A history of English sexual morals / by Ivan Bloch ; translated by William H. Forstern.

  • Iwan Bloch
Date:
1936
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A history of English sexual morals / by Ivan Bloch ; translated by William H. Forstern. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    64/700 (page 34)
    and Scottish thrones) were occupied by women, and a malicious satire appeared—'De regno vulvarum'. It was written by D'Aubigne for Francois Hotmann. It begins as follows: Vulva regit Scotos1, vulva ac tenet ipsa Britannos2 Flandros et Batavos nunc notha vulva regit3 Vulva regit populos, quos regnat Gallia portu4 Et fortes Gallos Itala vulva regit5 Hinc furiam furiis, vulvam conjungite vulvis, Et naturae capax omnia regna capit. The revolutions and Puritanism of the seventeenth cen- tury, combined with the licentiousness of the Restoration, were unfavourable to culture among women, which indeed received a marked setback in this century. Women found themselves between two parties, both equally hostile to their interests, libertines and ascetic Puritans. The former won the day. The lighter pleasures came into vogue; dancing and music were preferred to classical studies, and fine and gross sensuality were developed side by side. Priestesses of the latter like Lady Castlemaine, Francis Stuart, Louise de Querouville, Nell Gwynn and others carried all before them; and the few women like Lucy Aspley, Anna Halkett and Margaret Lucas who strove for higher culture attracted little attention. Mary Astell's attempt to found a Protestant cloister, as well as her book A Serious Proposal to Ladies (1700), in which she pleaded for the mental and moral advance of women, can only be regarded as an isolated curiosity. Moreover, the belief in witches which flamed up for the last time in the seventeenth century 1 Mary Stuart. 2 Elizabeth of England. 3 Margaret, Duchess of Parma, natural daughter of Emperor Charles V. 4 Catherine of Austria, sister of Charles V, widow of John III, King of Portugal, and regent during the minority of his son Sebastian. 6 Catherine de Medici. [34]