344 OF THE GENITAL FUNCTION OF WOMAN. 



Haller, of its existence for moral purposes. And, were it con- 

 tined to the human female, the various size of its aperture and the 

 various firmness of the organs, must ever leave those in uncer- 

 tainty who can on their marriage indulge in sensual doubts. We 

 read in Hume that Henry the Eighth, who certainly had his 

 share of experience, boasted his discrimination ; but in the east 

 the difficulty was in ancient times proverbial. The lover 

 of Italian literature who for the sake of great beauties is content 

 to bear with much that is objectionable, knows how exquisitely 

 natural is every description of Boccacio's, and will recollect his 

 story of the daughter of the Sultan of Babylon : " Essa, che 

 con otto uomini forse diecemilia volte giaciuta era, allato a lui 

 (al Re del Garbo) si corico per pulcella, e fecegliele credere, 

 che cosi fosse : e Reina con lui lietamente poi piu tempo visse : 

 e percio si disse : Bocca basciata non perde ventura, anzi rin- 

 nuova, come fa la luna."* 



(C) The muscularity of the uterus is allowed by Malpighi, 

 Morgagni, Mery, Littre, Astruc, Ruysch, Monro, Vieussens, 

 Haller, &c. 



Mr. Charles Bell has a paper in the fourth volume of the Me- 

 dical and Surgical Society, which it is necessary to quote freely, 

 in order to give an accurate description of the muscular structure 

 of this organ. 



" The muscularity of the uterus is proved by direct ocular 

 deinonstration of the fibres in dissection, by the thickness of the 

 fibres corresponding with their degree of contraction, by the 

 visible action of the human uterus during life, by the resemblance 

 of the laws of its contraction, (as felt and as perceived in its 

 consequences) to those which govern the contraction of other 

 hollow viscera, and lastly, by the vermicular and intestinal mo- 

 tions of the uterus, as seen in experiments upon brutes." 



" The most curious and obviously useful part of the muscular 

 .substance of the uterus has been overlooked ; I mean the mus- 



* Deciimcruiic. Giornata scconcla. Novella vii. 



