Magdalenism : an inquiry into the extent, causes, and consequences of prostitution in Edinburgh / by William Tait.

  • Tait, William
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Magdalenism : an inquiry into the extent, causes, and consequences of prostitution in Edinburgh / by William Tait. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    be(seen arm-in-arm witli gentlemen) with a book in their hand, ^.LPHy'^._5t^^'^*'ni^i^ts,^l exhibitions^^ promenade^^^^^^^^^ .._&£t; and (on all these occasions}they behavejYith_^e^ utmost Imprudence and decorum.) The^raost)of(their time^''spent in(ulle ^conversation^card-playing^ and^aunting from place to place^ but -/ even to this rule there are (^xceptions^*(^ome continue, after abandoning themselves to a life of pi-ostitution, to/Tollow their previous employmen^ as ^ sewers) (i^^dres's-makers ; but', generally speaking, they lose their habit of mHustry in a fewmonths, and (^eliver themselves up to idleness,\ not even attempting to mend any part of their own dress, holvever well qualified they may be to do it. These Femmes Galantes gei}erallylive)in|''private lodgings, or in the houses of their relatives, and(attend)the^respectable houses of assignation in the evenings^ where they remain as long as visiters are expected to call. fSome)of them occasionally take a walk on the street ] or (attend the theatre^ where they meet with i, gentlemen who accompany them to these houses. If they adopt • the latter method of securing lovers, they pay only two or three shillings for the use of a room for a short period; whereas, if they remain in the house till the mistress of the establishment introduces them, she charges the one-half of all that they receive, as a compensation for the liberty of an apartment and the intro- duction. CThe mistress is generally in possession of the address of all the girls yvho frequent her house^and sends for them at any hour of the day night when they' arc particularly wanted^ in which case, also, she charges the one-half. There ar^three houses in town^which this class of girls are specially inltlie habit of fre- quenting and (it is no unusual thing for the keepers of these sinks of miquity; to draw upwards of j^20jin a night. Many of these pass currently in the houses of assignation for sly or sewing girls—a class which is in greater request than any other—although they may have long ago discontinued the latter occupation. In order, however, to gratify and delude their lovers in this respect, it is a common practice with them, in their leisure moments, to probe the forefinger of the left hand with a needle, so that it may resemble that of a person constantly engaged in