The Masterpiece, and
other works of "Aristotle, The Famous Philosopher"
Introduction
Aristotle's Masterpiece, a manual of sex and pregnancy, first
saw the light of day about 1680. It is not, of course, the work of the ancient
Greek philosopher, but its true authorship is unclear: the name of William
Salmon has been suggested. Other works by the same or other hands were accreted
to the original "Masterpiece" until by about 1735 the four parts here
published made up the canon. Banned in Britain until the 1960's, it nonetheless
has had a long but mostly clandestine career as a quasi-pornographic book.
Grubby copies were produced in back-street printers, sold in rubber-goods shops
or Holywell Street, and passed from hand to hand until they disintegrated. Many
young boys got their first inklings of sex from it. It was also sometimes given
by their mothers to women about to get married; the effect it had on the mind
of a virgin bride can only be conjectured. It has been read (or at any rate
mentioned) by James Joyce, William Carleton, Evelyn Waugh, Anthony Burgess and
many others, and probably has had more influence than is realized.
Quotations
The woman who kept the Francis Street establishment was a widow, a Mrs
Richardson, but never upon any occasion did I see her look into a book. Whether
it was she herself who collected and arranged the library, I cannot say. I only
hope, for the honour of her sex, it was not; because such a mass of obscenity
and profligacy was (out of Holywell Street, the Jewish establishment in London)
never put together. How booksellers were found to publish the books it is
difficult to say, or how they escaped prosecution. There was not a book in the
whole library but Mrs Richardson was acquainted with its character, a fact
which she never denied.
One of them, for instance, was the History of Mrs Leeson or in
other words the history of the infamous Peg Plunkett, who figured during the
viceroyalty of Lord Manners, and of whom the anecdote of 'Manners, you dogs,'
is yet told. The History of the Chevalier de Faublas was also there, and
another revolting abomination under the nickname of Aristotle.
-- William Carleton, Autobiography
Mr. Bloom turned over idly pages of . . . . Aristotle's Masterpiece.
Crooked botched print. Plates: infants cuddled in a ball in bloodred wombs like
livers of slaughtered cows.
-- James Joyce, Ulysses.
'Now then, what's this about books?' said the chief [Customs officer].
With the help of a printed list (which began 'Aristotle, Works of
(Illustrated)') they went through Adam's books, laboriously, one at a time,
spelling out the titles.
-- Evelyn Waugh, Vile Bodies..
