The female jockey club, or A sketch of the manners of the age, by the author of the former Jockey club

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1794 Excerpt: ... to believe as Orthodox, all proclamations, will be slow in devoting to obloquy and misery, an innocent female, or in countenancing opinions, that tend to violate the sanctity of plighted Faith, and to enable man and woman, pledged N to each other by the engagement of a solemn religious contract, to marry other parties; nor will they, now that they have begun to think for themselves, that their minds are in a state of progress, be easily led to adopt a political statute, in lieu of a religious vow, on which every thing most dear and sacred in society depends, and which would render the issue of matrimonial contract spurious. The ordinary feelings of mankind, are not yet sublimed to this pitch of r-y-1 refinements. The vulgar still continue to pay some respect to that tye, which serves as a barrier of security, for the peace and happiness of families, and to prevent the fatal consequences of promiscuous prostitution. Great God! is the reign of delusion to last for ever? Are neither experience or example, so dearly bought, sufficient to convince us, of the flagrant inveteracy of these impostures? What magic is there in the found of------? and what honor can an amiable beautiful woman derive from such an union? or where, on the other side, consists the disgrace, in yielding to the generous impulse os the heart, in contempt of stupid, fac4 titiousr titious, distinctions? Do the letters which compose the name of Murray, strike more grating on the ear, than the harsh outlandijh name of? Is affection become an art, to require the sanction of a royal patent, and are the most sacred religious duties,--the tenderest, dearest sensibilities of human nature, like the ordinary commodities of life, to be at the discretion of an--of, prompted from behind the curtain of a c...