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