I scarcely need observe that by this instinct is meant the desire for
sexual intercourse. Blumenbach speaks of this instinct as "superior
to all others in universality and violence." Perhaps hunger is an
exception. But surely no instinct commands a greater proportion of our
thoughts or has a greater influence upon happiness for better or for
worse. "Controlled by reason and chastened by good feelings, it gives
to social intercourse much of its charm and zest, but directed
by selfishness or governed by force, it is prolific of misery and
degradation. In itself it appears to be the most social and least
selfish of all instincts. It fits us to give even while we receive
pleasure, and among cultivated beings the former power is even more
highly valued than the latter. Not one of our instincts perhaps affords
larger scope for the exercise of disinterestedness, or fitter play for
the best moral feelings of our race. Not one gives birth to relations
more gentle, more humanizing and endearing; not one lies more
immediately at the root of the kindliest charities and most generous
impulses that honor and bless human nature. It is a much more noble,
because less purely selfish, instinct than hunger or thirst. It is
an instinct that entwines itself around the warmest feelings and best
affections of the heart"--_Moral Physiology_. But too frequently its
strength, together with a want of moral culture, is such that it is not
"controlled by reason;" and consequently, from time immemorial, it
has been gratified, either in a mischievous manner, or to such an
intemperate degree, or under such improper circumstances, as to give
rise to an incalculable amount of human misery. For this reason it has,
by some, been regarded as a low, degrading and "carnal" passion, with
which family life must be ever at war. But in the instinct itself the
philosopher sees nothing deserving of degrading epithets. He sees not
that nature should war against herself. He believes that in savage
life it _is_, and in wisely organized society of duly enlightened and
civilized beings it should be the source of ten-fold more happiness than
misery.
A part of the evil consequences to which this instinct is daily giving
rise under the present state of things, it belongs more particularly to
the moralist to point out; whilst of others it falls within the province
of the physician to treat. But let me first remark that physicians have
hitherto fallen far short of giving those instructions concerning this
instinct which its importance demands. In books, pamphlets, journals,
etc., they have laid much before the public respecting eating, drinking,
bathing, lacing, air, exercise, etc., but have passed by the still more
important subject now before us, giving only here and there spine faint
allusion to it This, it is true, the customs, not to say pruderies,
of the age have compelled them to do, in publications designed for the
public eye, yet, in some small work, indicated by its title to be for
private perusal, they might, with the utmost propriety, have embodied
much highly useful instruction in relation to this instinct.
This instinct is liable to be gratified at improper times, to an
intemperate degree, and in a mischievous manner.
True philosophy dictates that this and all other appetites be so
gratified as will most conduce to human happiness--not merely the
happiness attending the gratification of one of the senses, but all the
senses--not merely sensual happiness, but intellectual--not merely the
happiness of the individual, but of the human family.
First.--Of the times at which this instinct ought not to be gratified.
With females it ought not to be gratified until they are seventeen or
eighteen years of age, and with males not until they are a year or two
older. The reason is, if they refrain until these ages, the passion will
hold out the longer, and they will be able to derive much more pleasure
from it in after life, than if earlier gratified, especially to any
great extent A due regard to health also enjoins with most persons some
restraint on this instinct--indeed, at all times, but especially for
a few years after the above-mentioned ages. It ought not to be rashly
gratified at first. Begin temperately, and as the system becomes
more mature, and habituated to the effects naturally produced by the
gratification of this instinct, it will bear more without injury. Many
young married people, ignorant of the consequences, have debilitated
the whole system--the genital system in particular; have impaired their
mental energies; have induced consumptive and other diseases; have
rendered themselves irritable, unsocial, melancholy and finally much
impaired, perhaps destroyed their affection for each other by an undue
gratification of the reproductive instinct. In almost all diseases,
if gratified at all, it should be very temperately. It ought not to be
gratified during menstruation, as it might prove productive to the man
of symptoms similar to those of syphilis, but more probably to the woman
of a weakening disease called _fluor albus_. In case of pregnancy a
temperate gratification for the first two or three months may be of no
injury to the woman or the coming offspring. But it ought to be known
that the growth of the foetus in utero may be impaired, and the seeds
of future bodily infirmity and mental imbecility of the offspring may be
sown by much indulgence during utero-gestation or pregnancy, especially
when the woman experiences much pleasure in such indulgences.
Having already glanced at some of the bad effects of an undue
gratification of this instinct, I have but little more to offer
under the head of Intemperate Degree. It will be borne in mind that
intemperance in this thing is not to be decided by numbers, but that it
depends on circumstances; and what would be temperance in one, may be
intemperance in another. And with respect to an individual, too, what
he might enjoy with impunity, were he a laboring man, or a man whose
business requires but little mental exercise, would, were he a student,
unfit him for the successful prosecution of his studies. Intemperance
in the gratification of this instinct has a tendency to lead to
intemperance in the use of ardent spirits. The languor, depression of
spirits, in some instances faintness and want of appetite, induced by
intemperate gratification, call loudly for some stimulus, and give a
relish to spirits. Thus the individual is led to drink. This inflames
the blood, the passions, and leads to further indulgence. This again
calls for more spirits; and thus two vicious habits are commenced,
which mutually increase each other. Strange as it may appear to
those unacquainted with the animal economy, an intemperate indulgence
sometimes gives rise to the same disease--so far as the name makes it
so--that is frequently cured by a temperate indulgence; viz, nocturnal
emissions.
Every young married woman ought to know that the male system is
exhausted in a far greater degree than the female by gratification.
It seems, indeed, to have but little effect, comparatively, upon some
females. But with respect to the male, it has been estimated by Tissot
that the loss of one ounce of semen is equal in its effects upon the
system of forty ounces of blood. As it respects the immediate effects,
this estimation, generally speaking, may not be too great. But a man
living on a full meat diet might, doubtless, part with fifty ounces of
semen in the course of a year, with far less detriment to the system
than with 2,000 ounces of blood. It is a fact, that mode of living,
independent of occupation, makes a great difference with respect to what
the system will bear. A full meat diet, turtles, oysters, eggs, spirits,
wine, etc., certainly promote the secretion of semen, and enable the
system to bear its emission. But a cool vegetable and milk diet calms
all the passions, the venereal especially. Most men adopting such a diet
as this will suffer no inconvenience in extending the intervals of their
gratification to three or four weeks; on the contrary, they will enjoy
clear intellect, and a fine flow of spirits. This is the diet for men of
literary pursuits, especially the unmarried.
As to the mischievous manner, it consists in the unnatural habit of
onanism, or solitary gratification; it is an antisocial and demoralizing
habit, which, while it proves no quietus to the mind, impairs the bodily
powers as well as mental, and not infrequently leads to insanity.
While the gratification of the reproductive instinct in such manner
as mentioned leads to bad consequences, a temperate and natural
gratification, under proper circumstances, is attended with good,
besides the mere attendant pleasure, which alone is enough to recommend
such gratification. I admit that human beings might be so constituted
that if they had no reproductive instinct to gratify, they might enjoy
health; but being constituted as they are, this instinct cannot be
mortified with impunity. It is a fact universally admitted, that
unmarried females do not enjoy so much good health and attain to so
great an age as the married; notwithstanding that the latter are
subject to the diseases and pains incident to child-bearing. A temperate
gratification promotes the secretions, and the appetite for food; calms
the restless passions; induces pleasant sleep; awakens social feeling;
and adds a zest to life which makes one conscious that life is worth
preserving.
APPENDIX
[I here connect with this work, by way of Appendix, the
following extract from an article which appeared in the
Boston Investigator, a paper which, _mirabile dictu_, is so
"crazy" as to be open to the investigation of all subjects
which mightily concern mankind.]
The only seeming objection of much weight that can be brought against
diffusing a knowledge of checks is, that it will serve to increase
illegal connections. Now, this is exactly the contrary effect of that
which those who have diffused such knowledge most confidently believe
will arise from it. To diminish such connections is indeed one of the
grand objects of this publication,--an object which laws and prisons
cannot, or, at least, do not, accomplish. Why is there so much
prostitution in the land? The true answer to the question is not, and
never will be, Because the people have become acquainted with certain
facts in physiology; it is because there are so many unmarried men and
women,--men of dissipation and profligacy, owing to their not having
married in their younger days and settled down in life. But why are
there so many unmarried people in the country? Not because young hearts
when they arrive at the age of maturity do not desire to marry; but
because prudential considerations interfere. The young man thinks: I
cannot marry yet; I cannot support a family; I must make money first,
and think of a matrimonial settlement afterward. And so it is, that
through fear of having a family, before they have made a little headway
in the world, and of being thereby compelled to "tug at the oar of
incessant labor throughout their lives," thousands of young men do not
marry, but go abroad into the world and form vicious acquaintances
and practices. The truth, then, is this,--there is so much illegal
connection in the land, because the people had not, twenty years ago,
that very information which, it would seem, some, doubtless through want
of due reflection, are apprehensive will increase this evil. I might
quote pages to the point from "Every Woman's Book," but I fear my
communication would be too lengthy. I content myself with a few lines.
"But when it has become the custom here as elsewhere to limit the number
of children, so that none need have more than they wish, no man will
fear to take a wife; all will marry while young; debauchery will
diminish; while good morals and religious duties will be promoted."
It has been asked if a general knowledge of checks would not diminish
the general increase of population? I think that such would not be
the result in this country until such result would be desirable. In
my opinion the effect would be a good many more families (and, on the
whole, as many births), but not so many overgrown and poverty-stricken
ones. It has been said, It is better to let Nature take her course. Now,
in the broadest sense of the word "Nature," I say so too. In this sense
there is nothing unnatural in the universe. But if we limit the sense
of the word Nature so as not to include what we mean by art, then is
civilized life one continued warfare against Nature. It is by art that
we subdue the forest; by art we contend against the elements; by art we
combat the natural tendency of disease, etc.
As to the outrageous slander which here and there one has been heard
to utter against the fair sex, in saying that fear of conception is
the foundation of their chastity, it must be the sentiment of a "carnal
heart," which has been peculiarly unfortunate in its acquaintances. "To
the pure, all things are pure." Chastity, as well as its opposite, is
in a great degree constitutional; and ought, in a like degree, to be
regarded as a physical property, if I may so say, rather than a moral
quality. Where the constitution is favorable a very indifferent degree
of moral training is sufficient to secure the virgin without the
influence of the above-mentioned fear; but where it is the reverse you
may coop up the individual in the narrow dark cage of ignorance and
fear, as you will, but still you must watch. An eminent moralist has
said, "That chastity which will not bear the light [of physiology] is
scarcely worth preserving." But verily, I believe there is very little
such in the market. What there be is naturally short-lived, and, after
its demise, the unhappily constituted individual stands in great need of
this light to save her from ignominy. What might it not have prevented
in the Fall River affair? And if one of two things must happen--either
the destruction of fecundity or the destruction of life--which of the
two is the greater evil? In these cases alone this light is calculated
to do sufficient good to counterbalance all the evil that would arise
from it; so that we should have its important advantages to the married
in a political, a domestic and a medical point of view, as so much
clear gain. This, of course, is my opinion; but since I have probably
reflected more upon the subject than all the persons concerned in my
imprisonment put together, until it can be shown that I have not as
clear a head and as pure a heart as any of them, I think it entitled to
some weight.
End of Project Gutenberg's Fruits of Philosophy, by Charles Knowlton