John Wilmot,John Wilmot,the Earl of the Earl of Rochester Rochester

(1647-1680)(1647-1680)& &

Aphra Behn Aphra Behn (?1640-1689)(?1640-1689)

6HUM0228 : Semester B, 2013 6HUM0228 : Semester B, 2013

Eighteenth-Century Eighteenth-Century Bodies

The triumphant Restoration of Charles II to the throne of England: The triumphant Restoration of Charles II to the throne of England: 30 May 1660 (Charles’ 3030 May 1660 (Charles’ 30thth birthday) birthday)

Some of the consorts of

King Charles II (1630-85)

CatherinCatherine of e of

BraganzaBraganza

Louise de Keroualle

Lucy Walter Barbara Villiers

Moll Davis Nell Gwynn

Much wine had passed, with grave discourseMuch wine had passed, with grave discourseOf who fucks who, and who does worse,Of who fucks who, and who does worse,Such as you usually do hearSuch as you usually do hearFrom them that diet at From them that diet at The BearThe Bear..When I, who still take care to seeWhen I, who still take care to seeDrunkenness relieved by lecheryDrunkenness relieved by lecheryWent out into St James’ ParkWent out into St James’ ParkTo cool my head, and fire my heart…To cool my head, and fire my heart…

‘‘A Ramble in St James’ Park’A Ramble in St James’ Park’

God bless our good and gracious KingWhose promise none relies on.Who never said a foolish thing,Nor ever did a wise one.

[‘On the King’]...In the Isle of Britain long since famous ...In the Isle of Britain long since famous growngrownFor breeding the best cunts in all For breeding the best cunts in all Christendom,Christendom,There now does live – ah, let him long survive There now does live – ah, let him long survive ––The easiest king and the best bred man The easiest king and the best bred man alive ...alive ...Peace is his aim, his gentleness is such,Peace is his aim, his gentleness is such,And love he loves, for he loves fucking much.And love he loves, for he loves fucking much.Nor are his high desires above his strengthNor are his high desires above his strengthHis sceptre and his prick are of an equal His sceptre and his prick are of an equal length...length...

[‘Verses for which he was [‘Verses for which he was banished’]banished’]

Elizabeth BarryElizabeth Barry

‘‘Twill please the ghost of my departed viceTwill please the ghost of my departed viceIf, at my counsel, he repents and drink.If, at my counsel, he repents and drink.……I’ll fire his blood by telling what I didI’ll fire his blood by telling what I didWhen I was strong and able to bear arms…When I was strong and able to bear arms…With tales like these I will such thoughts With tales like these I will such thoughts inspireinspireAs to important mischief incline:As to important mischief incline:I’ll make him long some ancient church to fire,I’ll make him long some ancient church to fire,And fear no lewdness he’s called to by wine.And fear no lewdness he’s called to by wine.

[from ‘The Disabled Debauchee’][from ‘The Disabled Debauchee’]

……Stiffly resolved, ‘twould carelessly invadeStiffly resolved, ‘twould carelessly invadeWoman or man, nor aught its fury stayed:Woman or man, nor aught its fury stayed:Where’er it pierced, a cunt it found or made.Where’er it pierced, a cunt it found or made.[…][…]May’st thou ne’er piss, who didst refuse to May’st thou ne’er piss, who didst refuse to spendspendWhen all my joys on false thee depend.When all my joys on false thee depend.And may ten thousand abler pricks agreeAnd may ten thousand abler pricks agreeTo do the wronged Corinna right for thee.To do the wronged Corinna right for thee.

[from ‘The Imperfect Enjoyment’][from ‘The Imperfect Enjoyment’]

……why does Something still permitwhy does Something still permitThat Sacred Monarchs should at Council sitThat Sacred Monarchs should at Council sitWith persons highly thought, at best for With persons highly thought, at best for nothing fit.nothing fit.While weighty Something modestly abstainsWhile weighty Something modestly abstainsFrom Princes’ coffers and from Statesmen’s From Princes’ coffers and from Statesmen’s brains,brains,And nothing there like stately Nothing And nothing there like stately Nothing reigns?reigns?……The great man’s gratitude to his best The great man’s gratitude to his best friend,friend,Kings’ promises, whores’ vows, towards Kings’ promises, whores’ vows, towards thee bend,thee bend,Flow swiftly into thee, and in thee ever end.Flow swiftly into thee, and in thee ever end.

[from ‘Upon [from ‘Upon Nothing’]Nothing’]

Frontispiece Frontispiece from Thomas from Thomas Hobbes’ Hobbes’ LeviathanLeviathan, his , his treatise on treatise on political political philosophy philosophy (1651/definitive (1651/definitive Latin text 1668)Latin text 1668)

Which is the basest creature, man or beast?Which is the basest creature, man or beast?Birds feed on birds, beasts on each other prey,Birds feed on birds, beasts on each other prey,But savage man alone does man betray:But savage man alone does man betray:Pressed by necessity, they kill for food,Pressed by necessity, they kill for food,Man undoes man, to do himself no good.Man undoes man, to do himself no good.With teeth and claws, by nature armed, they hunt,With teeth and claws, by nature armed, they hunt,Nature’s allowance, to supply their want.Nature’s allowance, to supply their want.But man, with smiles, embraces, friendships, praise,But man, with smiles, embraces, friendships, praise,Inhumanely his fellow’s life betrays…Inhumanely his fellow’s life betrays…For hunger or for love they bite, or tear,For hunger or for love they bite, or tear,Whilst wretched man is still in arms for fear.Whilst wretched man is still in arms for fear.For fear he arms, and is of arms afraid:For fear he arms, and is of arms afraid:From fear to fear, successively betrayed.From fear to fear, successively betrayed.Best fear, the source whence his best passions came,Best fear, the source whence his best passions came,His boasted honour, and his dear-fought fame.His boasted honour, and his dear-fought fame.

[from ‘A Satire Against Mankind’][from ‘A Satire Against Mankind’]

Perhaps ill verses ought to be confined,Perhaps ill verses ought to be confined,In mere good breeding, like unsavoury wind;In mere good breeding, like unsavoury wind;Were reading forced, I should be apt to thinkWere reading forced, I should be apt to thinkMen might no more write scurvily than stink;Men might no more write scurvily than stink;But ‘tis your choice whether you’ll read or no,But ‘tis your choice whether you’ll read or no,If likewise of your smelling it were so,If likewise of your smelling it were so,I’d fart just as I write, for my own ease,I’d fart just as I write, for my own ease,Nor should you be concerned, unless you Nor should you be concerned, unless you please:please:I’ll own that you write better than I do,I’ll own that you write better than I do,But I have as much need to write as you.But I have as much need to write as you.What though the excrement of my dull brainWhat though the excrement of my dull brainRuns in a harsh, insipid strain,Runs in a harsh, insipid strain,Whilst your rich head eases itself of wit?Whilst your rich head eases itself of wit?Must none but civet-cats have leave to shit?Must none but civet-cats have leave to shit?

[from ‘An Epistolary Essay from M.G. to O.B. upon their [from ‘An Epistolary Essay from M.G. to O.B. upon their mutual poems’]mutual poems’]

•Facts of her early life subject to Facts of her early life subject to speculation/debatespeculation/debate•Probably originally from Kent, then Probably originally from Kent, then moved with her family to Surinam (then a moved with her family to Surinam (then a British colony) around 1663, then British colony) around 1663, then returned to England where she was returned to England where she was (probably) briefly married then widowed(probably) briefly married then widowed•Secretly employed as Royal spy in Secretly employed as Royal spy in Antwerp in 1666; severe financial Antwerp in 1666; severe financial hardships through lack of payment forces hardships through lack of payment forces her to earn her living by her pen yet she her to earn her living by her pen yet she remained a staunch Stuart remained a staunch Stuart supporter/Royalist throughout her lifesupporter/Royalist throughout her life•Poetry, translations of popular Poetry, translations of popular contemporary French works, plays and contemporary French works, plays and poetrypoetry•Most famous play is the comedy Most famous play is the comedy The The Rover Rover (two parts, 1677/1681); best-known (two parts, 1677/1681); best-known prose work is prose work is OroonokoOroonoko (1688)(1688)•Buried in Westminster Abbey in Poets’ Buried in Westminster Abbey in Poets’ CornerCorner

Aphra BehnAphra Behn(?1640-1689)(?1640-1689)

One day the amorous Lysander,One day the amorous Lysander,By an impatient passion swayed,By an impatient passion swayed,Surprised fair Cloris, that loved Surprised fair Cloris, that loved maid,maid,Who could defend herself no longer.Who could defend herself no longer.All things did with his love conspire’All things did with his love conspire’The gilded planet of the day,The gilded planet of the day,In his gay chariot drawn by fire,In his gay chariot drawn by fire,Was now descending to the sea,Was now descending to the sea,And left no light to guide the worldAnd left no light to guide the worldBut what from Cloris’ brighter eyes But what from Cloris’ brighter eyes was hurled.was hurled.