UNCHASTITY 221' 



chosen and paid by the venders, who circulate among 

 the students, at ten cents a volume, any of the one hun- 

 dred and forty-four obscene books heretofore published 

 in New York City." 



Largely through the influence of Mr. Comstock, 

 laws have been enacted which promise to do much to- 

 ward checking this extensive evil, or, at least, causing 

 it to make itself less prominent. Our newspapers still 

 abound with advertisements of various so-called med- 

 ical works, ''marriage guide," etc., which are fruits 

 of the same "upas-tree" that Mr. Comstock has labored 

 so faithfully to uproot. 



Sentimental Literature.— It is a painful fact, 

 however, that the total annihilation of every foul book 

 which the law can reach will not effect the cure of this 

 evil ; for our modern literature is full of the same virus. 

 It is necessarily presented in less grossly revolting 

 forms, half concealed by beautiful imagery, or embel- 

 lished by wit ; but yet, there it is, and no law can reach 

 it. The works of our standard authors in literature 

 abound in lubricity. Popular novels have doubtless 

 done more to arouse a prurient curiosity in the young, 

 and to excite and foster passion and immorality, than 

 even the obscene literature for the suppression of which 

 such active measures have recently been taken. The 

 more exquisitely painted the scenes of vice, the more 

 dangerously enticing. Novel-reading has led thousands 

 to lives of dissoluteness. 



City and school libraries, circulating libraries, and 

 even Sunday-school libraries, are full of books which, 

 though they may contain good moral teaching, contain, 

 as well, an element as incompatible with purity of mor- 

 als as is light with midnight darkness. Writers for 

 children and youth seem to think a tale of "courtship, 



