The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher:Containing His Complete Masterpiece and Family Physician; His Experienced Midwife, His Book of Problems and His Remarks on Physiognomy

by Pseudo-Aristotle

THE MASTERPIECE CHAPTER I On marriage and at what age young men and virgins are capable of it: and why so much desire it. Also, how long men and women are capable of it. There are very few, except some professional debauchees, who will not readily agree that "Marriage is honourable to all," being ordained by Heaven in Paradise; and without which no man or woman can be in a capacity, honestly, to yield obedience to the first law of the creation, "Increase and Multiply." And since it is natural in young people to desire the embraces, proper to the marriage bed, it behoves parents to look after their children, and when they find them inclinable to marriage, not violently to restrain their inclinations (which, instead of allaying them, makes them but the more impetuous) but rather provide such suitable matches for them, as may make their lives comfortable; lest the crossing of those inclinations should precipitate them to commit those follies that may bring an indelible stain upon their families. The inclination of maids to marriage may be known by many symptoms; for when they arrive at puberty, which is about the fourteenth or fifteenth year of their age, then their natural purgations begin to flow; and the blood, which is no longer to augment their bodies, abounding, stirs up their minds to venery. External causes may also incline them to it; for their spirits being brisk and inflamed, when they arrive at that age, if they eat hard salt things and spices, the body becomes more and more heated, whereby the desire to veneral embraces is very great, and sometimes almost insuperable. And the use of this so much desired enjoyment being denied to virgins, many times is followed by dismal consequences; such as the green weesel colonet, short-breathing, trembling of the heart, etc. But when they are married and their veneral desires satisfied by the enjoyment of their husbands, these distempers vanish, and they become more gay and lively than before. Also, their eager staring at men, and affecting their company, shows that nature pushes them upon coition; and their parents neglecting to provide them with husbands, they break through modesty and satisfy themselves in unlawful embraces. It is the same with brisk widows, who cannot be satisfied without that benevolence to which they were accustomed when they had their husbands

Genres: Philosophy, Classics, Nonfiction, History, Ebooks, Science

230 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1684

About the author

"Pseudo-Aristotle is a general cognomen for authors of philosophical or medical treatises who attributed their work to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, or whose work was later attributed to him by others. Such falsely attributed works are known as pseudepigrapha.

The first Pseudo-Aristotelian works were produced by the members of the Peripatetic school which was founded by Aristotle. However, many more works were written much later, during the Middle Ages. Because Aristotle had produced so many works on such a variety of subjects it was possible for writers in many different contexts—notably medieval Europeans, North Africans and Arabs—to write a work and ascribe it to Aristotle. Attaching his name to such a work guaranteed it a certain amount of respect and acceptance, since Aristotle was regarded as one of most authoritative ancient writers for the learned men of both Christian Europe and the Muslim Arab lands. It is generally not clear whether the attribution to Aristotle of a later work was done by its own author or by others who sought to popularize such works by using his name.

In the Middle Ages more than a hundred Pseudo-Aristotelian works were in circulation. These can be separated in three groups based on the original language used for the work, namely Latin, Greek or Arabic. The category of Latin works is the smallest while the Arabic works are most numerous. Many Arabic works were translated to Latin in the Middle Ages. The majority of these cover occult subjects such as alchemy, astrology, chiromancy and physiognomy. Others treated Greek philosophical subjects, more often the Platonic and Neoplatonic schools rather than the thought of Aristotle. The Arabic Secretum Secretorum was by far the most popular Pseudo-Aristotelian work and was even more widely diffused than any of the authentic works of Aristotle.

The release of Pseudo-Aristotelian works continued for long after the Middle Ages. Aristotle's Masterpiece was a sex manual which published first in 1684 and became very popular in England. It was still being sold in the early twentieth century and was probably the most widely reprinted book on a medical subject in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century."

-- Wikipedia

Reviews

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

"A word of Advice to both Sexes, consisting of several Directions with regard to Copulation.

As Nature has a mutual desire for copulation in every creature, for the increase and propagation of its kind, and more especially in man, the lord of creation and the masterpiece of Nature, in order that such a noble piece of divine workmanship should not perish, something ought to be said concerning it, it being the foundation of everything that we have hitherto been treating of, since without copulation there can be no generation. Seeing, therefore, so much depends upon it, I have thought it necessary, before concluding the first book, to give such directions to both sexes, for the performance of that act, as may appear efficacious to the end for which nature designed it, but it will be done with such caution as not to offend the chastest ear, nor to put the fair sex to the blush when they read it."

[Max · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't handle it. I spent so long riffing it that I couldn't get very far. It comes by its ignorance honestly, given the period it came out of, but I just want to give the author a proper science lesson. A good laugh, if bad biology doesn't rile you up.

[Kimbot the Destroyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This shit is as entertaining as potato-shifter erotica.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so crazy. A midwifery manual from the 17 century, it was falsely attributed to Aristotle somehow. It's full of interesting "scientific information" about anatomy, physiology, genetics, conception, gestation, and many other topics. At the time this information was modern and accepted, but the vast majority of it has since been disproven. In addition, there are many recipes for remedies, medicines, poultices, and much more, that would certainly interest the modern-day herbalist. However, someone who is not very knowledgeable about reproduction and biology could pick up a lot of misinformation from this text.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of the works that have been ascribed to Aristotle but clearly were not written by him. Lots of gobbledygook and weird stuff throughout. People would write stuff and then say it was written by someone else, called Pseudepigrapha, in order to get it spread through the people and increase it's popularity. Most times it's pretty obvious whether a famous author wrote something.

[E.J Brayfy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found an old copy in my home, decided to read it as the way they thought about medicine in those eras of science were interesting and amusing.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have my doubts if this was written by Aristotle. Filled with poetic prejudice and presumption; some of these unequivocal answers felt as if they reflected a latter time, deep in the Dark Ages. If it was Aristotle, I’m deeply disappointed. He doesn’t hold a candle to Plato in thinking or inspiring thought in his readers.

Question after question was asked and answered with no hesitation or consideration as I’ve come to anticipate in an intellectual. Is that because this piece of literature was written before intellectuals or during a time when there was an active attempt to silence and bury them?

Seldom were the answers accurate, although they were often offensive or amusing. At times they were both. I debated whether I should give this book a second star for the sheer entertainment value offered by its ridiculousness. Given the dangerous possibility of someone taking this book too seriously in all innocence, I decided not to.

I’m not sure if there any truths in this book. Maybe there a couple. What it does offer is insight into the prejudices learned men possessed in ancient times, showing what they believed to be true.

I grabbed this book because it was free and it was a chance to reading something by Aristotle. I’m unsure if I succeeded in the latter. Read at your risk only if you’re not easily offended and can find humor in another’s self-righteous assurance, in spite of a lack of accuracy in telling you how it is.

[A. Houser]

Any interest in this book will primarily lie in its historical function, obviously (Leopold Bloom spies a copy in Joyce's _Ulysses_, as noted in this wonderful review: http://publicdomainreview.org/2015/08...). The book was a kind of blockbuster, reflecting a period in which interest in the self, the body, and gender norms had intensified. For that reason, it has appeal across a range of inquiries, from the history of science and the history of sexuality and of gender to literary production through time.

[Adam Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something fascinating in old medical works, and this piece of seventeenth century popular science about how to make and deliver babies is no exception. Some of the information and advice seems sensible, some seems enlightened, some seems crazy and some seems criminal but it's all based on a view of the body we no longer hold, unless we are one of them holistic/qi/good and bad energy nutjob type people.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where children thus are born with hairy coats
Heaven's wrath unto the kingodom it denotes.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting as a primary source for historical study, but boring and useless in all other contexts.

[Mary Ellen Woods · Rating 3 out of 5]

OMG 1860s bad sex advice

[eliza · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring and so wrong.