Page:A Treatise concerning the Use and Abuse of the Marriage Bed.djvu/82

 be so plainly stampt in the Minds of reasonable Creatures, that there should be no need, or indeed room for the Caution. But as the Breach of this Law, however scandalous, is so visible among us, it merits to stand foremost among the conjugal Crimes I am now to reprove.

foresee what some of my merry Readers will think they are to hear of next, viz. that I shall preach Lectures of matrimonial Moderation or Satyrize some of their boasted Excesses, but they will be unhappily disappointed, my Care of avoiding to reprove in Words at length, what some of them are not ashamed to boast of in Words at length, will perhaps leave some People to go more unreproved than they deserve.

let J A take a modest Hint upon the grossest Indecency of that kind, which this Part of the Town has ever shown, and which he acted in light and hearing of more of his Friends than approved the scandalous Practice; when, with the grossest Immodesty, he gave the detail of his Marriage Night's Performances, to a grave and eminent Magistrate of the City upon the open Exchange, and was handsomely reproved and exposed for it, as he deserved. When Men glory in their Shame, they make Indecencies of that which might otherwise not be such, and they break the Rules of Modesty without Doors, when perhaps they did not within. But this Part of the Satyr goes no farther than the Fact, I return to the Subject it self.

wise Man would act the Part of a wise Man, were there no Law to restrain him. Prudence dictates to Men of Prudence, and Modesty