4o6 OF PUBERTY. 



time of infancy, however, is always preferable. 

 But the amputation of the whole external parts 

 of generation is often fatal, efpecially if per- 

 formed after the age of fifteen years. Even in 

 the moil favourable time, which is from fcYen 

 to ten years of age, there is ahvays great danger. 

 The difficulty of preferving eunuchs of this kind 

 renders them exceedingly precious. Tavernier 

 informs us, that, in Turkey and Perfia, they bring 

 five or fix times the price of the other kind. 

 Chardin obferves, that the total amputation is 

 accompanied with the molt exquifite pain ; that 

 it is performed pretty fafely upon young chil- 

 dren ; and is exceedingly dangerous after the 

 age of iifceen ; that hardly a fourth part efcape 

 with life f and that the wound is never cured in 

 lefs than fix weeks. On the other hand, Pictro 

 della Valle ailerts, that thofe who fuffer this pu- 

 nifhmeot in Perfia for rapes, and other crimes 

 of that nature, heal eafily, though advanced in 

 years ; and that they apply nothing but afhes to 

 the wound. 1 knovv^ not whether thofe who 

 underwent the fame puniiliment in Egypt, as 

 Diodorus Siculus relates, elcaped with equal eafe. 

 According to Thevenot, vad numbers of ne- 

 groes, who are forced by the Turks to fubmit 

 to this operation, perifh, even when it is per- 

 formed on children of eight or ten years of age. 

 Befide negro eunuchs, there are others at 

 Conftantinople, throughout all Turkey, Perfia, 

 &c. who, for the moll part, are brought from 



the 



