The Way of a Virgin: Being Excerpts from Rare, Curious and Diverting Books, Some Now for the First Time Done Into English (Classic Reprint) - Tapa blanda

IN devoting a volume to the romance and folklore of Virginity, it may not be inappropriate first to examine the psychology of a word and a quality as magical as they are misused. What is virginity? Is it the possession in tact of that delicate piece of men1brane, the pocts' (/Ios virginitatis/ or is it son1e indescribable, intangible attribute in on sense dependent on physical perfection? Does it in1ply abstention from and ignorance of all sexual pleasures, or n1ust it be a chastity which falls little short of stupid, even crinlinal, innocence? To us mC9d~rns, blessed (or cursed) with a snla ttering of science, 'woman is virginal just as long as ve kno"v or believe her to be, physical quali ties notwi thstanding. By the poet of the past, the ron1anticist; the mediaeval lover, and the ignorant, physical as vell as spiritual proofs were probably required or expected. To them, virginity yas s~mething tangible; to us it is not. N or is the reason far to seek

Table of Contents

CONTENTS; Page; VIRGINITY AND ITS TRADITIONS 19; THE ENCHANTED RING:; Of a Young Husband who Sought to; Redeem his Yard from Pawn, and of; the Diven Adventures that Befell him; in his Quest _ , 43; VARIANT;; Of a Tailot' flvho Consented to S1'n 'with; tZ certain Woman 'who Admit'ed his; Proportiorzs/ and how they Fared 52; THE INSTRUMENT:; Of a Y OU1zg Girl who Desit"ed her Lover; to Buy a Better Instrument, flvhich she; Enjoyed, Lost and Found again 57; EXCURSUS TO THE INSTRUJVIENT 58; THE TIMOROUS FIANCEE:; Of a Maid (who 'lvould Wed None save; I van the N 0-Yard)' and how they were; Wed, after which 'she first Hired, then; Bought, a Good Yard ft'om Ivan's Uncle 59; EXCURSUS TO THE ENCHANTED; RING, THE INSTRUMENT, and THE; TIMOROUS FIANCEE 64; ADVENTURES WITH HEDVIGE and; HELENE AT GENEVA:; Of an Adventure twith two Charming; Cousins, one of whom Desired to know why a Deity could not Impregnate a; Woman/ and how the Hero of out· Story; gav