Loretta reports:
The following encore presentation of a 2010 post may serve as a preface to tomorrow's feature about another fun-loving girl.
The
Regency era courtesan Harriette Wilson belonged to the sorority called
Girls Just Want To Have Fun. Here’s her take on virtue:
~~~
There
certainly was much aggravation of sin, in my projected criminal
intercourse with the Marquis of Worcester. Many women, very hard
pressed par la belle nature, intrigue because they see no
prospect nor hopes of getting husbands; but I, who might, as everybody
told me, and were incessantly reminding me, have, at this period,
smuggled myself into the Beaufort family, by merely declaring to Lord
Worcester, with my finger pointed towards the North—that way leads to
Harriette Wilson’s bedchamber; yet so perverse was my conscience, so
hardened by what Fred Bentinck calls, my perseverance in loose morality,
that I scorned the idea of taking such an advantage of the passion I
had inspired, in what I believed to be a generous breast, as might,
hereafter, cause unhappiness to himself, while it would embitter the
peace of his parents.
Seriously I have but a very
confused idea of what virtue really is, or what it would be at. For my
part, all the virtue I ever practised, or desire to learn, was such as
my heart and conscience dictated.
Now the English
Protestant ladies’ virtue is chastity! There are but two classes of
women among them. She is a bad woman the moment she has committed
fornication; be she generous, charitable, just , clever, domestic,
affectionate, and ever ready to sacrifice her own good to serve and
benefit those she loves, still her rank in society is with the lowest
hired prostitute. Each is indiscriminately avoided, and each is
denominated the same—bad woman, while all are virtuous who are chaste.
…The
soldier’s virtue lies in murdering as many fellow creatures as
possible, at the command of any man, virtuous or vicious, who may happen
to be his chief, no matter why or wherefore.
The French ladies’ virtue is, generally speaking, all comprised and summed up in one single word and article—bienséance!*
*propriety
~~~
Excerpt from The Memoirs Of Harriette Wilson, which were first published in 1825.
You can read the first two volumes from the 1909 edition online here. And for further insight into this fascinating woman, you might want to look into The Courtesan’s Revenge: The Life of Harriette Wilson, the Woman Who Blackmailed the King.
Postscript: Isabella/Susan sent me this link to one of the illustrations—which definitely captures the insouciant spirit of the book.
Laws Concerning Women in 1th-Century Georgia
2 weeks ago
3 comments:
What an interesting text!
Thank you for the link to Harriet's memoir. The liberated women of that era fascinate me.
Definitely liberated. Interesting that even today, people apply a double standard and derogatory terms.
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