Coming into the Self: Autobiography and Masturbation

Abstract

Lords day. Up, and at my chamber all the morning and the office, doing business and also reading a little of L’escolle des Filles, which is a mighty lewd book, but yet not amiss for a sober man once to read over to inform himself in the villainy of the world. At noon home to dinner, where by appointment Mr. Pelling came, and with him three friends. . . . We sang till almost night, and drank my good store of wine; and then they parted and I to my chamber, where I did read through L’escholle des Filles; a lewd book, but what doth me no wrong to read for information sake (but it did hazer my prick para stand all the while, and una vez to decharger); and after I had done it, I burned it, that it might not be among my books to my shame; and so at night to supper and then to bed. (Pepys 1985, 873; emphasis added)