Part 3
Thus much for the means to avoid Impurity, and to attain Chastity, I shall conclude this part of my Treatise, with what Mr. _Ostervald_ observes of the Sin of Uncleanness in general, and with a few Reflections of my own, which may be of service to those, who make Chastity a difficulty. ‘All Uncleanness is a palpable Violation of our Baptismal Covenant, wherein we have solemnly oblig’d our selves to renounce the Flesh (that is to say, all sensuality and voluptuousness) as well as the World and the Devil. For there is no living up to this Profession and Obligation, without being continually upon our guard against all those sinful Lusts, which we have thus renounc’d. And indeed, what an affront is it to God, and what vile Treachery and breach of Covenant, when Persons have thus given up their Names to Christ, and promis’d to obey his holy Laws; and in particular, to abstain from all Impurity, if they shall yet draw back, and professing to know the Almighty shall in works deny him, living in wantonness and unlawful Pleasures, like the Gentiles, who knew him not, or rather in such detestable Lewdnesses, as the Wiser amongst these would have abominated? We cannot doubt, but that we are all strictly engag’d to cleanse our selves from Filthiness, both of Flesh and Spirit, and to perfect Holiness. And what a monstrous Incongruity must it be, for such to indulge themselves in any carnal and sensual Immoralities, in direct opposition to the Vow, so solemnly made against them! This must necessarily argue a great Stupidity, and regardlessness of their Duty, which is sufficiently blameable in any, but in Christians, who pretend to tread in their Saviour’s Steps, and to obey all his Commandments, is most exceedingly provoking.’
Though the Sin of Uncleanness be heinous in it self, as appears by what has been said, and is oftentimes attended with a train of Crimes, as Lying, Quarrelling, and others of a flagitious Nature, yet are many Persons so estrang’d to Religion, and even to rational Ethicks, as to be entirely supine and negligent in the suppressing of Impure Cogitations; and on the contrary entertain them with indulgence; so that by degrees, illimitable Passions are establish’d, and the tide of Impurity, at last grows so strong and rapid, that it is not to be repell’d; whence all manner of Evils succeed.
Having Theologically discuss’d the several particulars relating to Self-pollution, and other Uncleanness: I come now to my last head, treating of _Generation_, and the sensitive Parts effecting it; but I would by no means have my Reader think, that I examine these particulars with a design to excite Persons to Lewdness, when my Intentions are only to shew the fineness and Beauty of the Parts, whereby will appear how easily they may be violated and impair’d by an unnatural use.
_CHAP._ III. _A __DISSERTATION__ upon _Generation_; and of the _Parts_ administring thereunto._
I shall begin with the instruments of _Generation_ in Men. All the parts of _Generation_ merit the Title of noble Parts, as well as the Brain and the Heart; and some Authors give them the preference before the other Parts of the Body, upon this consideration, that they preserve the Species, and the others only keep up the Individuum.
The Yard is call’d by Physicians the _Membrum Virile_, because it distinguishes a Man from a Woman: It is plac’d at the lower and external part of the _Abdomen_, and is fasten’d to the _Os Pubis_. This Situation is the more commodious, for that it does not annoy any other part in the time of enjoyment.
It has a very peculiar Substance, containing several Vessels, Muscles, Nerves, Arteries, _&c._ Its Skin is finer than that of any other part, to give it a more exquisite sense. It has no Fat; for if it encreas’d in Flesh in proportion with the rest of the Body; it would not only be of too large a size, but become soft, unactive, and insensible; and would cloud the Sense necessary to excite the Passion.
The Yard performs its motions by virtue of four Muscles; two for Erection, and two for Ejaculation. These last squeeze the seminal Vesicles, and convey the Seed into the _Urethra_, from whence it sallies out with great force: It is divided into its Body, and two Ends; as for its two extremities one of them is call’d the Glans, or head of the Yard; the other which is fastened to the Belly, is call’d the Root, and is surrounded with Hair, especially upon its upper part, which is call’d the _Pubis_.
The Glans, or head of the _Membrum Virile_, is the only fleshy part in the Yard; being soft and smooth, to prevent its hurting the Matrix of the Woman, and running in some measure to a point to facilitate its Entry: It is cover’d with a thin Membrane, which renders it sensible of the Titillation occasion’d by rubbing upon the Matrix; and in the time of Erection, the Spirits and Blood repair to it vigorously, when it swells and starts out of an uncommon length, assuming a lively red Colour; but upon the retreat of the Blood, it flaggs and becomes pale and shrivell’d.
The _prepuce_ is the loose Skin at the utmost end of the Yard, which stretches out and covers the Nut, or draws down, to uncover it, as there is occasion: In time of Erection, it will draw down the Yard a considerable way, the easier to enter in Copulation: ’Tis tied under the Nut, with a fine Ligament call’d the Bridle, which must be cut when it is to short, and draws the orifice of the Nut downwards, by reason it hinders the Ejaculation of the Seed in a straight Line. The Prepuce enlarges the pleasure in Copulation, especially of the Women.
The Yard has two Cavernous Bodies, one on each side, taking their rise from the lower part of the _Os Pubis_, and the Hip-bone, and these cavernous Bodies, or Nerves have two Substances, external and internal, the external one is thick, hard, and nervous, and the internal one, is spungy, thin, and fungous.
The Erection of the Yard is owing to these cavernous Bodies, which being fill’d with Spirits, swell and extend themselves: And the arterious Blood being poured into the cavernous Bodies effects the distension of the Yard, as its lankness is occasion’d by sending of that Blood through the Hypogastrick Veins. The spungy Substance of the cavernous Bodies, stops the Blood for some time, whereby an erection is forc’d.
In all Enjoyments, the animal Spirits are rouz’d by fancy, which strikes the _Idea_ of Pleasure, and when the Spirits are thus rais’d, they instantly repair to the Nerves of the Organs of _Generation_, and puff them up on mixing with the Blood, convey’d thither by the Arteries; and upon the mixture of these two, a Fermentation succeeds, whereby an Erection is effected.
The _Urethra_ is a nervous Passage, extending from the neck of the Bladder, to the end of the Yard. It is a common passage for the Seed and Urine.
The Testicles are so call’d from the Latin Word _Testes_, as they witness the vigour of a Man. They are seated without the Abdomen, at the root of the Yard; and enclos’d in the Scrotum, which is a Purse consisting of two Membranes; these Vessels do not prepare or form the Seed; but their office is to import the Blood from which ’tis separated.
The Testicles are of an oval Figure, about the size of a Pigeons Egg, and in some larger: They are wrapt up in five Coats or fine Skins, _viz._ The _Scrotum_, _Dartos_, _Eritroides_, _Elitroides_, and the _Albuginea_; the two first are call’d common, and the three last are call’d proper. The outer Coat is shrivell’d and encompass’d with thin Hair. The Substance of the Testicle, is white, soft, and loose, compos’d of several small Seminals Vessels, and Capillaries, which are the Branches of the Arteries, Veins, Nerves, and Lymphatick Vessels.
There are two Muscles call’d _Cremasters_, which keep the Stones suspended; and if these happen to be stronger than ordinary, they’ll move the Testicles of themselves.
The most volatile part of the Blood is strain’d out from the rest by the Glandulous Pith of the Testicle, which gives passage only to the finest Particles, and obliges the rest to return to the Veins. This part of the Blood thus filtrated, is rais’d to a just degree of perfection by the length of the Pipes, through which it passes; and what adds to its refinement is the windings of these Pipes, which procure a mutual disunion, by whirling about. When the Seed is prepar’d, it is lodg’d in the expansion of the _Vasa Deferentia_; being first put in motion by the Heat of the Vein call’d the _Spermatick Artery_; and when the Imagination is enflam’d by amorous Thoughts, it suddenly breaks forth.
The _Vasa Deferentia_ are Vessels seated partly in the _Scrotum_, and partly in the _Abdomen_; they convey the Seed by drops to the seminal Vesicles; the two extremities of the _Vasa Deferentia_ are compar’d to a Bunch of Grapes, and Guts of Birds.
Two small Ducts of about an Inch in length, spring from these Vesicles; they are broad near the Vesicles, but dwindle as they approach to the _Urethra_, which they perforate. These Ducts are call’d Ejaculatory Vessels, because in the heat of Action, they throw the Seed of the Vesicles into the _Urethra_, and they are the chief Subjects of the pleasure attending Ejaculation.
These small Ducts have ten or twelve Orifices, opening to the _Urethra_, each of them being shut by a small Caruncle to prevent the continual efflux of Humour, which has the precedency of the Seed. This is alledg’d to be the seat of a Clap, by reason volatile Salts fastning near, occasion Ulcers that corrode the Caruncles, and thereupon the Orifices of the Ducts discharge their slimy Liquor.
The _Prostatæ_ are two Glandulous spungy Bodies, seated at the root of the Yard, by the head of the _Urethra_, and furnish’d with Arteries from the _Pudendæ_; their use is to make a secretion of slimy oily Liquor out of the Blood, to reserve it for some time in its Vesicles, and to squeeze it out by degrees, thro’ the Pipes of the small Ducts, to the _Urethra_.
’Tis reported, that some Persons have three Testicles, and that others are so slenderly provided, as to have but one; tho’ either of the cases happens very rarely. And Animals which have their Testicles situated within, are always accounted more lascivious than others.
There are four _spermatick Vessels_ belonging to the Privy Parts of a Man, two whereof are Arteries, and the other two Veins. The two spermatick Arteries spring from the Trunk of the _Aorta_; and run obliquely upon the _Ureters_, and along the _Muscle Posas_, ’till they arrive at the _Groin_, where they are receiv’d by a production of the _Peritonæum_, and so conducted to the Testicles.
The two spermatick Veins branch out from the Testicles towards the _Vena Cava_. The Right extends it self straight to the Trunk of the _Cava_; but the Left terminates in the emulgent Vein. In their progress, they are join’d by small Veins from the _Peritonæum_, and the neighbouring Muscles, which are loaded with the superfluous Blood of those parts, in order to lodge it in the _Cava_.
The spermatick Vessels are larger in Men than Women; and in both Sexes the Arteries are always stronger than the Veins. For the use of these Vessels, the Blood runs in the two Arteries straight to the Testicles, each of them dividing into two small Branches, the better to penetrate its Substance, by entring at several places, and to procure an exact separation of the seminal Particles, that accompany the Arterious Blood. And when this is perfected, the remainder of the Blood enters the Branches of the Veins, in order to return to the _Cava_.
The _Valves_ in the Cavity of the Veins are plac’d at certain Intervals, in order to prevent the Arterious Blood from falling down. They are serviceable in promoting the ascent of the Blood, and their natural Disposition conducts it to the _Vena Cava_.
_Of the _Privy Parts_ of a __WOMAN__._
To pursue the method I have hitherto observ’d, I shall begin my Description of the Privities of a Woman, with the external Parts.
The external Orifice is commonly call’d the _Pudendum_; ’tis compos’d of several parts, as the _Pubes_, the _Mons Veneris_, the Lips, and the great Slit.
The _Pubes_ is seated on the forepart of the Share-bone, just above the _Pudendum_; and to keep off the annoyance that might arise from the hardness of the Bones in the amorous Adventure, it is rais’d and consists of Fat, which serves as a Cushion.
_Mons Veneris_, rises like a little Hill about the great Lips, and is cover’d, as well as the _Pubes_, with a pretty good quantity of rough curling Hair, which begins to spring when the Female enters her Thirteenth or Fourteenth Year: It is seated a little lower than the _Pubes_.
The great _Labia_, or great Lips, descend from the _Mons Veneris_, and meet in the _Perinæum_; they consist of doubled Skin, Fat and spungy Flesh; they are cover’d with Hair, but it is not so strong, as that of the _Pubes_ and _Mons Veneris_. In Girls they are firm, but in those who have been enjoy’d, they are flaggy.
The great Slit is the space between the two Lips; it is call’d the great Slit, as being much larger than the entry of the Neck of the Womb.
Upon separating the Thighs, and drawing aside the two Lips, are discover’d two soft and spungy Excrescences call’d _Nymphæ_; they resemble the Thrills, that hang under a Cock’s Throat; and their Colour is red, like that of a Cock’s Comb; their Substance is partly fleshy, and partly membranous, consisting of the doubled, and the inner Skin of the _Great Labia_. The _Nymphæ_ conduct forth the Urine; and of Virgins are so vigorous, that they discharge their Water with a Noise like hissing.
Above the _Nymphæ_ within the great Cleft is situated the _Clitoris_, a long round and glandulous Body. This is said to be the principal seat of Pleasure, being endow’d with an exquisite Sense. In the heat of Enjoyment, it swells like unto a Mans Yard on an Erection, by virtue of the Blood and Spirits, that croud into it. For this reason it is call’d the Female Yard, and indeed, it appears like unto that of a Man in many particulars. This is the part for Friction.
There are two Cavernous Nerves coming from the Hip-bone, call’d the Legs of the _Clitoris_; and there are four Muscles in the _Clitoris_, two for Erection, and two for Ejaculation; the two first run from the Hip-bone under the Cavernous Nerves; and the two others call’d _Pudendi_, take their rise from the Sphincter of the _Anus_. These Muscles serve to straighten the Orifice of the _Vagina_. The _Arteriæ Pudendæ_ furnish the _Clitoris_ with Blood, and the Veins of that Name carry off the same Blood into the _Cava_.
Under the _Clitoris_ is the urinary Passage, larger and shorter than that of a Man, whereby Women send forth their Urine with the greatest violence and dispatch. This Passage is surrounded with a Sphincter, which is a Muscle that serves to confine, or give passage for the Urine at pleasure.
Between the fleshy Fibres of the _Urethra_, and the Membrane of the _Vagina_, lie the _Prostates_, having several Channels which terminate in the lower part of the _Vulva_, and thereby discharge a slimy matter, which mixes with the seed of the Male, in the time of Enjoyment.
And between the two great _Labia_, appear the four Caruncles call’d _Myrtiformes_ from the resemblance they bear to _Mirtle-berries_. They are small fleshy Eminences surrounding the small Slit, made of the fleshy Wrinkles of the _Vagina_, which render the Passage so much the straighter. Their use is to heighten the mutual pleasure of Enjoyment, by clinging round and locking up the Yard; and to facilitate the egress of the Child by extension. They are reddish firm and high in Virgins, and join’d sideways to one another by small Membranes, which tie them together, and make them resemble a Rose-bud half blown: But in other Women they are separated by the entry of the Yard.
The uniting of the Membranes of the _Carunculæ Myrtiformes_, straighten the Passage, and afford the true mark of _Virginity_, (if there be any such.) The pain of the first Adventure is owing to the forcing of the Passage through, and tearing off those small Membranes; and a Mans Inclinations being always heighten’d in the first Nights Enjoyment, the pain to the Female is encreas’d by his ardent struggles; her Virgin Sufferings augmenting with his affection: But in some Females the _Caruncles_ are rang’d in such a manner, that the Yard may enter without violence, so that there is no certain Evidence of a Maiden-head.
Some _Anatomists_ mention a Membrane call’d _Hymen_, seated near the _Caruncles_ in the _Vagina_, which continues stretched over the Passage, ‘till the approach of a Man rends it; and that this _Hymen_ is a mark of _Virginity_; but this is more imaginary than proceeding from any Demonstration.
The _Vagina_ is the neck of the Womb, a round Passage between the outer and inner Orifice, which receives the Yard like a Sheath. In Women that never bore Children, this Neck is about four Inches long, and an Inch and a half broad, but after Child-bearing, its capacity cannot be limited. It is nervous, and somewhat spungy, consisting of two Membranes; the Wrinkles of its inner Membrane empower it to prolong, dilate or contract, in order to fit the Yard, of any length or size, and to afford a Passage to the _Fœtus_. The Body and Neck of the Womb, make the Figure of a Bottle turn’d upside down, or rather a proud Flask.
The inner Orifice of the Womb, is a perforation like the Head of a Man’s Yard; ’tis the beginning of a narrow Passage, which enlarges to afford a way for whatever enters or comes from the Womb; it opens to receive the Seed in the moment of Ejaculation; and upon Conception shuts close, and so continues till towards the last Month of the Woman’s Reckoning: It is compos’d of Membranes wrinkled and furl’d up, capable of dilating themselves to a great extent. This is the part which gives the Woman pain in Child Birth, the Orifice being small, and opening but gradually, pursuant to the Efforts of the _Fœtus_, which retards the Birth. After the Child is past; this Orifice is lost, and the whole Womb is only one large Cavity reaching from the entry of its Neck to the bottom; but this is of very short duration, for these parts very soon contract themselves like an empty Purse, and resume their natural posture. The Action of this inner Orifice is purely natural.
The Substance of the bottom of the Womb is Membranous, and about a Fingers breadth thick, so that it dilates its self very commodiously: The inner Surface is interlac’d with a great many small Pores, and little Vessels which distil the menstrual Blood in Monthly Quantities.
The Womb has Nerves, Arteries, and Veins, dispers’d. The Nerves give it a sense of Pleasure and Pain, and a sympathy with all parts of the Body: The Arteries and Veins are call’d the _Spermatick_ and _Hypogastrick_, and consist of an infinite number of Branches springing from all parts of the Womb, exporting the Blood to the Trunk of the _Vena Cava_: The Womb is sprinkled on all sides with Blood imported by the Arteries. These Arteries not only furnish the Womb with a proper Nourishment, but also pour in Blood upon the _Placenta_, in order to be sent through the Navel String to the _Fœtus_. When a Woman is not with Child, this Blood slips away thro’ the several Vessels into the Cavity of the Womb, and from thence it passes the _Vagina_ every Month. In teeming Women these Branches sometimes discharge Blood, when there is a greater quantity than is necessary for the Nourishment of the Child.
The spermatick _Artery_ divides it self into two Branches, one repairing to the Testicle, and the other to the Womb. It carries Blood in one of its Branches to the Testicle, in order to the secretion of Seed, and by the other Branch it furnishes the Womb with Blood for its Nourishment, and the superfluous Blood is carried back by two Branches of Veins, one from the Testicle, and the others from the Womb.
The Testicles of a Woman are call’d _Ovaria_; and they differ in Situation, Figure and Substance from those of Men. They are seated within the _Abdomen_ upon the sides of the bottom of the Womb. Some Writers are of opinion, that Nature plac’d the Testicles of Women within to heat the Seed and work it up to a degree of perfection: Others tell us, that the design of this Situation was to excite Women to Generation. The use of the Testicles is to filtrate the Seed and reserve it; and to perform at once the office of a Man’s Testicles.
Their Figure is broad and flat, (seldom exceeding the Substance of a small Pigeons Egg) they are tied and held fast by some part of the Flag of the Trumpet; and they are knit to the spermatick Vessels, which grow larger after the Egg has taken Root in the Womb. For their Substance, they are a collection of Vesicles, commonly took for Eggs. In the _Ovarium_ of a Woman are a Million of fine small Blood Vessels dispers’d upon the Tunicles; and small imperceivable _Glandules_, that strain out a white milky Liquor, which attains perfection in the cavity of these Vesicles, and then composes the matter of the Egg, which includes the Sperm that contains the _Fœtus_.
The more volatile part of the Seed of a Man passes through the _Tubæ_ to the _Ovarium_, in order to fecundate the Eggs. The _Tubæ_ are of the form of a Trumpet, which gives them their Name: They take rise from the bottom of the Womb, and their Orifice, which is continually open, is lac’d round with small Membranes like a Fringe, and is call’d the _Devil’s-bit_, or the Flag of the Trumpet. The office of the _Tubæ_, is to facilitate the descent of the Egg into the Womb. The seminal Spirit puts the _Tubæ_ in motion, whereby the jagged part embraces the _Ovarium_, and the Egg fermented by the Spirits of the Seed, insensibly, disengages it self from the _Ovarium_, and breaking its Membrane, enters the _Tubæ_, in order to descend into the Cavity of the Womb: And in case of Twins, or where two or three Children are Born; they always spring from the like number of Eggs, disengag’d from the _Ovarium_ at the same time. The extremities of the _Tubæ_ inserted into the bottom of the Womb are call’d the _Horns_.
The Womb is cover’d with the _Peritonæum_; and a peculiar Membrane which lines the whole inside; and the bottom is generally smooth and even, but the Neck is always furl’d. The Ligaments are nothing else but Productions of the _Peritonæum_, which come from the Loins, and are inserted in the bottom of the Womb to prevent its falling down upon the Neck: They likewise keep the Womb from mounting too high: When these Ligaments are unbent, they resemble Bats Wings.
There are several _Lymphatick Vessels_ belonging to the Womb, which creep along its outer part, and after a reuniting into large parts, empty themselves into the Cistern of the Chyle.
The Womb has a short Neck, distinguish’d by that Name from the _Vagina_; it is the Passage which reaches from the inner Orifice to the principal Cavity of the Womb: It is about an Inch long.
In the Cavity of the Womb, the two _Horns_ dilate themselves, and form particular Bags, each of which contains a _Fœtus_. This Cavity enlarges itself more or less in proportion to the bigness of the _Fœtus_, or the number of Children, as in case of Twins.