Part 26 (1/2)
When a general survey is taken of the Metropolis--The great numbers among the higher and middle cla.s.ses of life, who live unmarried--The mult.i.tudes of young men yearly arriving at the age of p.u.b.erty--The strangers who resort to the Metropolis--The seamen and nautical labourers employed in the Trade of the River Thames, who amount at least to 40,000--And the profligate state of Society in vulgar life, the intelligent mind will soon be reconciled to the statement, which at first view would seem to excite doubts, and require investigation.
But whether the numbers of these truly unfortunate women are a few thousands less or more is of no consequence in the present discussion, since it is beyond all doubt, that the evil is of a magnitude that is excessive, and imperiously calls for a remedy.--Not certainly a remedy against the possibility of Female Prost.i.tution, for it has already been stated, that it is a misfortune that must be endured in large societies.--All that can be attempted is, to divest it of the faculty of extending its noxious influence beyond certain bounds, and restrain those excesses and indecencies which have already been shewn to be so extremely noxious to society, and unavoidably productive of depravity and crimes.
The Author is well aware, that he treads on tender ground, when in suggesting any measure, however salutary it may be in lessening the Calendars of Delinquency, _it_ shall have the appearance of giving a Public sanction to Female Prost.i.tution.
Under the influence of strong prejudices long rooted in the human mind, it may be in vain to plead _plus apud me ratio valebit quam vulgi Opinio_.
If however the political maxim be true--_Qui non vetat peccare, c.u.m possit, jubet_--it certainly follows, that by suffering an evil to continue, when we have it in our power, in a great measure, to lessen or prevent it, we do _violence to reason_ and _to humanity_.--That a prudent and discreet regulation of Prost.i.tutes in this great Metropolis, would operate powerfully, not only in gradually diminis.h.i.+ng their numbers, but also in securing public morals against the insults to which they are exposed, both in the open streets and at places of public entertainment, cannot be denied.
That young men in pursuit of their lawful business in the streets of this Metropolis, would be secured against that ruin and infamy, which temptations thus calculated to inflame the pa.s.sions, have brought upon many, who might otherwise have pa.s.sed through life as useful and respectable members of Society, is equally true:--While _frauds_, _peculations_ and _robbery_, often perpetrated for the purpose of supporting those unhappy women, with whom connections have been at first formed in the public streets (and in which they themselves are not seldom the chief instruments) would be prevented.
Were such proper regulations once adopted, the ears and eyes of the wives and daughters of the modest and unoffending citizens, who cannot afford to travel in carriages, would no longer be insulted by gross and polluted language, and great indecency of behaviour, while walking the streets. Indeed it is to be feared, that the force of evil example, in unavoidably witnessing such scenes, may have debauched many females, who might otherwise have lived a virtuous and useful life.
Whatever consequences might be derived from a total removal of Prost.i.tutes (if such a measure could be conceived practicable) with respect to the wives and daughters, who compose the decent and respectable families in the Metropolis, this apprehension is allayed by the proposed measure. While virtue is secured against seduction, the misery of these unhappy females will also be lessened. Their numbers will be decreased, and a check will be given, not only to female seduction by the force of evil example, but to the extreme degree of depravity, which arises from the unbounded lat.i.tude which is at present permitted to take place, from the unavailing application of the laws, made for the purpose of checking this evil. If it were either politic or humane to carry them into effect, the state of society where such members are congregated together render it impossible.
Although by the arrangement proposed, a kind of sanction would, in appearance, be given to the existence of Prost.i.tution, no ground of alarm ought to be excited, if it shall be proved, that it is to lessen the ma.s.s of turpitude which exists; that it is to produce a solid and substantial good to the Community, which it is not possible to obtain by any other means.
What therefore can rationally be opposed to such an arrangement? Not surely Religion, for it will tend to advance it: Not Morality, for the effect of the measure will increase and promote it; not that it will sanction and encourage what will prove offensive and noxious in society, since all that is noxious and offensive is by this arrangement to be removed.--Where then lies the objection?--_In vulgar prejudice only._--By those of inferior education, whose peculiar habits and pursuits have generated strong prejudices, this excuse may be pleaded; but by the intelligent and well-informed it will be viewed through a more correct medium.
Ingenuous minds are ever open to conviction; and it is the true characteristic of virtuous minds, where they cannot overcome or destroy, to lessen as much as possible the evils of human life.
To the numerous unhappy females in the Metropolis who live by Prost.i.tution, this observation peculiarly applies.--The evil is such as must be endured to a certain extent--because by no human power can it be overcome; but it can certainly be very much diminished--perhaps only in one way--namely, _by prescribing rules_--”Thus far shall you go, and no farther”--the rules of decorum shall be strictly preserved in the streets and in public places. In such situations Women of the Town shall no longer become instruments of seduction and debauchery.
It may be asked, will not all this promote the cause of religion and morality:--admitted; but could not this be done without giving the sanction of the Legislature to pursuits of infamy. The answer is obvious:--the Legislature has done every thing already short of this, to effect the object; but instead of promoting good, the evil has increased; and it is to be lamented _that it is daily increasing_.--Instead of the walks of Prost.i.tutes being confined as formerly, to one or two leading streets in Westminster, they are now to be found in every part of the Metropolis--even within the jurisdiction of the city of London; where the dangers arising from seduction are the greatest, they abound the most of all of late years.
In adopting the proposed measure, the example of Holland may be quoted, where, under its former Government, the morals of the people in general were supposed the purest of any in Europe, while the Police System was considered as among the best. Italy has also long shown an example, where Prost.i.tutes were actually Licensed, with a view to secure Chast.i.ty against the inroads of violence, and to prevent the Public eye from being insulted by scenes of lewdness and indecorum.
Female Chast.i.ty, which is highly regarded by the natives of India, is preserved by rearing up a certain cla.s.s of females, who are under the conduct of discreet Matrons, in every town and village; and with whom, under certain circ.u.mstances, an indiscriminate intercourse is permitted--a measure of political necessity. Their morals, however, in other respects are strictly guarded, and their minds are not susceptible of that degree of depravity which prevails in Europe. They are taught the accomplishments of singing and dancing--they exhibit at public entertainments, and are even called upon to a.s.sist at religious ceremonies.
The unrestrained lat.i.tude which is permitted to unfortunate females in this Metropolis, is certainly an inlet to many crimes.
The places of resort in Summer, and particularly the Public Gardens, which were formerly an innocent relaxation to sober and discreet families, can now no longer be attended with comfort or satisfaction, from the offensive manners of the company who frequent such places.
It is not that the Gardens are in themselves a nuisance, or that to the inferior exhibitions any blame is to be imputed; for both might be rendered the medium of that rational recreation so necessary both for the health and comfort of the middling or lower ranks of the people, to whom _policy_ and _reason_ must admit occasional amus.e.m.e.nts are necessary.--If so, what can be more innocent, or better calculated for health and occasional recreation than the a.s.semblage of decent people in a Tea Garden?--
Many of them, however, have been shut up, and this recreation denied to the people, because Prost.i.tutes resorted to those places; insulted public morals,--promoted lewdness and debauchery, and banished modest and decent families.
This, if the true cause was developed, is not to be imputed to the place, which in itself was favourable to the innocent amus.e.m.e.nt of the people, but to a deficiency in the Police System.--It was not the Gardens nor their Keepers that offended.--The evil arose from the want of proper regulations, to restrain these excesses and to keep them within bounds.
Such places of resort under appropriate Police regulations, might be rendered a considerable source of revenue to the State, while they added greatly to the comfort and innocent recreation of the People.--By shutting up the Gardens the People are driven to the Ale-houses, where both air and exercise, so necessary to health, are denied them, and where the same excesses often prevail, tending in a still greater degree, to the corruption of morals.
Wherever mult.i.tudes of people are collected together, as in a great Metropolis like London, amus.e.m.e.nts become indispensably necessary.--And it is no inconsiderable feature in the science of Police to encourage, protect, and controul such as tend to innocent recreation, to preserve the good humour of the Public, and to give the minds of the People a right bias.
This is only attainable through the medium of a well-regulated Police.--It is perfectly practicable to render Public Gardens as innocent and decorous as a Private a.s.sembly: although under the present deficient System they are the greatest of all nuisances.--Decent and respectable families are compelled to deny themselves the privilege of visiting them, because no restraint is put upon indecency, and vice reigns triumphant.
It is because things are either done by halves, or nothing is done at all to secure the privileges of innocence, that the sober and harmless part of the community are compelled to forego those recreations which contributed to their comfort: while the young and thoughtless, heedless of the consequences and inexperienced as to the effect, rush into the vortex of dissipation, and unable to discriminate, become victims to the licentiousness which is suffered to prevail.
Since recreation is necessary to Civilized Society, all Public Exhibitions should be rendered subservient to the improvement of morals, and to the means of infusing into the mind a love of the Const.i.tution, and a reverence and respect for the Laws.--How easy would it be under the guidance of an appropriate Police, to give a right bias through the medium of Public amus.e.m.e.nts to the dispositions of the People.--How superior this to the odious practice of besotting themselves in Ale-houses, hatching seditious and treasonable designs, or engaged in pursuits of the vilest profligacy, destructive to health and morals.