O F P U B E R T Y. 40X 



In the lilftoiy of man, puberty, circumclfion, 

 cadration, virginity, impotence, and many other 

 circnmftances, are articles too efl'ential to be o- 

 mitted. We fnall, therefore, endeavour to de- 

 fcribe them with that delicacy of ilyle, that phi- 

 lofophical apathy, which annihilate every loofe 

 delire, and beftovv^ on words nothing more than 

 their limple and priniitivc figniiication. 



Circumcifionisa cuftom of great antiquity, and 

 is fiill pradifed over tlie greateil part of Afia. 

 Among the Hebrews, the operation was perform- 

 ed eight days after birtli. In Turkey it is delay- 

 ed to the feventh or eighth year, and fometimes 

 to the eleventh or twelfth. The children inPerfia 

 are circumcifcd at the age of live or fixj the 

 wound is healed with caultic or ail:ringent pow- 

 ders ; and burnt paper is very generally ufed, 

 which according to Chardin is the bell remedy. 

 This author tells, that the operation, when 

 performed on grown pcrfons, is attended with 

 conlklerablc pain : That they are obliged to be 

 conhncd to tlic houfc three or tour weeks j and 

 that death is fometimes the confequence. 



in the Maldivia iilands, children arc circum- 

 cifcd at the age of ieven years. To render the 

 ikin foft, the children are bathed in the fea fix or 

 feveu hours before the operation. 'I'rie Ifraelites 

 made uie of" a iliarp ftone: The Jcwsobferve the 

 fame mode in molf of their fynagogues. But the 

 Mahometans employ a knife or a razor. 



Vol. II. C c An 



