OF PUBERTY. 419 



ance. It is a certain fad, that young women^ 

 who at firft h^d a copious efFufion, have repeat- 

 ed this pretended fymptom of virginity after a 

 few months ahftinence. This phaenomenon 

 may, by proper management, be frequently ex- 

 hibited, efpecially before the body has acquired 

 its full growth. It is equally certain, that young 

 women, who have not been faithful to the mar- 

 riage-bed, have, notwithftanding, by the fimple 

 expedient of ahftinence, given frelh proofs ot 

 innocence to their deluded hufbands. Some 

 Women, in the courfe of two or three years, have 

 exhibited this fiditious mark of purity five times. 

 But this fymptom is limited to a certain time; 

 for it feldom appears after the age of eighteen 

 years. When the growth of the body is com- 

 pleated, its parts becctiie fixed and unalterable, 

 and cannot afTume difi'erences but by the em- 

 ployment of fuch artifices as it would be both 

 unnecelTary and improper to relate. Befides, 

 many women, particularly thofe who are irre- 

 gular in their menfes, and fubjed to the fluor 

 albus, never have any frelh marks of virginity. 

 Nothing, therefore, can be more chimerical 

 than the prejudices of men with regard to vir- 

 ginity, and nothing can be more fallacious than 

 its pretended figns. A young woman may 

 have commerce with a man oefore the age of 

 puberty, and yet exhibit no marks of virginity. 

 But the fame woman, after ihe arrives at puber- 

 ty; may have very copious eliufions of blood; 

 D d 2 Others, 



