The Annual Register Volume 3 (Paperback)

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. 1789 Excerpt: ... was born lame, appeared, on his coming into tl- world, so very weak and tender, that it was thought impossible to rear him. Notwithstanding this, Agesilaus lived to the age of fourscore and four; and what service did he not render his country, iu the course of'that career? The austerity, not to fay, th- pedantry of thole laws of Lycurgus, might perhaps induce us to believe, that chastity was one of the principal virtues, with which ha endeavoured to inspire his people. But this would be a great mistake. How surprized must we be to see, that this famous legislator had not the least thoughts of securing any respect for public decorum and good manners. To what a degree, in fact, must not modesty, bastifulness, and decency have been offended by the use of public baths, common to men and women? By those games, in which the young people of both sexes'fought and da need with each ot her quite naked? What a pernicious influence has not this practice had ou the morals of the women of Sparta? They were so dissolute and abandoned, that theancientsreproached the Spartans with it, as an excess, which distinguished them, to their illume. from all the other inhabitants of Greece; besides, this excels was authorized by the laws of Lycurgus, This legislator seems to have racked his brains to sind out the. best methods of abolishing all the idi-as we ought to entertain of conjugal felicity. An old man, for example, who had a young and handsome wife, might, without (hocking cither law or decency, make an offer of her to a vigorous and handsome young man; and it was lawful for this old man to consider and bring up, as h.is'own, the fruits of this adultery. "What, is more, a man of good family, aud an advantageous stature, who happened to fix his eyes on the be...