The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Needed Change in the Age of Consent
    
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.

Title: The Needed Change in the Age of Consent

Author: Richard Arthur

Release date: September 25, 2021 [eBook #66377]
                Most recently updated: October 18, 2024

Language: English

Credits: Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from scans of public domain works at The National Library of Australia.)


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NEEDED CHANGE IN THE AGE OF CONSENT ***

THE NEEDED CHANGE IN THE AGE OF CONSENT.


AN APPEAL For the Better Protection of Our Girls.


BY RICHARD ARTHUR, M.A., M.D.


SYDNEY: THE CHRISTIAN WORLD PRESS, 301 PITT STREET. 1896.




The Needed Change in the Age of Consent.


Good laws, as a great statesman has said, are for the purpose of making
it easy to do right and difficult to do wrong. Such laws protect the
weak and ignorant who are unable to take care of themselves, and deter
the cunning and unscrupulous from injuring their fellows. When the
strong prey upon the weak in any community, without the law in any way
attempting to prevent it, such apathy points to a low moral sensibility
in the community in which it exists.

This moral indifference and tolerance of injustice, must be charged
against the people of New South Wales. Their representatives in
Parliament have so devoted themselves to the strife for office and the
incidence of taxation, that the question of protecting by law, the
chastity of young girls, has been ignored. And the people have been
content to have it so. In New South Wales, at the present time, any
girl of fourteen years and a day, may be outraged, and unless it can
be proved that actual violence was used, the law will do nothing to
the man who has ruined her. In other words, the law of New South Wales
gives its sanction to the seduction of every girl above fourteen, if
this can be done without the employment of brute force. And experience
shows that men are not slow to avail themselves of this license. In
Sydney, the Rescue Homes, the Lying-in Hospitals, and the lock wards
are filled with girls, some about to become mothers, others suffering
from loathsome diseases, all social outcasts, and with a future of woe
and tragedy before them.

Is not this a foul blot on this colony? Are there no men with
chivalrous feeling and pity for the weak, whose blood boils when
they hear of these things, are there no women whose hearts go out to
these poor, fallen children to save them? And cannot all see that it
is infinitely better and easier to try and prevent this fall, than
to remedy it after it has happened? For the means of doing this is
at hand. It is to raise the age at which a girl can consent to her
own seduction. The “Age of Consent” so-called, at present stands at
fourteen years. Increase this age to at least eighteen, and thus
give the girl protection during the four years of her life in which
experience proves that danger threatens her most.

After this age, the girl must be the guardian of her own virtue, and it
is most probable that increased knowledge and strength of will power
would preserve her from moral ruin. It is a significant fact that while
the law holds the child of fourteen capable of defending her honour, it
does not allow any girl who may possess property to manage or dispose
of it in any way till she is 21 years old, and anyone marrying her
without the consent of her legal guardians, even though she may be
willing herself, is liable to severe punishment.

If the girl of fourteen is capable of being the guardian of her own
virtue then we must concede that physically she is fitted to become a
mother, that she realizes to the full, the consequences of immorality,
and that her self-control and power of moral resistance render her
proof against any bribes or threats by which it may be sought to
influence her.

Now all medical authorities would utterly condemn the idea that a girl
of fourteen was fit for the stress and strain of motherhood. Not only
would she run great danger herself, but her offspring would in all
probability be sickly and unfit for the battle of life.

Again, can a young girl comprehend in the least degree, the
consequences of consenting to her own ruin?

The majority of girls are brought up in entire ignorance of all matters
connected with sex. It is the parent’s boast that they are perfectly
“innocent,” by which is meant that they know none of the facts of the
genesis of life, and are totally unwarned against the dangers which
may assail them at any moment. Nothing could be better fitted for the
purpose of the seducer, and the innocence which is supposed to throw a
halo of purity round the girl, is sometimes the instrument of her ruin.
But, granting that she has learnt in some imperfect and unsatisfactory
way, about these matters, can she adequately grasp the results which
may come upon her? Is she aware that she may become a mother, with all
the dangers attending maternity, can she estimate the social ostracism,
the life-long shame that will be her lot if her fall is discovered;
does she know that this first downward step taken through ignorance or
thoughtlessness, is the first on the path which leads by the streets of
the city to the harlot’s grave?

And further, is the period between 14 and 18, one in which
self-control is firmly established, and the actions governed by
prudence and reason? We know it is not. Girls at this age have little
resisting power. Their vanity is easily appealed to, their ignorance
of life leads them into situations which older women would avoid,
often their affections are easily engaged, and under the caresses and
blandishments of the man--generally much older than themselves, they
are but as clay in the potter’s hands. And it would be difficult to say
how many of these case are actually, if not legally, cases of rape, for
often a considerable amount of resistance has to be overcome before the
crime is effected.

In fact, if we considered this subject calmly and without prejudice, we
will see that it is monstrous that in our colony, a young girl may be
robbed of her most precious possession, dearer to her than any material
wealth, or even than life itself, and our law tacitly connives at it.
_The girl consented to her moral ruin, and so there is nothing more to
be done._

This law, or rather want of law, is altogether in the interests of
immoral men. Here, adequate protection is not given, because if it
were, men would have to desist from debauching young girls, or run the
risk of severe penalties.

The only argument ever brought forward by those opposed to giving girls
adequate protection, is that if this were done, false charges would
constantly be brought against men for the purpose of blackmailing.
Now, we may admit that this argument has a certain relevancy, but very
much less than those who use it, claim for it. It is true that some
additional cases of false charges might arise, but in all probability
they would be very few. And for this reason, that in, the majority of
these cases of attempted blackmailing, the charges are brought either
by very young children, at the instigation of older people, or by adult
women who have the knowledge and cunning necessary for the planning out
of such a charge. The period from 14 to 18 during which it is suggested
to give the protection already accorded to those below 14, is one where
there is the least likelihood of false charges being brought.

But the most important counterargument is this. Any girl or any woman
can bring a charge of indecent assault against a man, and the same
evidence as is required in a case of seduction, would be needed here.
Thus any man in this colony, whatever his position, is liable to the
danger of false accusation, and the age of the woman bringing the
charge, makes no difference. Especially are medical men exposed to this
danger, and yet they have never clamoured for additional protection
from the law, but have so regulated their actions as to minimise the
possibility of such false charges.

It can thus be seen that if a girl wishes to attempt blackmailing, by
far the easiest course open to her is to bring a charge of indecent
assault, and this is really more difficult of disproof than a charge of
seduction. When this can be so readily done, the theory of a greatly
increased number of false charges from raising the age of consent, can
practically be ignored.

Again, it is urged that girls will tempt young men and then extort
money from them. But all who have given attention to the subject agree
that it is almost an unheard of thing for a previously chaste girl
to invite a man to immorality. If a girl does this, it points to the
fact that she has already been seduced, and the change in the law is
asked for that this very thing may be prevented. If men are kept from
violating young girls, there will be no unchaste girls to tempt men in
their turn.

It may be that in a few cases, injustice may be done and men wrongly
punished, but this may be urged against every law. And can this
possibility outweigh the hundreds of cases of girls who, every year
in this colony, meet with physical and moral disaster, which a juster
state of law might have prevented? Have we no pity for these children,
who on the threshold of what might have been a bright and prosperous
life, meet with woeful shipwreck, and instead of becoming the happy
wives and mothers of the future, join the unspeakably sad ranks of the
prostitute?

Men who have any chivalrous feeling in their nature will gladly accept
whatever increased risk there may be, in order that this further
protection, till an age when knowledge and prudence are greater, may be
given, and immoral men will have to learn that, if they do not wish to
incur this danger, they must not place themselves in positions in which
they will be liable to false charges.

What then must be done? It must first be recognised that unless the
public voice unmistakably demands this reform those who can give effect
to it will not move in the matter. This was shown in England, where for
some years the proposal to raise the age of consent was contemptuously
rejected by the House of Commons, until Mr. Stead’s memorable articles
in the _Pall Mall Gazette_ raised public feeling to white heat, and the
desired legislation was rushed through with almost no opposition in a
few days. In the United States, too, during the last eighteen months
a well-organised agitation, in which the Women’s Christian Temperance
Union has taken a leading part, has succeeded in obtaining the age of
eighteen in eight States, and the agitation is still being continued to
raise it to this in other States where the age is lower.

The W.T.C.U. of New South Wales has determined to follow the example
of the American unions, and undertake this momentous work on behalf of
its sex. If it can succeed in enlisting the sympathy and co-operation
of the Churches and philanthropic societies, and all work together
cordially for this great object, public opinion will soon be roused,
and from one end of the colony to the other will come the demand that
this scandalous state of affairs be instantly remedied. If this be
so, the government will hasten to carry out the wishes of the people,
and we will take rank with those who cherish and defend at all costs
the honour of their daughters. All can help in this work. There
are petitions to be signed, public meetings organised, members of
Parliament to be interviewed, and many other means by which success
may be ensured.

It is to be hoped that none will hold back from assisting on account
of prudery, or false delicacy. The purest can and should aid in this
crusade, and if they decline to do so from any selfish motive, and this
reform is not carried, the blood of those who perished because this has
not been done will be upon their heads. But we believe better things of
the men and women of New South Wales, and are convinced that, with the
help of God, 1896 will not pass till this most needed of all laws has
been placed on our Statute Book.

[Illustration: Decoration]


_After reading, kindly give this to a friend, and sign, if possible, a
petition in favour of this object._


“Christian World” Press, 301 Pitt-st., Sydney.



*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE NEEDED CHANGE IN THE AGE OF CONSENT ***


    

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
States without permission and without paying copyright
royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following
the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use
of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for
copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very
easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation
of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project
Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may
do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected
by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark
license, especially commercial redistribution.


START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg™
electronic works

1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person
or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg™
electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the
Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the individual
works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
that you will support the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting
free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg™
works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
Project Gutenberg™ name associated with the work. You can easily
comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when
you share it without charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes no
representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must appear
prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™ work (any work
on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the
phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed,
performed, viewed, copied or distributed:

    This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
    other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
    whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
    of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
    at www.gutenberg.org. If you
    are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws
    of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
  
1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is
derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg™
trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works
posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
beginning of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg™
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work in a format
other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official
version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain
Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the
full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
provided that:

    • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
        the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method
        you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
        to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has
        agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
        Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
        within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
        legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
        payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
        Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
        Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
        Literary Archive Foundation.”
    
    • You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
        you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
        does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™
        License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
        copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
        all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™
        works.
    
    • You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
        any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
        electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
        receipt of the work.
    
    • You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
        distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.
    

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than
are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of
the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right
of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
without further opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in
accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
or any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or
additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any
Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg™

Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future
generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West,
Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up
to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website
and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread
public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state
visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg™ electronic works

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be
freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of
volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search
facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.