IF GREAT AUTHORS WROTE PORN. #1 Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers
The last ray of light which faintly illumines the gloom, and then disappears into that hidden obscurity and darkness in which the earlier history of the customary nocturnal activities of the immortal Pickwick would appear to be involved, is derived from the perusal of the following entry in the Transactions of the Pickwick Club.
'May 12, 1827. Joseph Smiggers, Esq., P.V.P.M.P.C. [Perpetual Vice-President--Member Pickwick Club], presiding. The following resolution unanimously agreed to:--
'That this Association has heard read, with feelings of unmingled arousal, and unqualified approval, the paper communicated by Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C. [General Chairman--Member Pickwick Club], entitled "Speculations on the Beauty of the Female Flowers, with some Observations on the Theory of Erection of Titties" and that this Association does hereby return its warmest thanks to the said Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., for the same.'
'A casual observer, [adds the secretary] 'might possibly have remarked nothing extraordinary in the bald head, and circular spectacles, which were intently turned towards his (the secretary's) face, during the reading of the above resolutions: to those who knew that the gigantic brain of Pickwick was working beneath that forehead, and that the beaming eyes of Pickwick were twinkling behind those glasses, and that the magnificent member of Pickwick was twitching beneath those trousers, the sight was indeed an interesting one. There sat the man who had traced to their source the nether flowers of dainty womanhood, and agitated the scientific world with his Theory of Erection of Titties, as calm and unmoved as the sealed lips of the one when not in the presence of manhood, or as the soft nipples of the other when carefully concealed under multitudinous layers of delicate camisoles. That illustrious man slowly mounted into the Windsor chair, on which he had been previously seated, and addressed the club himself had founded. The eloquent Pickwick, with one hand gracefully concealing his crotch, and the other waving in air to assist his glowing declamation; his elevated position revealing fawn colored tights and green gaiters; inspired involuntary awe and respect.
Mr. Pickwick's oration upon this occasion, together with the debate thereon, is entered on the Transactions of the Club.
'Mr. Pickwick observed (says the secretary) that fame was dear to the heart of every man. He (Mr. Pickwick) would not deny that he, like all other men, was influenced by warmest human passions and human feelings regarding the delicate subjects of his research (cheers) but this he would say, that if ever the fire of self-importance broke out in his ... ahem ... bosom, the desire to benefit the human race in preference effectually quenched it, and all his heat of emotion was directed toward the information and enlightenment of his fellows. He therefore proposed to continue his scientific research into the topics heretofore mentioned in his humble paper, and to attempt to extend and enrich the fields of scientific knowledge with further investigations of the interesting and delightful subjects thereof.
[The secretary further reports] 'May 12, 1827. Joseph Smiggers, Esq., P.V.P.M.P.C. [Perpetual Vice-President--Member Pickwick Club], presiding. The following resolution unanimously agreed to:--
'That while this Association is deeply sensible of the advantages which must accrue to the cause of science, from the unwearied researches of Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C., in many well known low establishments of this City--they cannot but entertain a lively sense of the inestimable benefits which must inevitably result from carrying the speculations of that learned man into a wider field, enlarging his sphere of observation, to the advancement of knowledge, the arousal of his ... ahem, intelligence, and the diffusion of learning.
'That this Association cordially recognizes the principle of every member of the Pickwick Club defraying his own traveling expenses and the expenses appertaining to obtaining the society of the subjects of his research; and that it sees no objection whatever to the Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C. of the said society pursuing his inquiries for any length of time he please, upon the same terms.
'That Samuel Pickwick, Esq., G.C.M.P.C be requested to forward, from time to time, authenticated accounts of his journeys and investigations, of his observations of female flowers and nipples, together with all drawings to which the enjoyment of these, and similar portions of anatomy may give rise, to the Pickwick Club, stationed in London.'
Mr. Pickwick received this commission with humble gratitude, if not to say with considerable enthusiasm. Indeed there are some esteemed Members of the Pickwick Club, although desiring that their names not be made public at this time, who report that from certain manifestations arising under the trousers of the celebrated Mr. Pickwick, they felt that he was displaying a remarkable and commendable intention to begin with the utmost haste the investigations he had been commissioned to perform. The hour being late, the Pickwick Club then adjourned, and the members retired to the public house, or took their leave, as their desires led them.
Mr. Pickwick, himself, displayed a great anxiety to perform those important duties and researches with which he had been so lately entrusted. He emerged into the street and hailed a hackney cab. At Mr. Pickwick's signal, the cabman descended from the box. His red countenance might have indicated to an observer that he had been refreshing himself from the bottle which protruded from one pocket of the ragged greatcoat he wore, and the battered hat sitting on his head might have caused that same observer to believe that he was not unacquainted with altercations with his fellow cabmen. Mr. Pickwick, seeing in these signs that perhaps here, indeed, was a man of the world who could provide him with scientific references, spoke a few soft words in the cabman's ear. At those words, the rough fellow gave a hearty chuckle and responded, "Lor' love a duck, guv'nor. Many a 'ouse in Lunnon will take care of what you needs. But a gent loike yerself, yer don't want no common piece er fluff, now, does 'e? Now I can tyke yer to Madem-o-zell Marie's place, guv'nor, which are the perfect 'ouse for toffs loike you to dip yer wick safely." With that he gave Mr. Pickwick such a nudge with his elbow that the esteemed G.C.M.P.C. was almost precipitated into the mud of the street.
Momentarily confused by being placed off balance, and hearing a portion of his name in the rough accents of the cabman, Mr. Pickwick hesitated. But then it came to his understanding that the cabman did not know him as "Pickwick," and he realized that in the colorful slang used by the under classes, "dip yer wick" must indeed refer to those investigations he had be commissioned to pursue. Therefore, he concluded with the driver for the sum of "three bob fer me, and thruppence for the 'oss, and thankee," to be driven to the establishment of Mlle. Marie.
Proceeding through the streets of London at a good pace, the cab soon turned into a narrow street, illumined by a feeble street light at either end, but in the center as dark as those nether recesses that the esteemed scientist intended to probe. In the middle of this street, however, Mr. Pickwick observed a private residence, in front of which stood a liveried footman holding a large candle. By some chemical contrivance, the flame at the tip of this phallic object blazed a brilliant red color. Here the cabman drew up, and Mr. Pickwick was assisted by the footman to alight. He tendered to the cabbie the requested "three bob, and thruppence for the 'oss," and added somewhat over. As he turned to examine the house, he heard a chink of coins and understood that the cabman had also been clandestinely rewarded by the footman for delivering a fare to the establishment. This revelation of the inner workings of an economic system operating, Mr. Pickwick was sure, outside the knowledge of the Crown's tax collectors, he made a mental note to add to his report on the subject of the City's trade in the rental for temporary usage of the objects of his scientific investigation.
The cab clattered off, according to Mr. Pickwick's estimation in the direction of the nearest source of a fresh bottle for the greatcoat pocket. Bowing, the footman inquired of Mr. Pickwick, "What name shall I announce, sir?"