A manual on sex and pregnancy banned from sale in the UK for more than 200 years is to be auctioned in Edinburgh. Aristotle's Compleat Master-Piece first appeared around 1680 and sets out various ideas on sexual relationships and how to conceive. It was banned in the mid-18th century and remained a forbidden text until the prohibition was lifted in 1961. An edition printed in the 1760s is expected to fetch up to £400 when it goes on sale next week. A book specialist at auction house Lyon and Turnbull said the book did not feature anything that would be considered "dirty" in society now.
Cathy Marsden said: "It was very popular. It was probably the most printed
text of its kind and it went through a lot of editions. It's fascinating reading. It tells an amazing story about the changing
perspectives on sex." The book is thought to have served as a reference guide for amateur midwives
and young married couples, and includes dire warnings about the possible
consequences of extra-marital sex. Ms Marsden said: "There are various things which warn parents about what
could happen to their children if they sinned whilst conceiving them, perhaps by
having sex outside marriage.
"It would say that your baby would be born all hairy or
it would suggest that Siamese twins were the result of the parents' sins. There are also interesting bits about the 17th century notion that it was
considered beneficial for a woman to enjoy sexual intercourse in order to
conceive. It suggests that both men and women should enjoy sex. That's interesting
because much later on, when they realised that a woman didn't have to climax in
order to conceive, the idea of a woman enjoying sex was considered far less
important." She said the book was attributed to Aristotle but there is little, if any, of
his work in the text. Nothing is known of the actual author of the piece.
Ms Marsden said: "We don't really know why it was attributed to Aristotle but
one possibility is that they were just trying to make it sound better or more
worthy than it might have been." She said the book ban probably came in around the middle of the 18th century,
a time when various legal cases saw several books deemed to be too rude to be
allowed for sale. It remained banned in the UK until 1961, although it could be legally
obtained in places such as New Zealand throughout the Victorian era. However the book remained popular on the black market and was often available
to buy under the counter. The edition being auctioned is thought to have been published around 1766.
It will go under the hammer in Edinburgh on 16 January.
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