45 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



is accompanied with the fentirrient of fhame, in the 

 men of all countries. No Nation permits public 

 proftitution ; and though enlightened Navigators 

 may have advanced, that the inhabitants of Taïti 

 conformed to this infamous pracflice, obfervers 

 mpre attentive have fince adduced proof, that, as 

 to the ifland in queflion, it was cliargeable only on 

 young women in the lowed rank of Society, but 

 that the other claffes there preferved the fenfe of 

 modelly common to all Mankind. 



I am incapable of difcovering, in Nature, any 

 direâ: caufe of (hame. If it be alleged, that Man- 

 is alhamed of the venereal aft, becaufe it renders 

 him fimilar to the animal, the reafon will be found 

 infufficient ; for fleep, drinking, and eating, bring 

 him ftill more frequently to the limilitude of the 

 animal, and yet no Ihame attaches to thefe. There 

 is, in truth, a caufe of fhame in the phyfical aâ; : 

 but whence proceeds that which occafions the mo- 

 ral fentiment of it ? Not only is the aâ: carefully 

 kept out of fight, but even the recolleftion of it. 

 Woman confiders it as a proof of her weaknefs : 

 (he oppofes long refiftance to the folicitations of 

 Man. How comes it that Nature has planted this 

 obftacle in her heart, which, in many cafes, ac- 

 tually triumphs oyer the moft powerful of propen- 

 sities, and the moft headftrong of paflions ? 



Indépendant!]^ 



