While I was composing in Latin the Original of this small Production, I was sensible of its defects, and, in the Preface to it, made my apology for them. But, after the Performance appeared in print, they struck me much more forcibly; and when I came to examine the French translation of it, which I had been desired to revise, I judged them intolerable.

Besides a number of new observations necessarily to be added, there were faults to be remedied, in the method, and some articles which, being no more than the first outline, insufficient to convey what I had to say, required a fuller extent to be given them.

So many corrections rendered the Work almost a new one, and made it considerably longer. The difficulty of carrying on this undertaking in a living language, and all the disagreeable circumstances that must cleave to it, did not escape me. Nothing could have determined me to engage in it, but the prospect of the utility to mankind of such an undertaking well executed, which is, however, what I dare not boast of. It is only my intention that I can warrant. The crimes of one’s fellow creatures afford but a melancholic object to concern one’s self with: the consideration of them can only afflict and mortify one: a sentiment ballanced by no pleasure but that of hoping to contribute to the diminution of their frequency, and to alleviate the sufferings which are the consequences of them.

But what has given me much more trouble, in this Work, than if I had written it in Latin, is the embarrassment of expressing images, of which the terms and descriptions are declared indecent by use. A dispensation, however, from a due attention to these scruples would have been very disagreeable to my own disposition, with which I could never have reconciled any labor at the expence of what I pride myself on, a due regard for the laws of decency. Yet to this duty it is that are owing the great difficulties that stopped me at every step. I dare aver, then, that I have neglected no precaution for giving to this Work all the modesty in the expressions that the subject would admit. There are, indeed, certain objectionable images inseparable from this matter; but how could I avoid them? Was it fit for me, on such important objects, to keep silence? Doubtless not. The sacred Authors, the Fathers of the Church, who almost all wrote in living languages; the Theological Writers, have not thought themselves obliged to pass over in silence the crimes of obscenity, because they could not be pointed out without naming them, without words, in short. I judged myself authorised to follow their example, and I dare say, with St. Augustin, “If what I have written scandalizes any vitious persons, let them rather blame their own turpitude than the words which I have been obliged to make use of, for explaining my thoughts on the act of generation in mankind. I hope that the truly modest and virtuous reader will easily forgive the expressions which I have been forced to employ.” I will add to what this great Divine says, that I hope to merit the grateful acknowledgment and approbation of the moral and the sensible, who know the general proneness of the world to wicked practices, and who will approve, if not my success, at least the intention of my undertaking.

I have not in this, no more than in my first edition, touched upon the moral part, and that for Horace’s reason,

I have proposed to myself to write on the diseases produced by self-pollution, and not on the crime of self-pollution, considered as a crime; is it not proof enough of its being one, the demonstrating that it is an act of self-murther? Whoever knows mankind, will not be difficultly persuaded, that it is easier to give them an aversion against a vice, by the fear of a present evil, than by reasons founded on principles, of which there is not care enough taken to inculcate to them all the truth and solidity. I have applied to myself what an author, whose name will pass to the remotest posterity, as an honor to the age in which he lived, makes a Clergyman say: “We are put upon undertaking to prove the utility of prayer, to a man who does not believe there is a God; and the necessity of fasting, to one who has, all his life, denied the immortality of the soul: such an attempt is rather difficult, and the laugh is not on our side[1].” Marphurius doubted of every thing till Sganarelle broke his bones; and then Marphurius believed.

These ZoÏluses of society and literature, who themselves do nothing, and blame every thing that is done, will have the assurance to say, that this Work is fitter to spread than to stop this vice, and that it will make it known to such as would otherwise have remained in ignorance of it. I shall make them no answer; they deserve none; it is debasing one’s self to do them that honor: but there are those of weak though virtuous minds, upon whom these objections might make an impression: to these I owe a general reflexion, it is this, that, in that point of light, my Book is liable to no worse exception than what might be made to all books of morality: they must be all prohibited, if pointing out the dangers of a vice was the way to multiply it. The sacred writings, those of the Fathers, those of the Casuists, ought all to be forbidden before mine is so. Besides, what young person is likely to think of reading a Treatise of Physic on a matter of which he does not so much as know the name? It is to be wished, indeed, that this Book were become familiar to all persons to whom the education of youth is committed; it might be of service to them to set an early watch; and detect, in time, any practice of this detestable habit; it would enable them to take the precautions they should judge necessary for preventing the consequences.

Those who do not understand Latin, will, perhaps, find fault with there being too many verses in that language; my answer is, that there are none which are not connected with the subject, since there is not one that was not recalled to my mind by the chain of ideas. I have, however, so disposed them, that they may be skipped without any injury to the thread of the discourse. Those who understand them, will rather be pleased with me for them: a traveller is, in the midst of a dreary barren heath, rejoiced at the sight of a spot of verdure. In short, if it is a fault, it is not, I hope, more than a venial one, and on so disgustful a subject, some relaxation from it may be forgiven the author. If there are no quotations from the Poets in our own language, which would have been more natural, that is no fault of mine; I knew of none to be quoted.

This Work, however, has nothing in common with the English one upon this subject, under the title of Onania; and except about two pages and a half, which I have extracted from it, that rhapsody has been of no use to me. Those who shall read both performances will, I hope, be sensible of the total difference there is between them. Those who shall only read this one of mine, might, without this advertence, be deceived by the affinity of the titles[2], and be led to imagine some resemblance between the two books; happily there is none.

This new edition, is, by the additions, augmented almost a third, and I hope they will meet with a favorable reception from all competent judges. There will probably be two objections made to me: the one, that I have added a great number of observations and authorities, which are little more than repetitions of those that were already in the first edition; the other, that in some places I have too much departed from my leading or principal title, and that I have considered the danger from the pleasures of love under a general point of view.

To the first objection, I answer, that in a matter of this nature, where there is less hope of convincing by reasons than of terrifying by examples, one can hardly accumulate too many.

To the second, I say, first, that when two matters are intimately connected, the more you endeavour to detach one, the worse you treat of it; secondly, that I was glad to render this Work of as much general utility as possible.

I have been told, that it is the reading of that part, that caused horror to an illustrious Professor: I do not believe it. But if it should be true, I would desire him to peruse this Preface, which I must suppose had in such case escaped him.

In writing upon Inoculation, I had proposed to myself to propagate the method that I judged the properest to stop the ravages of that murderous distemper; and I have had the satisfaction of doing, at least, some good: in composing this Work, I have been encouraged by the hope of checking the progress of a corruption more rife, more destructive perhaps than the small-pox itself, and so much the more to be dreaded, for that its operations being carried on in the shades of secrecy and mystery, it undermines without noise, without even those, who are its victims, suspecting its malignity. It was of the greatest importance to make its dangers known. May that Power, to whom every thing is subordinate, vouchsafe to my views that blessing without which our best endeavours can be of no avail! Paul plants, Apollos cultivates, but increase is from God alone.