In 1894, Ruth Smythers, 'Beloved wife of The Reverend L. D. Smythers', wrote: 'While sex is at best revolting and at worse rather painful, it has to be endured. One cardinal rule of marriage should never be forgotten: give little, give seldom and, above all, give grudgingly. Most men are by nature rather perverted, and if given half a chance, would engage in quite a variety of the most revolting practices.' The Methodist wife didn't intend to be amusing, but this brief treatise written for young brides is side-splitting today and an eye-opener to how our love lives have changed in just over a century. Includes essential advice on: * how to discourage your spouse's amorous advances * appropriate night-wear for the wedded couple * the acceptable length and frequency of unavoidable sexual encounters.