Love + Sex

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Sex tips, from the year 1894

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Getty Images

Imagine a time when sex was seen as "at best revolting and at worst rather painful." According to The Sun (and well, anyone who's ever taken rudimentary history lessons), the Victorians, not exactly known for their raunchy bedroom antics, perceived a woman's um, "wifely duties" as something to abhor. Sex Tips for Husbands and Wives was penned by Ruth Smythers, a vicar's wife, in 1894. Some amazing gems:

  • The wise bride will permit a maximum of two brief sexual experiences weekly — and as time goes by she should make every effort to reduce this frequency.
  • A selfish and sensual husband can easily take advantage of his wife. One cardinal rule of marriage should never be forgotten: Give little, give seldom and above all give grudgingly. Otherwise what could have been a proper marriage could become an orgy of sexual lust.
  • A wise wife will make it her goal never to allow her husband to see her unclothed body, and never allow him to display his unclothed body to her.
  • Once in bed, the wife should turn off all the lights and make no sound to guide her husband in her direction, lest he take this as a sign of encouragement.
  • When he finds her, she should lie as still as possible. Bodily motion could be interpreted as sexual excitement by the optimistic husband. Sex, when it cannot be prevented, should be practised only in total darkness.
  • Clever wives are ever on the alert for new and better methods of denying and discouraging the amorous overtures of the husband. Arguments, nagging, scolding and bickering prove very effective if used in the late evening about an hour before the husband would normally commence his seduction.
  • By their tenth anniversary many wives have managed to complete their child-bearing and have achieved the ultimate goal of terminating all sexual contacts with the husband.

Compare that to the lessons offered by Holly Hollenbeck, author of the 2008 book, Sex Lives of Wives:

  • Exude tremendous enthusiasm for sex and have it as often as possible. Try never to say no and do not start thinking or talking about other chores or problems during it.
  • Create variety — make love as a “lady” then next time, play it nasty as a “tramp”. Alternate the pace — sometimes fast and frantic, sometimes slow and romantic, using different sound effects, including sexy compliments breathlessly uttered, pleasurable moans and sighs and nasty encouragements.
  • Be assertive about what you want, taking care that any ideas do not come across as criticism. Try incorporating what you would like him to do by working the suggestions into the details of a story. Describe how hot such action would make you or your character in the story feel.
  • Tune in to what he loves and share it with him — if he likes watching sexy movies, suggest watching one together. Visit a bookshop and choose some erotic stories you can read to each other, surf the web with him and share “chats”.
  • Venture outside the bedroom and seek unusual locations for sex. Have a mental fixation on the sensation — focus only on his and your pleasure.
  • Know what turns you on — your desire will heighten his. Good things for women to try include having an ear sucked, a foot rub, leaning on a vibrating washing machine during the spin cycle and feeling the spray of a pulsating showerhead.

Damn, looks like you really have come a long way baby.
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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 147
  • ilovechrisrodriguez's Avatar
    Posted by ilovechrisrodriguez Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:44pm PST

    wow.thats hot

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  • B E L L O V E D 2 1's Avatar
    Posted by B E L L O V E D 2 1 Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:10pm PST

    hehe, I think the best thing to do, is what makes both of you feel good.

    These are hillarious, one is sadomasochistic, and the other is totally submissive.

    If you compare this with how other things have changed over time you would be suprised. Could you imagine if we re-introduced this puritan thinking back into the mormon/christian/super-religeous communities and women followed it? There would be A WHOLE LOT of miserable men!-Rachel.

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  • Steph's Avatar
    Posted by Steph Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:29pm PST

    How about some sex tips for men? Ugh.

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  • donald h's Avatar
    Posted by donald h Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:13pm PST

    no more talking about turning the clocks back belloved after all; that kind of teaching also made women feel ashamed for liking sex so women would be as miseriable as the men. lol

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  • Alexandra's Avatar
    Posted by Alexandra Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:27pm PST

    Of course on the flip side,there was some very erotic literature written during the Victorian era. Obviously,not everyone felt like the writer above ;)

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  • Amy (TasselLady)'s Avatar
    Posted by Amy (TasselLady) Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:40pm PST

    Boy am I glad I didn't live back in the 1800's. Talk about boring!!! And it's a shame that women were taught to hate sex, that it was somehow dirty. And the irony of this is that God created sex for procreation and for pleasure. So why is it that these "religeous" people back in those days think otherwise???? It's a shame really.

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  • elibon10's Avatar
    Posted by elibon10 Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:03pm PST

    I think my wife read this book.

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  • mont.calm's Avatar
    Posted by mont.calm Tue Nov 11, 2008 7:09pm PST

    pretty sure this is a satire. it's in the humor section of amazon and snopes has a bit more on it http://www.snopes.com/weddings/newlywed/advice.asp

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  • alyssa_tameling's Avatar
    Posted by alyssa_tameling Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:29pm PST

    He he..your wife read that book! Made me giggle!

    Honestly, I really did not enjoy sex completely until

    I got into my 30's.

    Women married so young back in the 1800's and died earlier also than we do now. I really don't know how a 14-15 year old could really understand or enjoy sex anyways, back then...no one ever talked about it!!!

    I hate to generalize, but really, how many teens and young women know their body and know how to express what they need....I only had sex to feel wanted, and close to a guy, to feel special. After I turned 30, I KNEW what I wanted, was comfortable with my body, and comfortable asking for my needs to be met. think it is one of the only good thing about getting older, as a woman, IMHO

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  • TaraM's Avatar
    Posted by TaraM Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:54pm PST

    Wow no wonder Victorian women were so uptight! I think having sex is part of living a healthy life.

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