Translated from The Greek Into English metre
Translation by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed
Revised by Richard B.B. Sheridan
1771
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[L]et us proceed to the second Section of the ninth Chapter, "Of the Wages of Dancing Women or Prostitutes."
CHAP. IX. From the most distant Ages the Asiatic World has observed the Custom of employing Women trained up, and hired for the Purpose to sing and dance at the public Festivals and religious Ceremonies. We find that, "When David was returned from the Slaughter of the Philistines, the Women came out of all the Cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul, with Tabrets, with Joy, and with Instruments of Music."
It is still an universal Practice among the Gentoos, to entertain a Number of such Women for the Celebration of their solemn Festivals; and in many Parts of the Deccan, a Band of them is kept in every Village at the public Charge, and they are frequently dispatched to meet any Person passing in a public Character, exactly conformable to the Reception of Saul by the Women of Israel. Probably their being exposed to general View and to a free Conversation with Men (so contrary to the Reserve and Privacy of the rest of their Sex in Asia) first betrayed them into Prostitution: And in former Ages, a Prostitute seems to have been by no Means so despicable a Character as at present, since one of the first Acts of King Solomon's Government that was thought worthy to be recorded was a Decision from the Throne, upon the Suit of two Harlots. Many States, even among the Moderns, have found the Necessity as well as Utility of tolerated Prostitution; they have discovered it to be one of the most effectual Methods for preserving the Peace of Families and the Health of Individuals; and Publick Stews have accordingly been licensed under every Regulation that could be devised to obviate their probable ill Effects, and to secure all their Advantages; so, in Asia, the Profession of Singing and Dancing by distinct Sets or Companies naturally formed these Women into a Kind of Community. And as the Policy of a good Government will always look with an Eye of Regard upon every Branch of Society, it was but just and proper to enact Laws for the Security and Protection of this Publick Body, as well as of the rest of the State, particularly as the Sex and Employment of those who composed it rendered them more than usually liable to Insult and ill Usage.
It can be no Objection to the Rules laid down in this Place, that the Language in which they are delivered is plain even to Grossness; it is well known that the Ancients, even in their most refined Ages, admitted a Freedom of Speech utterly incompatible with the Delicacy of modern Conversation, and that we are on that Account frequently much embarrassed in translating even the most classical Authors of Greece and Rome. — Indecency too seems to be a Word unknown to the Law, which ever insists upon a simple Definition of Fact. The English Courts, upon Trials for Rape or Adultery, are full as little modest and equivocal in their Language as any Part of this or some of the succeeding Chapters; neither Rank nor Sex, nor Innocence can protect a Woman who is unfortunate enough to be called in as a Witness, even upon the most trivial Points of such a Cause, from being obliged to hear, and even to utter the most indecent and shocking Expressions, which are necessarily urged upon her, so far as to authenticate every Circumstance in Question, without the least Disguise of Circumlocution or Reserve in Favour of Modesty: Yet Trials of this Nature are published at length among us, and read with Eagerness, as much perhaps to the Scandal of the Law as to the Corruption of our Imaginations, and the Debasement of our Manners.
But a Work upon so diffusive a Plan as that of this Code is calculated for the Perusal of the Judge and of the Philosopher, and is far above the Cavil of narrow Understandings and selfish Prejudices. These indeed will sometimes feel, or pretend to feel, a greater Shock at the Mention of certain Crimes, than it is to be suspected they would undergo in the Commission of them; but for the Warning of the Subject, and for the Guidance of the Magistrate, no Delineation of Offences can be too minute, and no Discrimination too particular.
-- A Code of Gentoo Laws, Or, Ordinations of the Pundits, From a Persian Translation, Made From the Original, Written in the Shanscrit Language, by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed
-- Prostitution in Ancient India, by Sukumari Bhattacharji
-- Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, by Wikipedia
-- A Code of Gentoo Laws, Or, Ordinations of the Pundits, From a Persian Translation, Made From the Original, Written in the Shanscrit Language, by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed
-- Testimony of the Authenticity of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers, and of His Mission to Recal the Jews, by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, M.P.
Love refines
The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his seat
In reason, and is judicious.
-- Milt. Par. Lost, B.8.
CONTENTS.
• PREFACE
• EPISTLE I. LAIS.
• EPISTLE II. THE PLEASING CONSTRAINT.
• EPISTLE III. THE GARDEN OF PHYLLION.
• EPISTLE IV. THE EXPERIMENT.
• EPISTLE V. THE EXPEDIENT.
• EPISTLE VI. THE CONSOLATION.
• EPISTLE VII. THE DISAPPOINTMENT.
• EPISTLE VIII. FROM THE GROOM OF A KNIGHT IN LOVE.
• EPISTLE IX. THE SLIP.
• EPISTLE X. ACONTIUS AND CYDIPPE.
• EPISTLE XI. THE ARTFUL MAID.
• EPISTLE XII. THE ENRAPTURED LOVER.
• EPISTLE XIII. THE SAGACIOUS DOCTOR.
• EPISTLE XIV. THE PROVIDENT SHEPHERDESS.
• EPISTLE XV. THE FORCE OF LOVE
• EPISTLE XVI. THE BASHFUL LOVER.
• EPISTLE XVII. THE HAUGHTY BEAUTY.
• EPISTLE XVIII. EXCUSES.
• EPISTLE XIX. MERIT RESCUED FROM SHAME.
• EPISTLE XX. THE JAILOR TRICKED.
• EPISTLE XXI. CRUEL COMPASSION.
• EPISTLE XXII. PRIDE DEJECTED.
• EPISTLE XXIII. THE DOUBLE MISFORTUNE.
• EPISTLE XXIV. CONSTANCY.
• EPISTLE XXV. THE SISTERS.
• EPISTLE XXVI. THE PANTOMIME ACTRESS.
• EPISTLE XXVII. THE COXCOMB.
• EPISTLE XXVIII. THE RIVAL FRIENDS.