person would commence it from the simple dictates of na- tue. And, in the case of juveniles, this argument no doubt holds good, as they are frequently known to be guilty of it, long before they are under the influence of sexual desires. Sufferers from this offence, says a late eminent writer, may find relief in cooling purgatives; and, in extreme cases, in blood-letting, and leeching, cold bathing, acid fruits, nitre, and a spare diet; but that, where the patient is not too far gone for the administering of such a recipe, the only sufficient remedy is marriage. 56 becklard's physiology. Another argues against medicines, and proceeds: " When conviction of the existence of bad .habits is acquired, it becomes necessary to speak to the subject of them mildly and rationally, respecting his injurious practice, and to place in his hands some good work which treats of its evil consequences." " In such cases," says this writer, "exciting and superabun* daot food is highly injurious. The diet should be chifly vege- table, and no spirituous drinks should be permitted." Yet another advises against suppers, down beds, hot cloth- ing, &c, and to keep exciting works of fiction out of the pa- tient's hand. My advice in the premises is this. To speak to the party suspected in confidence; to tell him that he cannot offend with- out being discovered, as it marks him all ovei ; to warn him of the dreadful result that must inevitably follow the practice, if persisted in; to inform him that it will impair bis beauty, and stop his growth; and, finally, to put this little volume into his hands; a perusal of which, by clearly informing him of his danger, will effectually cure him of his habits. Should injury have already resulted from the practice, I know of no better medicine than occupation, and meagre diet; but still would suggest the propriety of consulting a respectable physician. The above advice will also apply to females, and would no doubt be effectual with them, for it is scarcely to be supposed that any of the sex would persist in a practice, which, apart from its other attendant evils, would mar her beauty, and ren- der her an unfit subject for marriage. To avoid all mistakes on this important subject, the meaning to the words onanism and masturbation are given in anoiher part of this volume. becklard's physiology. 57 CHAPTER X. Matters of importance connected with Conception, seriously considered — Difference in the anatomical construction of the Sexes, &c. Woman has less strength but more mobility than man: less intellect, but a quicker apprehension-; and her sensibility is more exquisite than that of her male companion ; but she does not receive such lasting impressions. The common opinion, that woman differs from man in her genital organs only, is therefore a common error; in fact, she differs from him in every thing; not only in her anatomical construction, which shows a line of demarkation from first to last, but in the impressions conveyed to the mind from an examination of the same objects. I said, an anatomical line of distinction was visible from first to last. This may not always be the case, when the bones are separate; but I have never found it otherwise when seen in their natural connections; that is, I have never seen the skele- ton of one sex; no matter what parts might be hidden from me, that I could mistake for the skeleton of the other. I have always founds for instance, the fenyile chest shorter but more expanded than that of a male of the same attitude —the cla- vicle less curved— the asperities of the bones less prominent—- the pelvis larger—and the thighbones more oblique. It is, however, in the pelvis that the corporal distinction between the sexes is most complete ; and that anatomist must have but lij- tle skill in his profession, who cannot at once tell the one from the other. In the child, the pelvis consists of many parts ; in the adult, of but four bones. In the male, it is large and strong, with a small cavity, narrow openings, and bones^ of greater strength. Un the female, it is narrow and wide with a large cavity and slender bones, and every peculiarity which may conduce to the easy passage of the child. And this) is a thing of great importance, for the circle of the brim of the pelvis supports the impregnated womb, keeping it up against the pres- sure of labor pains ; and sometimes this brim has been so sharp as to cut across the segment of the womb, which thus, by sep- arating the womb from the vagine, has rendered delivery im- possibfe; for the consequence is, that the child escapes into the abdomen, and the woman dies. I need scarcely remark, that the pelvis is that part of the frame which unites the human 58 becklard's physiology. trunk with the lower extremities; or that it contains all the infernal organs of generation. It is necessary to beauty of form that a woman's pelvis be well developed; and it will be well for the man who marries a female with a contracted one to be diminutively organized in his corresponding functions.— This is a thing that people should be very particular in, when about to make choice of a partner ; the largely developed man who marries the smally developed woman will suffer much; but the risk on the woman's part is greater still; for she will be likely to have large children, which will Impose on her intense labor pains, and may cost her her life. The reason of this is so obvious, that I need puruse the delicate investigation no further'. ••*.:, It may be inferred from the above that a skilful accoucher is necessary at the time of delivery, especially if it is the first child, when the peculiarities of the pelvis are unknown. In general cases it is true, but little knowledge is required in as- sisting childbirth, as nature leaves a-rt scarcely any thing to do; and therefore a competent midwife might answer 'all purposes; but in the event of any new feature devolving itself, not having !studied.t'he anatomy of the organs of reproduction, she would be at a loss how to act, and perhaps assist in destroying life, which might have been readily saved by a good practical ac- coucher, In a most extensive practice of twenty-five years I have never lost either child or mother, and I have had hun- dreds of cases, which, in unskilful hands, would have been em- inenrly dangerous. I will here add a word of advice that is founded on experience. When a lady has any reason to appre- nend a hard delivery, let her not trust implicitly on her family physician or the physicians of greatest note in the city, but send fo^ ihe accoucher who has the most practice, in some poor and populous district, and she may depend that her case will be properly attended to. Napoleon Bonaparte understood thi and henqe when his empress was about to be confined he did not trust her with his court physicians, who had but little per- sonal expense «n such matters, but procured for he" he at- tendance of a man, whose practice lay'amongst the pbore residents of the city; and who was famous for bringing5 mo4 Nannr T thl W°rW thaQ half- Gestation.-^The urinal discharge, ■-*-; owing to the bladder, then under compression, being unable to contaihit in anyiquan- tity, — is very frequent towards the period of gestation ; hepce females at this time should Jive well, so as to present ap undue impoverishment of the system. |Bounett recommends nutritious i drinks, such as gfuel, to which I would add, when the parties can afford it, calves-feet jelly; custafds,'and a little light wine. First Life.—Towards trie seventeenth or eighteenth day after intercourse, the ovum begins to assume a determinate structure and to show a pulsation ' of the heart and circulation of the' blood. From this period it is difficult to produce abortion uh-'! less by/the insertion of instruments.1 The law in relation to' the quickened foetus is all nonsense, the foetus being quickened from the first moment of conception. The Sexes.-mining is more ridiculous than the notion that the sexes may be procreated at pleasure. Some writers arene that the two testicles and the two ovaria contain the separ? e germs of males and females, in each case the male to the St ' and the female to the left, so that by artificial mearis thefex required might be propitiated. But this theory has beeri com pletely demolished by facts, for men who have 7\St omfof the organs mentioned have procreated the sexes indiffe^emlv and so have -women who were known to have an ovariCdeficient. becklard's physiology. 63 Girls are generally the first fruits of wedlock, though more boys are born into the world. It has been remarked that robust parents have the most boys, and delicate parents the most girls, which has suggested the idea to some physiologists, that the more intense the enjoyment of intercourse,, the more chance is there that the result will be a male ; I have seen so many proofs to support this theory, that I advise parents who have had many girls, and wish to vary, to assist nature with a stimulant. The fact that illegitimate children are boys in about two cases out of three, is another great support of this theory, for such off- spring are usually the result of healthy systems and warm pas- sions. Nursing.—A pregnant woman should not give suck. If she does the infant robs the foetus, and the foetus robs the infant, of its due share of nourishment. Nor does the mother escape without injury between them. Nature herself endeavors tocer- rect this, by making the milk at such time offensive to the nursling. And when the infant refuses the breast; or takes it with reluctance, it is a good evidence that conception has taken place, as also that the infant ought to'be weaned, or transferred to another nurse, as it may derive but little nourishment from the breast of its mother. Abortion,—Causes, Preventives, and Cures.—An exclusion of the foetus six weeks after marriage, is called a npiscarriage, be- tween that and six months, an abortion, between that and nine, a premature labor. Dancing, riding, and other violent exercise; chiefly indulged in for pleasure, during the honey-moon, often produce miscarriages by unduly agitating the embryo, Some- times the fault lies in some deficiency on the part of the ovum, in which event it will be expelled by the uterus, as a useless and foreign body. It occasionally, however, takes weeks, and even months, to affect this expulsion, though the fcetus be dead from the time of separation. Abortion may be caused by the inability of the uterus to distend itself beyond a certain size ; and, in subjects thus affected, the separation will generally, if not always, take place about the same period of pregnancy. Tight lacing, a fright, a shock, a blow on the abdomen-, an irn- table disposition, severe labor, violent excitement of the pas- sions - pleasurable or otherwise- and a variety of other causes as even excessive indolence, and lying in soft beds, &c may likewise occasion a separation and expulsion ofthe fcetus before its time. The symptoms, before it takes place, are a Jiemor- rhage from the vagina, 'with transitory pains in the back. 64 becklard's physiology. The patient should then be placed in a recumbent position, and examined; and if mental or bodily exertion has been the cause, she should be blooded in the arm, and a gentle lexative or in- jection administered. Then, unless in cases where plethora prevails, a full dose of opium — say of thirty or forty drops — should be given ; but when the disease originates in plethora, free purgatives, such however as will reduce without weakness, are fhe best remedies. By this treatment, the separation of the ovum, already commenced, is often put a slop to. The patient must then be careful of her diet for many weeks, partaking of none but such as is light and sparing ; and if exercise is allow- ed, it should be very moderately indulged in, and through such a medium as an easy carriage, or sedan chair, with short poles, and carried slowly and with great caution. Then cold sea- bathing, or indeed any bathing, is of great service ; and should there be any issue of blood from the vagina, it should be pre- vented by injections of cold water, or any of the usual applica- tions in such cases. Should the patient be a vigorous person, soft bed-cloths and stimulants may be avoided, and also too soft a couch; if otherwise wine may be permitted, and bitter tonics; but in either case all intercourse with the husband must be avoided for several days. A recumbent position is generally the safest at these times. The above remedies, as I indicated are for the prevention of abortion ; but when regular and con- tractile pams, accompanied with a considerable degree of hemor- rhage, show thai the separation of the foetas has already taken place the best thing to be done is to assist nature in its expulsion, which should always be accomplished under the di- rection of a skilful physician, as it would be dangerous to tam- per with the received remedies, many of which might be hi*hiv advantageous in one case, and highly injurious m another J- Habit may occasion abortion at the same.period of pregnancy • but when a person has frequently been a sufferer in this waV some defect of the uterus may be fairly suspected. Y' n^\Hf^fkeF^tis'~lt has he9h arSue(1> and Passed into a general belief with, physicians, that the fcetus never moves in the womb. But all mothers know better than that; and more- o*er the umbilical cord when of usual lengthens oftenTeen found twisted several times around the child's neck which is TmSrightthe theoryreferredt0is W~* *?of Food.— The fetus absorbs a portion of all i^ „iim„„. .u mo.her panakes of; how nectary, ,J£™ & fi™ £ becklard's physiology. 65 women to be careful of what they eat and drink. It has, how- ever been recotrimended to"women who are difficult of delivery, owing to the smallness of the pelvis, &c, t6 live low, so as to prevent the overgrowth of the child. Protracted Cestation.'.— Haller makes reference to worne* who have carried the fcetU3 for fourteen months. I do not believe them, nor, I think, did Haller either. By the code Napoleon, the legitimacy of a Child born three hundred days After a dissolu- tion of marriage may be questioned ; but this is alfriost as far in error the other way. Women, about whom there can be' no doubt, have gone ten months, and, in the Apochrypha, in the book entitled the " Wisdom of Solomon," that period is al- lowed. t '/'."• ■;.■!'•:' • Love.—Love is principally made up of desire ; and without desire there would be but little tendency fof the sexes for ench other's society. Thus nature was compelled to make love a selfish pleasure, to the end of population. Time.—" Morning," says Ryan, " is more,auspicious toifruit- fulness than day or night." " And the offspring so getierated,^ adds. Larrey, ''will be generally robust, healthy and handsome. For mv own part I cannot go so far, but rather imagine all hours are alike, and that the choice of time depends upon or- cumstances. Suppression, of the Menus'—This disease, if the patient be not nleiffimay be1 relieved by an hemorrage fh>m the nose, ,^hich is Easily effected. And, indeed, in any case, must do more good than harm. The Menses:-The menses, 1n robust and; amorous women last longer and flow more copiously than in otters, young Someu who have this mark, will denve but little comfort from ZSinVrtiemselves with delicate or plegmatic husbands. S^ generally ceases between the^y fifth and fiftieth year, as also the P°™ ^7,"$ to libidinous desires. Med, ^^^S^.^hich incline a very advanced age. 0 66 becklard's physiology. Labor.—Labor-pains are not generally so severe in females who continue to live with their husbands, as with those who have separated from them some time previous 'to confinement. There is no occasion whatever for married people separating during the later stages of pregnancy. There may be, however, for a time after conception, so as to insure fruitfuloess. MM.—The milk determinates to the breast in proportion to the irritation produced on the nipple by the infant. Hence, women'with strong children secrete the most milk; and hence, also, virgins have been able to suckle children, the infant draw- ing the nourishment to the breast, which would otherwise have passed through a different channel. The milk taken by a healthy infant equals in weight about a third of the food taken by the nurse, who, it is obvious, should prepare herself for such a disbursement, or both will suffer. Disguise.—A female who wishes to disguise the marks of pregnancy, might prevent the flow of milk to the breast by an artificial irritation of the uterus. Hence, young mothers "who have any affections, Or who have suffered recent injury in the latter, can iurnish their infants with but little breast-milk. Sensations.—Infants laugh towards the middle of the second month, which shows that they begin at that period to be capable of agreeable sensations. Not to smile at that time or verv soon after, may be taken as evidence of sickness. Teething.—The small molar teeth appear betwen the age of eighteen months and two years, and then the first dentition is complete, and the life of the child more| secure. Convulsions ^H,inrfheaurei,them0S! fatal accidems attending dentil on and call for all the nurse s care. Teething children are often lost by neglect, or ill-adv.se. Perhaps the best of remedies is a good open, bracing air, and hence, children thrive See in the country than in towns and cities. Green Sickness.-Suppressed catamenia, excessive mensmn t on, dyspepsia, and other causes, occasionally nrrlw? sickness, which may be detected by the S L& f f gree" ish cast of the skin ; but the leading cause ,V.i;*I' and green" love, or in other words, inability t^obtan he l^TT™ ? desires; for it rarely affects eifher sex un til af,,rh °De r puberty; and then it is known to have a man flV Cflage °f over the prolific organs. For this a^^^LSS^^ becklard's physiology. 67 love, cooling aperients, the daily use of a bidet of'cold water used unsparingly, and a meagre diet may be of advantage; but a more certain remedy will be found in a subsequent chapter. Jmpotency.—In a previous chapter, I have spoken at length of this complaint, and given a variety of remedies. I will here add a few more, which are used in many places, but of the effi- cacy of which I have had no experience, and heard no proof. They are.ginseng, — which is in high favor with the Chinese,— blisters, setons, and caustics ; also friction with amoneated oil, spirits, and stinging or flagelating the loins with nettles. I have likewise heard electricity highly praised. But I have no doubt that the Lucina Cordial is a more affective remedy in the prem- ises than all others put together. Uterine Septem—Whea conception has taken place, the mem- branes produced in the uterus form a bar to the descent of any subsequent flow of the prolific fluid, so that a female cannot conceive twice, unless, indeed, the act be consummated twice in the same dav, before the membrane has had time to form. This is an|axiom|notJto be interfered with by the fact that twins are not always bom at the same time. Leucorrhea—There is nothing so good for leucorrhea in ad- vanced age, say from forty and upwards, as emetics, sea-sick- ness, and change of climate, and afterwards to tone the stom- ach with some nutritious stimulants. Seminal Flux.—When produced by local causes, inherent in the body, it maybe cured by severe exercise, purgatives, and low diet; but marriage is the only certain and lasting rem- edy. 6g 3ECKLARD'S physiology. CHAPTER XII. The art ofG«uUship— The great secret of success in love-making — Bashfjilness—First Love—The importance of a Deliberate Choice— Remedies for eradicating from the mind the seeds of a hopeless, or an unhappy passion—No such thing as "single blessedness." Marriage being the natural state of social life, and the only one in which human beings can be really settled and content, the science of obtaining partners should be well understood ; not only as relates to the choice of form and quality, but also the mode of ingratiating ourselves into the favor of those who take our affections captive, or whom we may think so consti- tuted as to be capable ot making us happy. And yet this sci- ence— for it we*e doing it injustice to distinguish it by a less imposing title — is but very imperfectly understood by the mass, a fact which occasions millions and millions of unhappy mar- riages -y for men and women, for the most part, not being able to obtain the objects of their desires, and which they had set their hearts on, take what they can get, in despair, and are therefore but rarely suited according to their wants, and I might almost add, their necessities. . Did men know how to go about making love, as it is called, or woman to comport themselves so as to charm the man they prefer above others, this evil would be corrected; and I think I can give them such instructions in the premises, as will leave such knowledge no longer a mystery to them. To begin, let me impress it upon ihe reader, that to be natu- ral is the great secret of success in love making. To di^uise one s nature, and study affectation in courting, is the very error of the moon. Pretend to be what you are not, and you are nothing ; and hence sympathy, not knowing how to take you, does not take you at all. Appear as you are, and you will be to some one, and that one just the being most qualified to make you happy the very perfection of her desires; disguise your nature, and you set her affections at fault, while your imitated character will have but little impression on .he hearts ofTose whom such a character, were it genuine, and posseied of the mysterious attraction of truth, would be sure tocaptivate Be- sides, if you obtain a wife by deception - that is by assuming a nature that is foreign to your own* - you obtain Z that ma? becklard's physiology. 69 cause you much domestic uneasiness ; and you cannot blame her, for she takes you for what you are not, and which, if you were, would have issued happiness to both. Thus two couples will be married, and lead wretched lives; whereas, had each been united to the other's partner, they would all have enjoyed domestic felicity. The exclamation should not be "that woman is a had wife, or, that man is a bad husband," but "she or he are badly mated;" for were either united to a person of differ- ent disposition, the probability is, that that which is bad in this case might be good in that. And this propriety of selection is a matter of much more importance than is involved in mere domestic bickerings, for were all married people merely sympa- thetically matched, there would be but few elopements and little adultery in the world, and married men would feel more assured that they were the fathers of their own children than many ot them do at present. Therefore, reader. I again urge you to woo in truth. Vv hen your heart is affected to a lady, go boldly for- ward and plead your cause without affectation, and your eye will have a fire, and your cheek a fervor and a beauty, and your tongue an eloquence that affection never knew. Besides, if the mafden be one that can reciprocate your love, the mutual elec- tro-magnetic union of minds will be at once established be- tween you; and, that accomplished, no power, no rivalry, no coersion, can tear vour affections asunder — nay, all foreign ao-encv to disunite them will but the more effectually harmonize their links, and bind them together. Thus if a woman truly loves vou, <*et but her guardians and friends up in judgment against you! and the more she will love you. Moreover, truth dfsarms coquetry-or in other words, truth begets truth; for when a woman sees a man's soul looking out of his eye, it her soul is of a nature to mingle with it, all power of dissimula- tion i* lost and she stands before you the willing captive of your untutored passion. Again, affection is not always disguise, for women are keen-sighted and sharp-witted, and can detect the counterfeit; the consequence of which is that they play on, and pobably despise the suitor, even though they may yield to their ^In'fact^ruth/with a true maiden, and most maidens are true, is one of the most powerful of love's auxiliaries-perhaps indeed die most powerful of all. Rank and riches, however hTnVy dazzle the mind, are as nothing to it in forcing their 1 To L affections. Let two men, equal in appearaogB and education pay their addresses to one woman*; but let the one be"rich and woo affectedly, and with dissimulat ori, and the oth- er Joor but free from an/art - save that of using no artifice - 70 becklard's physiology. and throw his whole undisguised soul into the contest, and my life upon it the latter will carry the day. Let me not be understood as dissanctioning flattery. True lovers cannot flatter, for they feel all they say. On the con- trary, if you imagine the lady you have set your heart on to have the gentleness of a dove, and the beauty of an angel, and the perfection of all the Graces, fell her so, for to do otherwise were to disguise your sentiments, and thus disobey the advice I give you. But you may ask, will the lady believe you ? She will —at least, she will believe you mean what you say, which is all that is required, as it proves your devotion; for what comes from the heart goes to the heart, and is measured, at least in love, according to the standard of the motive that dic- tated it. Flatter, however, without feeling what you say, and your praise falls to the ground, for then it is flattery ; and though such words may strike pleasantly on a maiden's ear they cannot penetrate through the barrier of her affections.—! And how is this ? Because there is no soul in them, and soul sympathizes with soul, and not with words. Or, in other words, love is like electricity, and truth and falsehood are its great conductor and non-conductor; so that they who trust their passions to the latter, mostly scatter it to the winds • whereas those who are guided by the former rarely fail to strike home, and secure a victory. This system may seem strange with men whose faith it is that women are mere gossamers to be caught by every summer breeze ; but I aver that it is 'the men who are the gossamers; or rather that men, male lovers by affectation, hide the true coin, to pass the counterfeit which is mostly detected; and this is the process by which coquetts are generally manufactured, for maidens-and they are fully justified m so doing-will put on masks, to the end of meeting deception with deception. Trust me, reader, that there could not be a more appropriate motto selected for'th^escutcheonof Cupid than the following, .0 wit: f^utcneon w "Truth is powerful, and must prevail." After truth, probably the most powerful minister in the Court nLnT,StdKeterm,iaat,0°' United with instancy. This wm often turn the scale against men otherwise better nntiilLi7r successful who have less energy L« ^ow i?hp tf« " nhea!ie,thaS touched a *'^e chofd'in the hean ^f^ *Z2 he affects, never give way to adverse circumstances - buX „n hid0l"f' He Sh,°uld not'" say§ a cotemporary'» sit down and brood and p.r* under what is only a common-place misCunf -a mere trial of h1S courage -bV rather mike it the means bdcklard's physiology . 71 of insuring a victory, and enhancing the glory of his triumph. His plan is tobe always present when he Gan. If this is impos- sible he must write the'lady, und if necessary fight for her. He should be a scaler of nunneries, and a storme.r of domestic for- tifications. He must assume a claim on fhe maiden superior to that of parent, guardian, brother, or rival. In a word,.he must be constant, determined, importunate, and courageous, and his chances for success are twenty to one over all rivalry ; and yet the more so, if the object of his regard be independent and high-souled. Many marriages are brought about by the oppo- sition on the part of guardians and others, Which leads to those developments that would not have otherwise taken place, for they give lovers an opportunity of proving qualities which- all ladies admire, and which few can resist. The Marquis de---- locked up his daughter from communicating with Monsieur L—r-, whom, as it was subsequently ascertained, she then cared little about. Monsieur took advantage of his position to prove his devotion, by climbing to her over the house-top, and shooting a rival who had previously stood as well with the maiden as himself; and the consequence was, a ladder of ropes and an elopement! Thus constancy and its adjuncts not mere- ly enabled Monsieur L----to hold his own, but actually to make capital out Of the means employed1 for his discomfiture. And cases of the sort are occuring every hour. Those who make use of this advice, however, should in the first place make sure that the lady is not altogether indifferent in the premises, or all their labor may he in vain. A strong line of demarkation must be drawn between deter- mination aud assurance; the latter hinders almost as much as the other promotes success. That is, the assurance that is akin to recklessness; that appearance of self-confidence which seems to assume for the party governed by it a superiority over all others, and will not permit him to unbend himself even'to the lady of his love. A person who woos thus will often woo in vain ; for maidens love to be sued to, and neither bullied into matrimony, or asked to consent in a take me or leave me just as you please'sort of manner; the one indicates a tyranical dispo- sition, and the other carelessness ; and women, who have their passions more under control than men, will not often marry those who either evidence a disposition to be lord and master, or else who care but little about them. Hence, we should never assume an overbearing semi-ruffianism manner —Wnich some men call independence of character —to the lady we would marry; and neither at any time treat her cavalierly— unless she is a confirmed coquet - for women will treasure up man- 72 becklard's physiology. ners, arid glances and words spoken that do not plea.se them, and often use them to the disadvantage of one lover in favor of another. However, I only condemn the assurance of reckless- ness or insolence; for a modest assurance that unites confidence with respect, is what no man should be without and what every woman loves. Bashfulness is the other extreme, and should, as much as pos* sible, be avoided. It prevents men from coming to the point at once; and ladies in general detesjt long courtships ; besides, it is often taken for cowardice, and to be known as a coward, is almost to he read out of love's calender. Men whp. hang back through bashfulness, will often have the cup of their hope and expectations snatched from their lips byf lovers of less power.to please, but also less timidity than themselves. This same bash- fulness is one of the great causes of old bachelorship, and hence, of old maidenship, inasmuch, as ladies must wait to be a^d.^ You will find that three fourths, of the bachelors of your acquaintance, have minds formed for matrimony, hut whose tim- idity in ladies' society, has still kept them from procuring a wife. In company with their own sex, it is true, t|iey will talk largelyoopugh; but set fhem in^ room with a young andi handsome female, and their cpurage is gone — they can no more make love than thev can fly., I speak of old bachelors of middle age, for, when they get beyqnd that, their bashfulness gives way to crustiness, and then they can speak fast enough ; but it is too late to answer any good purpose. >. -A strongly marked diffidence cannot be altogether removed but it,may be corrected, especially when it is made clear to a' lover what he may lose by it. . A case which illustrates the cvils.that, may result from bashfulness, occurs to me. An ac- quaintance of mine visited the house of another acquaintance for a long .period, but never spoke of love ; though it seems he was enamored of our mutual friend's sister. Another person solicited her hand and obtained it, a,od died five years after — Then through some accident, my bashful acquaintance, who soil cherished a passion for the lady, made known the state of his heart, and soon after led her to the alter, having been pre- viously informed that, had he only spoken in time* he m.-ht have have been.the lady's first husband. Another case of a more melancholy character, appeared a few veaTs since in the newspapers;, "Monsieur Jaeuillard, of Lyons, was for fZ years intimate in the family of the beautiful but unfortunate Agnes Delafield, and had conceived for her a passion ofthe ?STLl\ d dteePesfrnaturreV Hi. bashfulness, however, prevent- ed a declaration of his feelings until it was loo late, for before becklard's physiology. 73 he could muster courage for a confession of his sentiments, M. Guizot (his inferior, both in person and circumstances.) was in- troduced to the lady, and made her his wife. Jaquillard was at the wedding, and being observed by the bride to be in tears, she questioned him on the subject, when a full acknowledgment of his situation took place, as also an admission on the part of the lady, that she had loved him all along — had frequently re- jected suitors for his sake, and only consented to marry another under the conclusion, that he cared nothing about her. The result was, that in a few weeks after the marriage, the husband caught his wife and her paramour in the act of adultery, and killed them both on the spot. Let no man be deterred from making love to a handsome woman through homeliness of person. If he has the other re- quisite virtues, he will suffer but little from the want of beauty. Men who throw all their reliance on their personal appearance for conquest, are usually defeated when a rival of stamina en- ters the erena along with them. Of course, good looks are use- ful auxilaries, but hot to be altogether relied on, unless,, with some silly unskilful specimen of the other sex, (of whom, to its honor be it spoken, there are not many,) who were better lost than won. The reason is obvious; women may like beauty in a lover, but they prefer manhood ; and much beauty and much manhood, connected, in one person, rarely go to- gether. To a man of any nerve there can be but little difficulty in what is generally termed, "popping the question." Before he Comes to that point, however, he should ascertain that the per- son he addresses has, at least, a general regard for him; for there .are men who have too much nerve in this business; that is, who are, as it were, "poppers of the question " by profes- sion, as they are scarcely introduced to a lady before they ask her. to marry^them; and these general wooers rarely obtain good matches! Theirs is haste without speed; though the method has often been known to be eminently successful. For instance, that celebrated heiress and beauty, Mademoiselle de Fleury, married a gentleman one morning, whom she had never seen till the day before; had he, therefore, not been quick to " pop the question," it is not at all probable he would have been the husband of one of the most charming women and wealthy heiresses in France. Still, unless under very peculiar circum- stances indeed, I think a man should be three months acquaint- ed with a maiden, before he asks for a betrothment; but to delay the period of proposition much longer than that, is to trifle with destiny. Lovers should always remember that life 74 becklard's physiology. is short, and that they can never begin to enjoy it thoroughly until they are married. Making love by flowers, as they do in the East, is a very beautiful mode, and saves much ambarrassment. However, there is nothing half so distressing about asking the question, for the first tirri'e, as most young men imagine. It is like a plunge into a bath, where all the apprehensions is over the moment after you touch the water. There is no use of having a set speech ready, for, in the agitation of the moment, you will for- get every word of it. Hence a man vvill be studying his part for a year or two, and when the time arrives, he finds that he has to trust to nature — which, by the way, is a very excellent dependence, and seldom forsakes us in such cases, when we have need of her. Therefore, reader, when you are about to make a declaration of your sentiments, take no heed as to what you shall say, or how you shall act, but, armed with love alone, go fearlessly to your task, mutter something by way of prelim- inary — no matter what, for neither yourself nor the lady will be in a way to understand it —and your hands, lips, and arms, will do the rest, and that, too, more effectually than all the words in the world. I here speak of an occasion in which fhe lady is willing. Should she be otherwise, and repulse your ad- vances in a way that cannot be mistaken, the shock, though it may wound, will completely disembarrass you, and not only beget in you sentiments appropriate to the circumstances of your case, but. also a ready eloquence to give vent to them.__ The reader may have every confidence in what I am saying, for I speak from the experience of hundreds, sustained by an inti- mate knowledge of the human heart and mind when under the influences, and conducting the affairs of love. In cases where from circumstances, a man is desirous of professing an attach- ment to a lady who is almost a stranger to him, a writer on matrimony gives the subjoined advice, which is not amiss pro- viding it could be remembered at the time when its assistance is required. It is as follows : " When the gentleman has some- what familiarized himself with the lady, and perceived that he is, at all events, not an object of aversion or ridicule, he should seek a favorable opportunity, and speak to this effect: " I have come, lady, to take a probably finalleave of you." The ladv will, naturally ask the reason ; and then, if the lover be a per- IZlliyJ?*, l°,lY occasionumaygiveadepthto his tine, and an effect to his eloquence, that may turn the beam, though it wavered before in his favor. "Because, lady, I JS your society has become so dear to me that I fear I must fly to save myself, as I may not dare to hope that the suit of a stran- becklard s physiology. to ger can be crowned with success." The lady thus honestly addressed will feel herself bound to give a fair answer, especi- ally as coquetting at such a time might be dangerous, provided the gentleman has found favor in her sight; she will, therefore, if het heart is in the affirmative, blush and tremble, and hesi- tatingly declare that the question has come upon her unawares — that one cannot give a decided answer ; and this, of course, would amount to an uuqualified assent. If, however, she stands the announcement without agitation, and informs her suitor, that under such circumstances he had better remain away, as she can only see him as a friend, &c, the wisest thing he can do is to follow her advice, as the result would prove that he had made no impression on her, and accordingly, would stand but a poor chance of doing so in future : it being an established prin- ciple, .hat if a woman's heart is not influenced at a first or second interview, she but rarely surrenders it on a maturer ac- quaintance." The writer admits that this latter rule may have its exceptions, as women have been known to become enamored of men who had previously excited their contempt, and even aversion ; and, also, as there are instances on record of married ladies who eloped with men whom fhey had reject- ed in favor of their subsequently despised husbands; but he contends — and I agree with him — that these cases are one in the thousand, and cannot affect the philosophy of Voltaire, who exclaims: — "If women's hearts men's earliest vows disdain, All furure efforts there will be in vain." Procrastination in courtship is shameful; and a man that makes love for a number of years, wasting the time of a maiden in anxiety and suspense, which should be employed in domes- tic pleasure and usefulness, deserves whea he would fain change his condition, either to be sentenced m his turn to a lon- ger period of unwilling bachelorship, or even to be rejected altogether. However, ladies in such cases are sometimes to blame, for if they find it to be the nature of their lovers to lin- ger, it will be their fault if they do not spur them into an imme- diate arrangement, by a little well-directed coquetry with anoth- er person, or else by some yet more decided means, as calling them to account for their tardiness; a course of proceeding which, under the circumstances, prudence and modesty would hold them fully justified in making. Men remain bachelors for various causes, amongwhicn may be mentioned as foremost, the dread of not being able to mam. tain a family ; or some hereditary afflictidn, as the scrofula, 76 becklard's physiology. which thev are, afraid they might entail upon their offspring.— The latter do well to remain single, but there is no excuse for the others; for it is almost as easy to support a family as a sin- gle man ; indeed, perhaps more so, for the necessity of labor mostly produces the facilities necessary to accomplish it. I may safely add, that no man is single from choice, and an affec- tion for his solitary condition. On the contrary, the single, throughout, envy the happily married. A great deal has been said against love at first sight. My conviction is, that it is the surest, purest, and most lasting of all love; and in proof of this it may be adduced, that persons who* have missed the first object of' their affections, rarely find themselves suited in the second. There is a mystery — an ac- tion of nature — in love at first sight, which the many do not understand. They generally attribute it to the effect of a pret- ty face, ankle, &c, and argue that it would be foolish to indulge in it, and that it is a chimera which will soon be obliterated from the mind. In fact, however, and as a general rule, the cause is far otherwise, for first-sight love is, in nineteen cases Out of twenty, the effect of a mysterious agency acting on two minds naturally suited to each other, but which have never be- fore come within each other's influence. It is not animal pas- sion, it is mental magnetism. It is the mutual attraction of two souls, that occasion in each other sensations of ecstacy which they had never before experienced. It is, in fine, nature endeavoring to effect a union, where sympathies would be unit- ed, as well as hands. I would further maintain, that love at first sight, when it can be truly called love, is always mutual.— True, either man or woman may be smitten by a person seen but on a single occasion, where the feeling had not been recip- rocated. But time soon conquers such a passion, and the object of it is either forgotten or remembered without pain. When, however, the feeling lasts, and grows, and shows no tendency to decay, then it is certain that a mental chain exists between the two minds; however far they may be apart, keeping them still in connection. It may not, however, be always well to give way to love at first sight. There may be something in the character, position, or person of the party that inspires it, which might make her1 an unsuitable wife, and therefore a little inquiry before the pas- sion has rooted itself, might save a great deal of subsequent vexation. Let any man nurse a passion for any length of time, and no matter what he may subsequently discover amiss with the object that has occasioned it, he will find it very difficult to withdraw himself from her snares. Thus men have become becklard's physiology. 77 enamored of women, whom they first presumed to be as chaste as they were fair ; and have subsequently married them, though discovering in the mean time that they were no better than they should be, owing to the fact that they were unequal to the task of conquering their affections. A book was published some years ago, in Boedeaux, which was strongly illustrative of my position. It gave an account of twenty marriages which occur- red between respectable men and licentious women, the former being aware of the previous evil courses of the wives they were taking to their bosoms, but not able to escape the unhappy pas- sion they had been inspired with by the females, before they discovered the error ot their ways. This book was entitled the " Freaks of Hymen," and Was said to have been the experience of an ungowned cleigyraan. One of the marriages it recorded, I remember, had been consummated between one of the most eminent lawyers in. France, and a theatrical supernumerary of infamous character, whom he become enamored of at a small village where she had been on a summer excursion, and where she passed for the niece of an old lady, the widow of an officer, as she said, buj whom he subsequently ascertained to be no better than a retired procuress. However, notwithstanding that he discovered all these matters in time to have profited by their knowledge, the arrow had penetrated too deeply to be withdrawn ; and thus an eminent lawyer married a courtezan, knowing her to be such, though when he first wooed her it was under the presumption that she was a virtuous maiden. Anoth- er remerkable case is mentioned in the work of a learned phys- iologist. It is as follows: Count D----, of L— saw a lady at a fashionable milliner's, and became smitten with her almost superhuman beauty. He learned that she nad been but a few days in the city, and resided with her brother, at a certain hotel. Thither he went, and obtained an introduction; and after a brief acquintance during which the lady's wit and ^lovrlines, had completely captivated hm, he proposed for her hand ■-the fervor of his fascination being such, that he hadI not the pro- dence to make inquiry as to rank or character . The ady,how- ever, would not consent, though seemingly half wi ling but at leng h being weary of his solicitations, informed him that she waf MaSoiselle L____, the most celebrated and beautiful Tourtezan of ^day; and^dded that the gentleman with her was not her brother but her friend. Of course, the Count was thrown all back, and fled from thefalse goddess of his adora- tion ; but he could not fly from her influence, for in twc.months afterwards he was again at her feet; and, exort.ng from her a P omTse that she would sin no more-which promise she faith- 78 becklard's physiology. fully kept,—made her his lawful wife. My own experience, too, is rife with such cases, and also of cases where men have mar- ried ladies afflicted with incurable mental or bodily diseases, the existence of which they were not aware ot during the ear- lier period of courtship, though informed of them before matri- mony. Consequently, it behoves a man to look well before he leaps, — that is, before he lets his passion get the mastery of him — for afterwards he may be too blind to see the subject clearly. However, there are remedies for love, even when at the worst —.remedies which can counteract despair, prevent suicide, and restore the mind to its natural equilibrium. One is abstinence; any moderate passion may be starved out, and it must be more than moderate, if it can resist a northern latitude and low diet. Cathartics and blood-letting, or either will assist the cure, during which warm bed-clothes must be dispensed with as much as possible. At such a time, exciting books, especially novels, should be avoided, and stirring pursuits, whether of business or pleasure, indulged in. Men, when they are crossed in love, generally fly to intoxicating drinks, which cross them ten times more. The wine-stoop sharpens desire and memory, instead of producing apathy and oblivion; and so must any thing which warms the blood, and increases the chyle, for most love is a passion less of the mind than the body. Sea-sickness is also a great moderator of the passions, and«ften has a lasting effect. PlWhen, however, the |disease has taken too deep a root to be eradicated by such remedies, there is another, which cannot fail. That is, to cure one passion with another. Methinks I see the rejected lover laughing bitterly at me through his des- pair, for advising him to do a thing which he feels to be impos- sible. Wrapped up in his idolatry, and his torture, his mind cannot look beyond the object of them; all women are homely and valueless in comparison with that one ; and it is utterly impossible to adore at another shrine. So thinks the rejected and dispairiog lover. But, lover, rouse yourself, and you will soon not only discover your mistake, but Drobably rejoice in your present rejection. Rouse yourself, I "say, and rush into society, — go from promenade to theatre, from concert to ball- room— if the object you are in quest of may not be seen in the domestic circ es of your friends, - and you will soon find some one that in the language of the great English poet, whose hero, Romeo burning with despair at his rejection, by Roseline, finds more than consolation in the beauty of Juliet, » will soon make you think your swan a crow." And should you not succeed in BECKLAROrS PHYSIOLOGY. 79 becoming the subject, of a sudden captivation, select any hand- some lady, of a nature suited to your wants, and make love to her with perseverance and determination-; and no matter how indifferent she mav.be to you at the commencement, if she has beauty and worth/she will so grow in your heart that in a short time you would not exchange her for the woman who repulsed vou and a double dowry to toot. And not only may.one passion be corrected by another, but the deepest despair ever produced in the mind of man by the pangs of disappointed love, may be effectually conquered and dispelled by a brief life of libertinism. Far be it from me, however, to advise such a remedy; and yet, perhaps, it might be justified in cases where the sacrifice might be the means of preventing suicide. :nth;o I have given little or no advise to the female sex, in this chapter, and but little is necessary. They are naturally adepts in love-making-or rather, they are the passive principle which ha^ little to do in the affairs of courtship, but to respond To the action of another. Woman's province is to attract; and hi, she can generally do best Without the assistance of artifice, except that pe°rmt sible artifice which enables her to set off her beames to fhe best advantage. Here, too she is generally per- feet know ng the colors, the attitudes, and the costumes, that £e mostTecomfog to her; but as some ladies often display a want of taste in tnese particulars, I hav* given some, ms»u£ ' eo^nsu^ fact, a sort of mental magnetism drawm0 i ^ ^SZS^l^^^ -d detotmiaation ma. 80 becklard's physiology. carry the day against great odds ; that a brazen assurance,dis- gusts woman, while a confidence united with modesty delights them ; that to woo a coquet a man must be a coquet, — or else, if his position in her affections be such that he has no fear of it, and indeed, in ariy case, the effect might be good, — to compel her to decorum by a little gentle severity; that bashful- ness is the bane of coilrtsliip and mu^t be corrected; and the best thing all bachelors or maidens, two or'three years over the age of puberty, can dp. is to get married ; as there1 is no such thing in the presentstate of existence as " single blessedness." CHAPTER XIII Resemblance between Parents and their Offspring— Tliepry of an Eng- lish NVriier—The Mental Organs'of Children greatly influenced by the frame of mind of the Parents at the period of reprodaction. A late physiological writer in England lias published a work, nearly taken up with an attempt to prove that all human offspring bear an equal resemblance to both parents. The work Which I have read, has the disadvantage of being too prolix' that is, of containing so many words and so few original ideas' that the latter are nearly buried and lost in the former; but not- withstanding, many of its arguments are ingenious, and some ot them, as I am inclined to think, new. The general theory however, is as old as the hills, has been written on repeatedly! and is familiar to every mid-wife of much practice, not perhaps through books, but through the test of their own experience. buy dela Brosse wrore and lectured on it in Paris, in the be°in- nmg; of the seventeenth eenmry. John Gasper Gevartitius,°fhe celebrated critic reviewed an ancient manuscript of it, which ire found in the library at Antwerp. Diascordies, a Greek phv- f;«1!"Yf,-he l-T f ?fr° sp and said ^at Thebprfral n ,£ rh^"'3116? Pbl^°Phical ^anist, was a firm believer SiluVu Y; a?dPerhaPs twenty other writers of authority, o^^li0dSrA0rkf^are 3CqUa med' hate elther maintained X, i v u "'• at dlLffererit Periods ; so that the assumption by the English writer, that it is « a newly discovered law "fa oJ becklard's physiology. 81 his part perfectly gratuitous, and not more gratuitous than un- true. Perhaps, however, he made the discovery by him- self, not having previously heard of it or seen it in print; but, if so, it appears to rpe that he cannot lay claim to a very exten- sive reading or conversation on physiological subjects. Never- theless as I have "intimated, the English writer has advanced, as I think, some new points, for which he deserves credit, for, if they do not exactly establish principles — and I am not pre- pared to say they do not — they at least give evidence of inge- nuity The received opinion is, that infants bear in the>r face, form, and even mental system, a mixed resemblance of both parents. This mutual resemblance is often so confused, as to obliterate anv distinct resemblance of either, though containing in itself the assurance that the child is legitimate. Sometimes the mother will predominate in the form, and the father lp.the face, and vice veria. And again, the upper part of the countenance will show a deviation from one parent, and the lower from the other. Magnin, in his work oh Offspring, endeavored to per- fect this system by showing1 that, at the time of intercourse, the most active party - that is, the party whose energies were dominant—gave the upper regions, from the head to the breast, the later inclusive; and the other the remainder. But this system is manifestly erroneous; as children generally,, it not always have a likeness to both progenitors in their counte- nance ' Dr. Guenn's opinion is, and he is sustained in it by many ably physicians and physiologists, that no matter how striking the resemblance of the countenance may be to one pa- rent the'features are always so modified as to have aft expres- sion or the other; and thus a likeness is often observable be- tween a parent and child, though their faces to- a casual ob- server may be of an entirely opposite form and character. Without arguing against this system I must confess I am no convert to it, for Aave seen children who were the very image ITthe father without bearing any resemblance, either inform orexpSion-a.least that I could detect-to the mother; which seems to be proof positive against it; for where he like- ness is between the offspring" and the male progenitor, it leaves nlsuspicion of foul play. .However, I may possibly have been deceived by my owi eyes; "r one Person W,U ote7bserVft rp-emblance between two people which cannot, be d.scovered hvMother? bu men gene ally believe what they see, or think thVvse.? andthSrelmay'be held excusable .for my want of faith in this feature of the theory of connect.onal resemblan- ces! notwithstanding the eminence and responsih.hty ot the parties who propagate and support it. 82 [ becklard's physiology. I here speak of mutual resemblance, as it unites in the face ; for I hold it to be an axiom, that an infant never was born who did not bear moie or less a likeness to both parents. The theory ol the English writer which he calls new, but which is only new in part, is equally liable la. objection. He says that one parent contributes the anterior and upper middle part of the head, the osseous and bony part of the face, the forms of the organs of sense, (the external ear, undejr lip, lower part of the nose, and eyebrows being ofren modified,} and the whole of the" internal nutritive system; the resemblance to this parent being consequently found in the forehead, and the bony part of the face as the orbits, cheek-bones, jaws, chin, and teeth, as well as the shape of the organs of sense, and she tope ot the. voice. And that the other parent communicates the posterior and low- er middle part of the head, the cerebral, situated within the skull, immediately above its junction with the back of the neck, and the whole of the locomotive system, that is, the loins, liga- ments, and muscles or fleshy parts. According to the system I am speaking of, parents may con- tribute these distinctive sets,of features indifferently; that is, either parent may give either species, under this provison, that the roost, intellectual parent will mostly furnish the anterior, ahd the other the posterior parts of the head. However, the writer is not very clear in the elucidation of his hypothesis, but leaves one aparently to infer, that, where the parties are nearly balanced in menial qualifications^at one time one may give the anterior, and at another, the other"} the issue depending on the relative degrees of development in which the intellectual organs of me lia'rents were at the moment of orgasm ; or, in other words if the father's m^ital organs were then most excited, he would communicate, the anterior parts; and vice versa. "As a general guide in such observations," fobservations to discover reserhblance,) says the English physiologist, whose name t for- bear to introduce, (as he saw fit to extract over thirty pages from my work " Oh the Crossing and Breeding of'Domestic An- imals," without ackn'owleding the source they were obtained from,} "As a general guide in such observations," says this writer, "it may be noticed that when the forehead, and consid- ered generally, the face viewed in front, resemble one parent, the whole head viewd in profile will furnish the parts of resem- blance to the other parent; namely, the, backhea.a, ear, under hp, &c. The front view," he continues, " best displays the ob- serving faculties, and the profile view the active ones " He further says, "the thinking faculty may be derived, (an idea which he might haye found in Surgeon Valpeau's Lectures on becklard's physiology. 83 the.Anatomy of the Brain,) one parent giving one portion, name- ly, those of sensation and observation; and the other parent giving the other portion, namely, those of passion and volition ; while the intermediate middle part is also divided, Thus, to restate the law in another and hriefer form, the thinking organs are, in equal and distinct portions, derived from both parents; while one gives the whole of the nutritive, and the other the whole of the locomotive organs." The reason he gives for this union of the thinking faculties, and which, I believe originated with himself, is, " that in all .he voluntary acts of animals, the thinking system must take the lead, and that in the act of reproduction, there are also func- tions of that system— passion and volition-r-which must ex- cite the locomotive system, to fulfil the purpose of the nutritive system; and hence, in reproduction, the apparent predominance of the thinking system. He goes yet further. He says to the effect, that the different expressions in the features of" children wJioyet resemble the same parent, is to be accounted for, by the assumption that this parent manifested these dissimilar expressions, at the various periods of intercourse which produced the offspring, which, by the way, is an idea of much felicity, and may have, some foun- dation in tru,tb : for it is not more certain thatcnjldren will have different expressions of feature,, who yet reserubje the same pa- rent, than it is, that the same countenance will greally vary its expression under different modifications of pleasure; and in fact one may be the result' of, the other. Explaining this to a lady the English wriier very neatly says, " Observe that all these differences in the faces of your children are mere modifica- tions of your own; such modifications as you yourself might assume under the influence of different emotions ; such modifi. cations as you actually have assumed, and therefore in these very instances communicated." " For, can it be doubted," he asks, in the same page, " that the peculiar state of the organi- zation, and the peculiar exercise of every function at, the mo- ment of orgasm, must exert the most powerful and most undi- vided influence over the organizations and functions of the deli- cate, susceptible, and plastic ens, (mixed essence,} then, and by these very acts, called into existenceIV. . My answer is that it cannot be doubted. My answer is that thementai organs of children are greatly influenced by the frame of mind in which the parent, or ehher of; them may have been in at the period of reproduction. Hence as is generally known, men of genius seldom have gifted offspring; for being rarely of high animal natures, their minds are given to wander even at 84 becklard's physiology. the climax of coition, which, it is very probable, interferes with the reversion of intellect to the embryo ; and this is wisely or- dered of nature, for otherwise we should have too many geniuses and too few workmen. Should anger, jealousy, love, or any other passion of the mind predominate at the moment, I have no doubt a proportionate effect on the offspring will be fhe re- sult ; and thus do we see choleric parents have choleric children — grave, grave, &c.; like producing its like in probably all cases but genius, where the ruling principle is liable to cause a wavering state of mind, at a time when all the faculties should be directed to one focus. When of parents, the one is passion- ate and the other mild, the children generally occupy a happy medium between both; but when any of them savor in their disposition, one parent more than the other, the inference —I might indeed call it a certainty — is, that the party whose tem- perament predominates in the child, was in the highest state of orgasm at the period of intercourse. 'A strange illustra- tion of the truth of this system may be found in the fact, that in the vast mass of men, the animal greatly predominates over the intellectual; for with but few exceptions in proportion to the whole, the animal greatly predominates over the intellectual *n the parents, at the time when they were called into existence it is no answer to this, that men of genius, though mostly want- ing in strong erotic passions, do not produce beings of faculties corresponding with their own, but in fact it is strongly corrobo* rative of the1 theory; for such, parents at the time of rnter^ course are not in a state of intellectual excitement, but of mixed feeling not sufficiently concentrated on any idea or subject to give a decided bias to it; and consequently the children of great poets, great generals, great statesmen, &c, - unless where the mothers were women of unusual strong and decided character have been, in the main imbecile and vacillating persons alike deficient in high mental or animal qualifications ' But while I not only admit this theory of mental influence but am, in fact, the first physiologist that indica.ed its general ramifications and established it as above, I have no faith in X hypothesis of resemblance as maintained bv.he English author In fact, I am conv.nced that it rests on a very slender fonlrl/' tion ,f, indeed, it has any at all; and thaThi^exertions fo establish ,t are ch.efly the result of an ambition to pass for the founder of a new system. Probably, however, wluuhe fondlv deemed might be so, he fondly believes is so o7«i k 7 n<* that he ar«frar»p#4 r*n™ L • L ,' ,or n°twithstand- 11^ mat ne aostracted from me, without acknowledornpnr »n w^rds of thirty pages of matter, which cost me a?T r «Pr" months of considerable labor to study and digesT, I Vnnot K becklard's physiology. 85 lieve that he would willingly lead the public into error to the end of establishing himself in a false position ; and this, the more especially, as his system, if acknowledged, might lead to serious consequences. For instance, a man relying on it, might repudiate his wife, and disinherit his child, because he might not be able to discover in thebackhead or forehead of the latter, features and developments conformable with his own. My theory of the resemblance between parents and their off- spring, as I indicated, is this: Each must assist in modelling the embryo after their own form and likeness. The parent who is most energetic and excited at the moment of sexual action, imparts the most distinct feature of resemblance. And this combined resemblance is not imparted by one to one part, and by the other to another, but an undefinable union governs the whole frame, with the distinction, however, already noticed, that the equality of one parent may preponderate, though that of the other equally pervades the entire system. In fact, as it is with color, so it is with form. The issue of a black and white person is not piebald, but of a uniform com- plexion, tending to that of the parent whose orgasm was high- est during the act that formed him ; or occupying an exact me- dium, if the parent's energies were equally balanced. And until, as a general rule, black and white parents designate the influence of their separate complexions on various parts of .heir- offspring's face and form, instead of establishing them all over by general suffusion, fhe hypothesis that one parent gives to children the back of the head, and the other the front, instead of mixing their peculiarities, will never as a general rule be ac- credited. . •; - . The subject of this chapter is one of great importance, and I flatter myself that I have handled it in a manner which renders it perfectly explicit. It may produce some trouble in thejworld, as from it men will learn that children who do not resemble them in some degree—if not perceptible in the countenance, at least, faintly struggling against the ascendancy of the moth- er's reversion of developments in the general outline of the form —cannot be theirs; but it may also be the means of a great deal of good, in preventing incontinent married women from indulging in illicit passions, which, through its means; may be subsequently discovered. It is obvious, the use that might be made of this law of resemblance in testing the male parentage of illegitimate children, and saving men from the hardships of being compelled to support offsping who have no filial claim on them. It will also show married people the ad- vantage that may be derived from keeping themselves in proper 86 becklard's physiology. frame of mind, and attending judiciously to the business in hand on certain occasions; and likewise the evil effects that are likely to follqw a contrary course of behavior. CHAPTER XIV. Beauty, with Instructions in the art of promoting it—Description of a well-formed Man—Directions for Dressing—Description of a beautiful Woman—Directions for promoting Beauty in the Female. There is no such thing as a general standard of beauty, in organic bodies. Every living object, of natural proportions, is no doubt perfectly beautiful in itself; and fhe preference which we give to one thjng over another is merely the effect of an arbitrary ta3te. The senses are the mediums of preceivin* beauty; and they, betng all independent organs, act for them" selves, and without any reference to fixed rules. Thus the smell of camphor may be delightful to one person and obnox- ious to another; to some ears music is rapture, to others but a discordant noise; and the senses of sight, taste, and touch, are equally variable in their estimates of the qualities of things that hold influence over them. Again, the same set of senses frequently change in their predilections, or are converted from their natural tendency by the force of association or habit.— Thus the ear, on which music had an unpleasant effect in the beginning may afterwards grow to be a connoisseur in sweet sounds; the taste that rejected tobacco, may afterwards become a slave to it; and the eye, which to a black person was repu- trdark'sVin %VM^ * rarelrhaPPe^ «* a beaufy in the dark skin of the Ethiopian, superior to any that ever at- tmctedit.inthat.of a person of fairer complexion. ' Beauty, therefore according to the usual acceptation of the term, is nothing in itself, but only as it conforms o he ideas and impressions of another person. "Ask aZd » says Vob SleZthlZt?^ aDHhe Willan—r you.'thTitTs^ remaie with two large, round eyes, projection from her littlp head; a large, flat throat, a little belly and a° round back»_ Women, among the Hottentots, are considered beautiful in.pro- becklard's physiology. 8? portion to the size of their ears, the flatness of their noses, and the projection of their lips. And, in the island of Otdheite, what we call grace is regarded as a deformity, and a female so fat and unwiedly that she can scarcely walk, and ,is compelled to sit and swelter in her flesh, is maintained to be the pinnacle of loveliness ! From this it would appear, — and to pdrSue the subject were only to gather testimony to the same effect,—that beauty is a term indicating nothing in an object, but is involved in the appreciation of the sense that perceives it; and, hence, the maxim, that "the cause of a wrong taste is a defect in judgment," is a vulgar error, taste having no standard to guide it, being a thing arbitrary in its main features, but still, in a great measure, dependent on conventional usages, the confor- mation of the senses, association, habit, and country. The foregoing argument will help to explain the grounds on which the same female may seem beautiful to the sight of one man, and homely to that of another; it will also illustrate the wisdom of nature, Which causes every eye to form its own beauty, and thus leaves no sentient object without ah admirer to derive pleasure from its contemplation. Leaving the abstract consideration of what is meant by the terms taste and beauty, I shall speak of them as they relate to the human race in this and most other countries of the civilized world. , . , It is an evidence of taste to derive pleasure from the contem- plation of a human face and form, cast after a classic model; and in these classic models human beauty acknowledges its most perfect representatives. .,.., •A fine-looking mm (the word handsome detracts frorti the idea of beauty in the male sex) is above the medium height bat considerably under the collosal; (about five feet te° j^cta is the perfection of altitude ;J his forehead is high and ra her squared he back of his head well rounded, but not too full of animal'developments; his eyes are dark, bright, an *i fairly in their sockets, neither tending to recede or "Prowde: his htir inclining to curl; his eyebrows are rather spare than ba.hy, and whh a space of about three quarters of an J^^j; th%ir inward extremities; his nose is a medium betweeKortsn ; and aquiline; his cheek bones are not prominent but s ill *ell defined; his cheeks neither lank or so rounded aid mdt.aie flatness'or inflation ; his mouth moderately small; h» "J?J fa™,. compact, but not thin ; his whi-kers arewe 1 backi0".hp,s^^.k' , his complexion is uniform, between brown and fair, wuh a slight tendency to a blush, but not sufficient to warrant h.m in befngcaUed^ and the whole countenance well 8S becklard's physiology. or even strongly marked; for a smooth, round face, where the features are all regular, and without any characteristic for, a limner to fasten on, is incompatible with manly beauty. .The neck should be of.moderate length, and incline to thickness; his throat free from that protuberance commonly called the ap- ple of Eve; biYbreast pretty full; his shoulders square, but not abruptly so, and sufficiently broad to just overhang his hips'; his arms are of'a length, to leave about eight inches between the tips of his middle fingers and his knees; and there is a gradual decrease inward from the hip and shoulder to the waist; his hips and posteriors are well-defined; his back is free from the least tendency to roundness, but is not thrown very much to the rear; his thighs are full, but no,t clumsy ; his knees small; the calves of his legs just touch, without pressing against each other; his shins rather slender; his ankle small; his instep high, with the foot slightly hollowed, and of a size correspond- ing to his height,— for too small a foot interferes with that elas- ticity of step, and firmness of carriage, so essential in making up the perfect tout ensemble of a well-proportioned man. A person, such as the above, with manners in accordance with his external appearance, and a moderate share of confi- dence, prudence, and intellect, would,, if he set himself about it, inflame any female heart, and need not be afraid . to aspire to the highest rank and fortune, no matter what his own circum- stances may be ; for with him to venture were to.win, Men of larger or smaller dimensions, proportionably formed,, may be as pleasing objects to the sight as the above ; but alti- tudes of more than six feet, or less than five feet six inches, though ever so imposing or pretty, cannot be so prepossessing. The male sex have but few.advantages to expect from art___ Their costume, to be elegant and becojning, must be plain. A suit o( black,—black hat and all,— with, a snow-white, starcb- stiffened cravat, plain diamond pin, unruffled shirt-bosom, and low collar, scarcely reaching to the chin, is- the perfection of taste and neatness. Any deviation from this in injurious to appearance. A black handkerchief, however, and turned-down shirt-collar so tnat the latter does not indicate too much pre- cision and formality, are not unbecoming; and when the count tenance of the wearer is of a high florid complexion, they may be prudently.substituted for a white cravat. Of all parti-color- ed dress coats blue is least objectionable ; but too great a dis- play of metal buttons should be avoided, al the same time that none but metal buttons look even tolerable on this color The pantaloons worn with a blue coat should be either blacker white, as also the vest; and indeed parti-colored ves s or pan becklard's physiology. 89 taloons are never in good taste. An elegantly formed man, however, may wear coats of all colors! indiscriminately, and look elegant in each, but, a person not remarkable for beauty of form, cannot do so without injury to his personal appearance.— A white cravat must be nearly as thin as a sheet of paper in its thickest fold, and be free from all blemish or wrinkle, or it were better avoided. A plain gold ring may be worn ; but any dis- play of jewelry beyond that and a diamond pin,, it I except an exceedingly fine guaid-chain, is likely to beget the wearer an air of vulgarity. Great care must be taken in the cut and fin- ish of one's boots. Moustaches or imperials should not be culti- vated, unless they are generally worn, nor even then, except tbey are black, or of a- shade scarcely removed from it. And, to sum up, the entire costume must fit easily, and without stiff- ness, or else the wearer may look over-dressed, and consequent- ly not quite the gentleman. As to the cut of the clothes, it must be, dictated by the prevailing fashion ; for, rail at fashion as we may, a man cannot be well-dressed, or look elegant, unless he comports himself in accordance with her, laws. By the way, a dark-complexioned man, with a strongly-marked beard, who wears a black stock or handkerchief, should not omit theshirt-collar; and men would do well to remember, that whiskers composed of straggling hairs are. a deformity to the face ' A roundness of the shoulders, or contraction of the chest mpy be corrected bv the use of dumb-bells; but the broad-sword exercise is a far better remedy, m fact, a certain one, if taken in season. . :l , , The standard ,pf beaut v in women is much less imperative than in men. A woman, of any height, from the pttUe almost to the gigantic, may be perfectly beautiful; and of any. com- plexion, from the darkest brunette to the fairest lily. Ihe medium height, however, is generally preferred ; but ihe com- plexion is a mattpr that entirely depends on individual taste, nor can it.be even decided on thus; for the same person would be likely to waver in choice between the darkly-beautiful maid- ens of Spain, and (he seraphically-fa.r daughters of Circassm. Nevertheless though the shades of complexion from fhe Span- ish olive to the Circassian, white, or, the varieties of aluunkv from the petite Cleopatra, to that of the towering Eoxana, wb - ter but little, there are many things arbitrarily assential to per- feet beauty in woman. , mojinm I will describe a beautiful woman taking her a he medium altitude,. which is generally preferred Her heigh five foe five inches; her hair is luxuriant, and of any color »*"-■«»£ with her complexion?,, her forehead is rather low, and a& tree 90 becklard's physiology. from freckle or wrinkle as a piece of Paphtan marble; her eye- brows are dark, arched,, nnrrowv and strortgly defined ; her eyes are large, rather languishing than bright, and of any of the usual colors ; for the gray eyes of Mary of Scotland were not less captivating than the raven orbs of the queen of Sheba ; her eye-lashes are dark and long; her nOse Is a mitigated aquiline, that is, aquiline curtailed of its severity; her lips short and small, and ye't withal full and pouting; her chin is very slightly developed ; her ears are small, thin, and with the tip on a line with the eyebrow; her complexion varying with the emotions of her mind, and the blush that tinges her cheeks is delicate, and loose itself in her face, so as to indicate no perceivable out- line; her features are exactly regular, though made to appear otherwise by the ever-varying expfession ot her lips and eyes, and the fluctuations of the rosy tide that ebbs and flows beneath the transparent surface of her skin; her smifo indicates sweet- ness of disposition, blended with a gently proud expression, dictated probably by the consciousness of her own worth and beauty; her neck is flexible, moderafely slender, of medium length, and pure as alabaster; the fall from her neck to her shoulders is gradual; her bosom a gentle swell, so clear that the blue veins are visible ; her shoulders almost verge on broad- ness, and press backward ; her posteriors are full; her hips so' Well developed as to extend slightly beyond the shoulders ; her waist is small, but not too tapering, to show the proportion «f her hips and shoulders her arms are rounded; her hands deli- cately small, and fingers rather long and tapered; her thighs and calves, without being flat, indicate plumpness ; her instep i£ high, with a good arch to the foot, which secures grace in walking r and her knees, instep, and feet are as small as they can possibly be wirhout subjecting them to the character of di- minutiveness. The above is the outline of a magnificent woman —such an one as might vie with Helen of Greece, or dispute the palm of beauty with the Venus de Medici; such an one as all men must adore. And yet we have many in Paris who would lose noth- ing in comparison. I have insisted on regularity of feature in my outline of perfection. However, it sometimes happens that females with great regularity of features are not much admired while others without the advantage are highly captivating.— This is caused by ;he influence of internal principles — bv an ' expression proceeding from the mind ; for in all cases where it occurs ,t will be found thai the regular-featured lady is a dull insipid person, whose soul gives no character to her face unless through its inanity or absence; and that the other is a lady of buoyancy, good-nature, and intellect. ' becklard's physiology. 91 The following are admitted, by writers in general, to be the three species of female beauty, of which all the rest are varie- ties. No. 1 Face, round; eyes, soft azure; neck, rather short; shoulders, moderately broad and gently rounded; bosom, luxu- riant and seeming to protrude from the space alloted for the arms; waist sufficiently marked, though encroached on as it were by the enbonpointoithe contiguous parts; haunches,-gent- ly expanded; thighs, proportionably large; limbs and arms, tapering and delicate; hands and feet, small; complexion, rose struggling with lily; hair, luxuriant flaxen, or auburn; eyes blue ; and the whole figure extremely soft and voluptuous. No. 2. Oblong face; neck, long tapering; shoulders, broad and delicate, without being angular; bosom, moderately devel- oped ; waist, somewhat resembling an inverted one; haunches, moderately expanded ; thighs, proportionable; limbs and arms, rather long and tapering; feet and hands, rather small; com- plexion, mostly dark; hair, abundant, dark and strong, and the whole figure, precise, striking, and brilliant. No. 3 Oval face; high, pale, intellectual forehead; eye ex- pressive, and full of sensibility, also indicating modesty and dignity, hips and bosom not very well developed, but withal, her motions are characterized by grace and elegance. It may probably seem presumptuous on my part to offer any advise on the dress of ladies; but still it can do no harm, and the following hints may be found useful in many cases, for it is not every female that knows how to develope her beauties or correct her imperfections. When there are a great variety of colors in a lady s costume, it may be imposing, but it can hardly be elegant. Uniformity of color is more advantageous to the beauty of the countenance, as maybe learned by the s-unernumerary charms that a quaker's gown and bonnet give to a pretty face. Still, if the contrasts are well chosen, a variety of colors look rich on a tall, rnajestic woman ; but a petite one should avoid them, as they will make her look less than she is. If jewelry is disposed of with taste, a lady may wear any quantity, and catch an additional lustre from every gem. Otherwise, a profusion of glittering stones will give her costume: the air of tawdriness, which may be a serious drawback on her fascinations. , . ' *" u;„„ Females with drooping shoulders should, as far as fashion will permit them, eschew short waists. 92 becklard's physiology. Jewels should form centres; flowers — unless when worn as a wreath or coronet —and feathers, should be worn on one side. Too narrow a face is improved by a bonnet with a wide front, which exposes the lower part of the cheek. Too broad a one, by a bonnet with a close front. And wide jaws will di- minish in appearance under a bonnet sloaping to the point of the chin. . Too long a neck may be corrected by the back of the bonnet descending, and the collar of the dress rising, so as to leave but a little space betwen them. When the shoulders are narrow, the shoulders of the dress should be formed on the outer edge of the natural shoulder; be very full, and both the bosom and the back of he dress should run in oblique folds from the middle of the bust to the pbint of the shoulder. A large waist should be rendered less before by a stomacher, and behind by a corresponding form of the dress, making the dress smooth across fhe shoulder and drawing it in plaits to a narrow point at the waist. But avoid tight lacing. When the bosom is small, it may be made to seem otherwise without suspicion, by a dress with oblique folds gathered above. There are many means of remedying this defect, but the above is the best. If the lower posterior part of the body by too flat, it may be most naturally elevated by the skirt being gathered behind. When the lower part of the body is"too prominent before, the best correction is an increase of the bosom, a shorfniug of the waist, and the establishment of a corresponding projection behind. When the haunches are narrow, so also should be the bottom of the dress, unless recourse is had. to padding. "Short women should wear a moderately narrow skirt, very long, and with the flounce low. Tall women, on the contrary should wear a wide skirt, and several flounces, which will ap- parently reduce her height. Ladies should be careful to pay every attention to the arrange- ment of the hips, and to corrrect any deficiency by the the use of those foreign additions which fashion and habit allow, and in fact, which ladies of the most perfect symmetry use, as the nat- ural proportions of the region of the pelvis are not sufficient to satisfy the public eye, which has been used to, and grown fasci- nated with, superior developments. When the face is too yellow:, the bonnet should be lined with yellow, which, by contrast, will cause the red and blue to pre- becklard's physiology. 93 dominate. And red linen will cause the yellow and blue to predominate, and thus relieve a red face. And if the face has too much read and yellow, the effect will be removed by a lin- ing of orange. Some faces, again are too blue, and should hence wear blue, to bring out the red and yellow. And, in short, when any particular color in the face predominates, so as to mar beauty, a bonnet-lining of the same shade will render its superabundance undiscernible. The adjustment of the lining, so as not to be too much in view, is a matter that must Be left to the lady's judgment. It may be as well to add here, from a source to which I am indebted for much of the above informa- tion, that dark faces are best affected by darker colors, because they tend to render the complexion fairer; while fair faces should avoid dark colors, inasmuch as they occasion too strong a contrast. ■ Washing in hard water roughens the skin, as also the use of coarse-towels. When soap is applied to the face, neck and breast, it should be in small quantities. Goat's milk renders the skin soft and smooth. A good digestion must be kept up or the countenance will suffer by it. Cold water bathing is a most powerful promoter of beauty. Guerin says it even improves =the shape and features ; but at all events it removes all impuri- ties from the skin more effectually than any thing else, and freshens the complexion. Moderately rich diet, occasionally corrected by gentle aperients, has a fine effect upon the skin and complexion; while low diet — though contrary to the opinions of some -r- impoverishes the blood, makes the complexion dingy, and the skin coarse, apd occasions blotches on the face. And very tight lacing operates injuriously on the countenance, to say nothing of its other attendant evils. 94 becklard's physiology. CHAPTER XV. Revelations and Opinions connected with, and incidental to, the various Subjects of all the foregoing Chapters—Useful HinU to Lovers, Hus- bands, and Wives. External Signs.— Beauty is said to be the external sign of goodness in women. I shall admit the proposition, when I can duly appreciate what beauty is. Judging of it by the general standard of taste, it is manifestly wrong, for the worst women are generally very beautiful, and in fact make their beauty the medium of their vices. However, beauty of parts evidence goodness; as a handsome leg indicates a good leg, a fine fore- head a fair intellect; and so forth. Procreation.— An author says, that to procreate is in effect to die to one's self and leave one's life in posterity. Nonsense. Continent men in the avarage die sooner than those who are married. Moderate intercourse deprives the system of nothing but what it is healthful to lose. Love Matches.— It is an old saying, that love matches are seldom or never happy. By this rule, hate matches would pro- mote the pleasures of matrimony. The idea is absurd. Unless there is love before marriage, there is seldom any feeling warm- er than moderate friendship afterwards. Double Uterus.— Some women have a double uterus ; and in such persons a double conception may take place, 'and the foetuses be excluded at different periods — occasionally several months apart. In such cases the fostuses are not twins. Disease.— It is not too much to say that three out of every five women of a certain class, prostitutes, are the ceaseless vic- tims of an infectious disease. How severe, then, must be the price which libertines pay for their unsatisfactory indulgences. Courting.- In Wales and Holland, the young people have a way of courting m which they go to bed together, and discuss the preliminaries of marriage (The beds being so constructed •that they can hold no sexual intercourse.) The Welsh and ■ Dutch contend for the morality of this fashion, and maintain becklard's physiology. 95 that it never results in any thing wrong. This may be; and it cannot be denied that the mode must be;extremely agreeable to those whom it may concern, and calculated -to make lovers acquainted with each other's dispositions; but still, I am afraid it might be a dangerous experiment to be attempted in France. Sex.— I have been often inclined to think, and have consulted with many whose opinions are valuable, and who were greatly struck' with the theory, that the dominant party at the time of intercourse — that is, the parent who is most,prolific — gov- erns the sex of the child. Early Affection.— Young men of salacious; habits, should commence as soon as possible after the period of puberty to di- rect their feelings within the channels of a virtuous courtship; for this alone can chastise their desires, and insure them an un- broken_f onstitution. Modesty.v^Were people to go perfectly naked it.would be a benefit to morality. "The rest of the body,",as a. celebrated painter truly observed, "not having advantages in common with the face, would soon satiate the eye, were it to be constantly exposed, nor would it have more effect than a marble statue."— Perhaps it would have less, as it would be likely to be less fault- lessly developed. It is not the natural form that excites eroic desires so much as the art which women use to make it fook attractive. '' '' Protracted Fertility.— Good argues* that moderation is neces- sary to reproduction ; that is, that the feelings must not be too much excited; and he relates the following case in point. "I remember many years ago, a healthy young couple,, who con- tinued without offspring for seven pr eight years, after marriage, at which period the lady for the first time became pregnant, and continued to add to her family every yeir, till she had six or seven children; and in professional conversation with the father, he has clearly made it appear to me, that the cause of sterility during the above period, was the mutual warmth which existed between him and his wife. Time, that by degrees broke the vi^or of the encounter, effected at length a radical cure, and gave him an offspring he had almost despaired of. Children.— The children of aged parents, or where one is old and the other is young, are usually delicate and spare of form, and are rarely well organized. 96 becklard's physiology. Sympathetic Love.— In courting, a great deal depends — if simple truth falls — in studying woman's character. "Six men," says a WTiter, "will be making love to one lady ; the first has a title, the second a fortune, the third is a beauty, the fourth a talker, the fifth a flatterer, and the sixth a man with ap- parently no advantage, who will sit apart in a corner and si7 CHAPTER XVI. The laws of Nature—The Degeneration of Man, caused by indulging his Propensities—The condition of Ancient States,causes of their Down- fall—Cleanliness—Libertinism—rules for preserving Life, Health, and Happiness The foregoing observations are applicable and important only in socie- ty as it now exists. For if man would but be. guided by the promptings of instinct, and obey the laws ot his being in these respects, he would, undoubtedly,escape harrassing passions, and the unhappiness caused there- by, as well as being prematurely debilitated by disease. While the my- riads of sentient beings around us adhere with unyielding fidelity to the physiological laws of their several existences, it seems that man exerts his superior intellect in attempting to supersede the laws that. Nature has established. And civilized man is the only animal, unless we except some of those which have been domesticated by him, which seeks to des- troy his own instinct, to transgress and overturn the laws ot his being, and to make himself as unlike as possible that which he was obviously designed to be. Not satisfied with the symmetry and elegance of form, the food adapted to his physical formation, and the social condition insti- tuted and bestowed by his Creater, he often transforms himself to a hid- eous monster, or copies after some creature far down in the scale of ani- mal being, making bitter sweet and sweet bitter, until nothing tut the shadow is left of his intended nobleness. These extraordinary propensities in man are undoubtedly the result of =» perverted understanding; for man was created an innocent and happy being, possessing instinct and reason; which are able, if rightly directed, to make him the happiest of animal beings. Nature has also instituted certain laws in the universe, which are made obvious to man by the caus- es and effects which are in operation around him. Thus, we see that all bodies tend toward the centre of the earth; that the sun causes light and heat; that heat acting upon water produces vapor, which is again dipensed to us in the form of rain and snow. It is a law of nature' that water flows downward, and, in all cases, tends to an equilibrium; that flame ascends upward, that it disorganizes animal and vegetable matter; that air is necessary to the life of animals; that improper food is injurious; that certain vegetable and mineral substances, when brought in contact with certain organs, destroy life; and thus laws are established through- out creation. Wherefore, as these, and all other similar facts, are regular, constant, and unchangeable, it is for the welfare of man to attend to their obser- vance; and if he infringes on them, punishment must follow as a conse- quence. So, if he goes in contradiction to the course of ihe seasons, or the action of the elements; if he plunges himself into the water, or into the fire, or deprives himself of air, or swallows poisonous substance*, he receives from each of these infractions of the laws of nature a cor- poral punishment, proportionate to his error; but if, on the contrary, he ebswves and conforms to each of these lawi, according to the regular 98 becklard's physiology. and exact relations they have to him, he preserves his existence, and renders it as happy as if can be. Thus, if we look back to some of the ancient nations, we observe that they lived in the enjoyment of happiness and prosperity. Equality ex- isted; rtiic as each individual found himself sufficiently independent in a social condition, no one was the slave, and no one thought of being the master of another; they conformed to the physical laws of nature, there- fore.disease and its consequences were unknown. Ancient states pros- pered, because their social institutions were conformable to the laws of nature, and because men, enjoying liberty ahd security for their persons and property, could display the full extent of their faculties. At length, au inordinate and unlawful desire of wealth and power began to develope itself among the people, which, instead of being cor- rected, and governed by reason, was suffered to grow, until it was com- municated to laws and governments; it corrupted their institutions, and arbitrary regulations were established, which depraved the ideas of jus- tice, and the morality of the people. Under the mask of union, civil peace, and religion, cupidity fomented in the bosom of states, the citi- zens divided into classes and professions, and struggled to appropriate to themselves eyery thing which could be made subservient to their pas- sions; and it is this which has been the perpetual scourge of nations.— it is this that has cnused one man to enslave another; that has oaused all the disease and misery thatexist at present in the world. How long will man importune heaven with unjust complaint, and en- 2T,Prv*t0 lTf tP ^rl)dty' Whe" l'is °WU ,nistakes ha*e Produced his misery^ Unjust man! for a moment suspend the delusion which fasci- nates your senses; let your heart comprehend the language of reason and interrogate the ,uins of .he past, and be wise. Your mieervTrWDated -Jh,n vour b a„d you mus( 1|>o|| for ^ c«7c»»»;»"> Man will, undoubtedly, ere long, awake to the voice of reason as it strikes Ins ear; fcroflt by the ruins and miseries of the past, confirm his own practice* and actions te the harmony of the laws ofP„a ure and thus &"i.,ehiie dndigned '^e, a high-minded and noble bein^ ee ■ rum disease, pain, and misery. ° RULES FOR PRESERVING LIFE AND HEALTH. Owing to the present unnatural, isolated, and disorganized state of society, ignorance of our physiological formation and laws, prevails to an alarming extent. This can be remedied only by suppressing ignorance, superstition, and cupidity, and by diffusing knowledge, and extending a general education to all. Cleanliness, and temperance in eating and drinking, or a proper atten- tion to diet, with Dr. Boerhaave's rules,>' keep the feet wural, the head cool, and the body open," are the great secrets of health. Cleanliness should be regarded as one of the most important virtues, on account of its powerful influence over the health and preservation of the body, for health and vigor of body are the surest foundation of strength and improvement of the mind. Cleanliness, as well in dress as in residence, obviates the pernicious effects of the humidity, banful odors, and conta- gious exhalations.^proceeding from all things abarfctoned to putrefaction; cleanliness of body also induces or maintains a free perspiration, which is requisite to health; it renews the air, refreshes the body, and disposes even the mind to cheerfulness. Therefore uncleanness, fillhiness, is as really a vice as intemperance, or idleness, from which it is, in a great measure, derived. It is a fact in medicine, that it is the cause of many previous disorders, as the itch, scurvy, tetters, leprosy, &c.; that it favors the contagious influence of the plague, and malignant fevers, and even produces them in hospitals and prisons; that it occasions rheumatism, by incrusting the skin, besides the shameful inconvenience of being devour- ed by vermin, —the foyl appendage of misery and depravity. Intemperance is so general a vice, that all the circumstances iri which it should be guarded against cannot here be pointed out. Libertanism.—k moderate use of the most lively pleasure*, under prop- er circums ances, is not only useful but indispensable to the support of strength and heakh. But an indulgence in this xice is productive of,nu- merous evils to the physical and moral existence. Such persons ener- vate their whole powers, and wither away; they can no longer «tt«ftcl to study or labor; they contract idle and expensive habits which destoy their means of existence, their public cons.derat.on, and render their minds dull and stupid, by the exhaustion ot the nervous svstem; and, m fine, induce a premature "and infirm old age A proportionate degree of the same infamy follows excesses of any kind; only owing to a peculiar- ity of public opinion, it ia considered worse in a female than in a male. GENERAL RULES FOR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. « 1. Rise early and never sit up late. 2. Bathe the whole bod), every morning with cold water, by means of the hand, or a large sponge and rub it dry with a coarse towel. 3. Drink water, avoid all narcotics, as tobacco, opium, &c, as well as ■piritous or fermented liquois, except in case of sickness. 4. Keep the body open by the free use of the syringe, and remove su- perior obstructions by gentle laxative medicines. 5. Sleep in a room which has free access to the open air. 6. Keep the head cool by washing it, when necessary with cold water; and abate feverish and inffainatory symptoms, when they appear, by the same means, and by preserving stillness. 7. Correct symptoms of plethora and indigestion, by eating and drink- ing less per diem for a few days. 8. Never eat a hearty supper, especially of animal food. 9. Take all food as nearly in a natural state as possible. The bran should not be separated from the other parts of the grain, as our digeut- ive organs are adapted to things in their natural condition. 10. Take regular and sufficient exercise every day, but let it not be violent immediately after meals. 11. A^ a habit of attention is the great basis of education, acquire that habit as soon as possible. 12. "Preserve thyself; instruct thyself; moderate thyself; live for thy fellow-citizens, that they may live for thee." There is-no doubt but that human existence may be prolonged, and rendered moie agreeable, by observing these and other similar rule*, which accord with the nature of our constitution. \ \ f An Appeal to Reasonable Women and Men!! | | Awake to the voice of reason ! How long will any ! ; of you prefer a destroying ignorance to a saving knowl- \ ledge and call it morality ? y ' < 5 t » • . < i It is a lamentable fact, that there are hundreds of \ $ imbeciles and maniacs in this, and every large city, \ i who, had the subject herein discussed be^n presented { ( to them in the days of their youth, would have been i I healthy and reasonable creatures.'.'*. Besides, there are I 5 many thousands of others, who,have had their health j \ much injured, and the full development of their facul- \ \ ties prevented, by this prevailing ignorance. \ \ It is maintained that these pages should be perused 5 * not only by adults, but every child over ten yeara of \ | age. The most fastidious persons may admit them into \ * their families for promiscuous reading, as all objection- \ *>< able words have been excluded. • { * \ | That reason ia strange, and that modesty false, which j \ deprives children and other persons of this means of] preventing habits which may terminate in unhanay mar- j riages, premature imbecility, and even in^ffiy and madness. -vowv^www wvv>v>i