An entire body of philosophy according to the principles of the famous Renate Des Cartes in three books, (I) the institution ... (II) the history of nature ... (III) a dissertation of the want of sense and knowledge in brute animals ... / written originally in Latin by the learned Anthony Le Grand ; now carefully translated from the last corrections, alterations, and large additions of the author, never yet published ... by Richard Blome.

CHAP. II. Of Animals produc'd of Seed.

I. Whether Whitings and such like Fishes are of one Sex only. SOME Animals are thought to be of one Sex only, and to Generate and bring forth with∣out the Male, as ARISTOTLE in the 11th Chapter of the 4th Book of his Natural Hi∣story, relates of Rochets and Plaice among Fishes; which when they are taken, are found to have Eggs. The same thing is affirmed of Oisters, and some other Shell-fish, that they are impregnated with their own proper Seed, and that they breed and bring forth their like without Natural Coi∣tion.

Those that stand up for Aristotle and right or wrong defend whatsoever hath been wrought by him, admit, without the least difficulty, this asser∣tion of his, because ••e Judges so, Writes so, and will have it so: But we who prefer Truth before Aristotle, and think nothing fit to be received which is not consentaneous to Reason and Experi∣ence, reject his Assertion as Fabulous, as having conferred with Men of undoubted Credit and Re∣putation, who affirm that they have seen Rochets without Spawn, and Plaice, Male and Female, in conjunction together. And indeed it is utterly re∣pugnant to Reason, that any Animal should pro∣create by it self, and propagate its Species without the help of another. So that I am apt to believe that Aristotle delivered not this to be his Senti∣ment, as totally relying upon his own proper Judgment or Experience, but rather by suffering himself to be led aside by the Credit of those Fishermen whom he had hired to discover to him the Nature and Properties of Fish. The same may be said of Oisters and such like Shell-fish; since there are many who affirm that they have seen Horn-fish and Purples in Conjunction each with their kind: Nay, and that they have observed their Meeting at set times of the year to perform the said work of Generation.

II. That Chil∣dren some∣times inhe∣rit the de∣fects of their Pa∣rents. Women that are maimed or deprived of one or more Limbs, sometimes bring forth Children affe∣cted with the like Mutilation, as that Woman men∣tioned by GASSENDUS, who having for∣merly brought forth many Children perfect and intire, afterwards when she had lost one of her Fingers, brought forth several Children, in like manner, deficient. Sir KENELM DIGBY gives us a Relation of a certain Woman whom he saw in Barbary, who having two Thumbs on her Left Hand, was attended by four Daughters, whom she brought forth thumb'd in like manner.

Ancient Physitians generally alledge one main cause of these and the like effects, namely the de∣flux of the Seed from all parts of the Body: For∣asmuch as since the Blood is carried by a perpetual motion through the Body of the Animal, it is not to be doubted but that the subtil part there∣of adapted to Generation, by passing through all its parts, is concocted by every one of them, and affected in a certain peculiar manner, so that it partakes of the qualities of each, and carries them along with it to the Heart, whereunto it tends; and where it is separated from another more gross part, and laid up in receptacles appointed by Na∣ture. And this, say they, is the Seed which every Animal makes use of for the Generation of others

like it self. So that if it chance that the Animal from which that Spermatick Matter is drawn, wants any Limb or Member, no virtue of the said Member will be in the Blood, and consequently the Birth will come forth maimed, or destitute of some part or parts. Or if any part or parts in the Annimal exceed, as Sir Kenelm relates of the Afri∣can Woman, or there be any exuberance or excres∣cence of Flesh, the same deformity will be also concomitant to the Birth, unless this redundancy be temper'd by the Seed of the other Parent, or the superfluity of the Blood be corrected.

III. Defects, Diseases and Vices of Parents entailed upon their Children. And for the same cause they say it is, that they who are troubled with the Gout, Epilepsie, Lepro∣sie, or any such like contagious disease, impart the same to their Births: Especially the Mothers, since they afford them Aliment, and together with the Blood, the habit of Body, as they likewise com∣municate the manners and dispositions of the Mind. Hence commonly it falls out that lewd and drunken Women bring forth Children of the same temper and like themselves entailing their vices on their Offspring.

IV. How Chil∣dren come to be markt with their Parents defects. But as in Fruits it may possibly be conjectur'd, that the Buds and Efflorescences have been form'd in their original exemplar from the beginning of the world; so the like is to be inferr'd in the produ∣ction of all Animals; and tho' it may seem very difficult to comprehend how the form and features of Parents are imprinted in the Births; yet if we seriously consider it, we shall find it not so hard a matter to conceive as we think, that the figure of a Body so small, and so flexible as is that of an Embrio, may be diversly modified, whether it be by the Bodies which serve to extend and enlarge it, or by those which close or compress it, or by the imagination of the Mother which hath power to remove the humours, and consequently to cause them to flow towards some parts rather than others. For when they fail to bend their motion towards some parts of the Infant, then it is that the In∣fant is born with the Defects of the maimed Pa∣rent.

V. How Exu∣berances or Additions of Parts happen. And on the contrary, if it happen that they have exuberances or more parts than belong to a compleat Birth, as two Heads, or the like; this addition of parts may be attributed to the meeting of two Eggs hitting together, or whose parts have been disordered, intermingled, or crusht together through the motion of the Humours, several ways, by the imagination of the Mother.

VI. The Cause of Womens Barrenness. Some Women are undoubtedly barren and un∣capable of ever bringing forth Children, and the reason is evident from things already discourst of in our Institution of Philosophy; namely, that eve∣ry Egg, in its proper receptacle, that is, the Wo∣mens Testicles is rendred fruitful by the Virile Con∣tact, that the Egg thus faecundated or fructified, increases daily more and more, and is at length shut up in the Womb, and is there, as it were, ripened with heat, till such time as it hath received all its Lineaments. So that Women are Barren when their Eggs are either intemperate, or hard∣ned, or wrapt in a Membran too thick to be fer∣mented by the touch of the Virile or Male Seed; or because their Eggs are too small or juiceless, so as to contain little or nothing in them, or else because their whole Bodies are intemperate or full of gross humours, or are over fat, or because they are troubled with the Whites, or have their Courses too much. But of all others, the chief cause of Sterility is said to consist in the obstruction of the Fallopian Tubes, since if these chance to be obstru∣cted, the Seminal Spirit cannot reach the Ovary to fructifie it.

VII. Women de∣prived of the usual benefit of Nature, are barren. Women, whom the Monthly benefit of Nature fails, are barren and void of all faecundity.

The Reason is, because at such a time the Ves∣sels being obstructed, the passage is rendred un∣capable to transmit the Genital Air to the Ovari∣um. Whereas Women, when their Courses begin, and more especially when newly over, are sooner impregnated and conceive, because the Womb is moist with a certain roscid humour, and more easi∣ly attracts and retains the Seed.

VIII. When the Menstruous Fluor be∣gins in VVomen. Women have not their Courses at the same time in all Countries. In very hot Climats, for the most part, the Profluvium begins in the 7th or 8th year: So the story goes of an Indian Girl, who was married at seven years old, and at eight brought forth a Boy. In temperate Regions at 12 or 14; in cold Regions seldom before the 16th or 18th year of Age: In persons very young these Fluors break not out, both in regard the Blood is for the most part taken up in the nutrition of the Body, as also because the Blood is not sharp enough to open easily the Mouths of the Vessels: In Women growing into years it ceases, in regard the Blood thickning for want of due fermentation, is not so fluid as in the strong and youthful.

IX. VVhether She Mules are barren, and for what cause. She Mules are generally accounted barren and uncapable to bring forth their like.

The Cause of this sterility in Mules, Modern Physitians attribute to the want of Eggs in the Womb. For STENO, who first discovered and made publick the Ovary in Women, affirms that Mules have indeed Testicles, but are destitute of Eggs, and therefore no wonder they are so bar∣ren, since they have not like other Animals, Eggs in those Testicles.

However some there are that question this Tra∣dition, and assert that she Mules are not altoge∣ther barren, since there have been Mules known which have brought forth; particularly there was one of late in Auvergn that brought forth a young Mule. And PLINY quotes Theophrastus his Testimony, that Mules in Cappadocia bring forth not only those that are generated of a He Ass and Mare, but also such as are begot of Mares, and wild Asses, tho' this seldom happens by rea∣son of the great difference of parts which consti∣tute the Womb of a she Ass, and those which con∣stitute that of a Mare; forasmuch as the Asinine Birth possesses those Caruncles, Placents and Zones which the Equine Birth is destitute of. Wherefore it must needs be, that whereas a She Mule partakes not of all those parts, she cannot but be barren, unless some extraordinary accident happen.

XI. A too fre∣quent effu∣sion of Seed hurtful to the Brain. Overmuch effusion of Seed is very hurtful to the Brain and Nerves, and creates an extraordi∣nary weakness in them, as those persons by expe∣rience find, that too much indulge to Venery.

HIPPOCRATES was of opinion, and to this day it is the belief of many Physitians, that the Genital Humour is derived from the Brain into the Spermatick Vessels, whereof when▪ever there is any evacuation made, the Brain must of

necessity be weakned. But since there appears no peculiar Channels from the Brain, which can con∣vey the foresaid humour to the Spermatick Parts, it is most consentaneous to reason, that this noble humour is generated out of the mass of Blood, or as others will have, out of the Nutricious Juice and Animal Spirit well compounded, whereof some part is no less diffused to the Genitals than to the Brain. But that the overmuch wastings of the Genital Humour should endamage and weaken the Brain, that arises from hence, namely because the Blood to repair the spent Seed, puts the Brain to the expence of its most subtil part to supply the Spermatick Vessels with a sufficient quantity of Animal Spirits. Nay, when the Blood out of its own substance cannot contribute sufficiently to the Genitals, it claims of the Brain a Grant of new matter formerly borrowed on purpose.

XI. Children generally resemble one or other of their Parents. Children most commonly are like to one or other of their Progenitors, and sometimes resemble both. Some Women have the resemblance of the Grand Father, Great Grand Father, or some other of their Ancestors. As that Graecian Woman, mention'd by PLINY, being accused of Adul∣tery because she had brought forth a Black, was acquitted and judged innocent when it appeared that she was but the fourth degree removed from an Aethiopian Ancestry.

It is a common opinion of ancient Physitians, that if the Womans Seed abound, the Birth be∣comes like the Mother; if the Mans Seed predo∣minate, it is most like to the Father; but if there be an equal proportion on both sides, that then there is a resemblance to each party alike; and to this purpose and almost in the same terms LAC∣TANTIUS expresses himself.

XII. The Reason of the re∣semblance of Children to their Pro∣genitors. But I rather think, as I said a little before, com∣paring the Germination of Plants with the Produ∣ction of Animals, that the resemblance of Chil∣dren to Parents, is not caused by the exceeding quantity of Seed, either of the one or the other Parent, but rather because the Seed of the Male, making way into the Pores of the Eggs, opens them in such a manner, that they are more dispo∣sed to receive the matter whose particles resemble those of the Male Seed than to admit of others, by reason whereof the particles, which make up the composition of the Infants Body, rank them∣selves in such sort as those are rank'd which com∣pose the Fathers; and this is the true cause of Fa∣ther and Sons resembling each other. The same reason may be given of Infants being born with a resemblance to the Grand Father, or any other Ancestor, whom neither Father nor Mother ever knew. For it may easily be conceiv'd, that An∣cestors may possibly have imprest in their begot∣ten Off-spring such sort of dispositions, that the parts of their Seed cause in the particles of the Eggs those particular structures which are proper to produce in the Birth a Figure modified rather one way than another.

XIII. VVhence it is that some Children are born Lame, o∣thers Gib∣bous. But some will say, if Infants are thus inclosed, and as if it were fenc'd about in Eggs, how comes it that some are born Lame, others Gibbous or bunch backt?

This happens when the Infant is so streightned in the Womb, that all the parts cannot grow pro∣portionably; whether it be that that the Womb is too little, or because the parts of the Birth are diversly affected by some exteriour cause. For by this means the Infant must needs be out of order, that is, must have some Member greater or smaller, or otherwise dispos'd than the natural construction of the Body requires.

XIV. How it tomes to pass that sometimes VVise Men beget Fools. Hence it is that wise men oft beget Changelings, or Children of little or no understanding: Because having their minds imployed in subtil inventions, or some serious points of Learning or Art, they little mind the Sports of Venus, and are very slack and indifferent in the performances thereof. On the contrary, those that are eagerly bent upon the Act of Generation, for the most part beget Chil∣dren of like Affections, Manners, Studies and In∣clinations of Mind. For those Children in whom vigour of Soul and Vital Spirit is infused from the faculty of the Seed, cannot but be of the same Disposition, Nature and Temperament with their Progenitors.

XV. VVhence it is that the VVomen of Holland bring forth Harelipt Children. The Matrons of Holland by looking earnestly upon a Hare, oft-times bring forth Children with the Upper-Lip divided, or as we commonly call them Hare-Lipt. In like manner, some have Flat Noses, Wry Mouths, Blubber Lips, and a habit of Body, all over deformed.

The Reason is, because Women in the time of their conception or going with Child, have many times their Eyes, Thoughts and Fancies strongly fixt upon some or other misshapen or ill favour'd sight: For such is the force of Imagination, that when a Woman Locks or Thinks upon any thing very earnestly, she commonly brings forth some thing very nearly resembling the thing so seen or thought on. So a certain Woman not forgotten in story, who having cast away all shame, while her Husband was absent, and prostituted her self to another person, brought forth a Child no way like to the Gallant, but the very Picture of her absent Husband: The cause whereof is Elegantly and Wittily described by Sir Thomas More in one of his Epigrams.

XVI. VVhence it is that Children are brought forth like to the things be∣held. The like is related by GALEN, namely, that a certain Woman brought forth a Child not at all like the Father, who was naturally deformed in Body, and of an ill-favour'd Visage, but to a fair Image or Picture which her Husband had often de∣sired her frequently to cast her Eyes upon. And PORTAEUS makes relation of another Wo∣man, who delighting as it were by a natural pro∣pensity, to have frequently in her sight, and oft∣ner in her mind a Statue of Marble representing a Fat Boy, brought forth a kind of Man Child Pale and Wa••, and indeed wholly resembling the said Statue. Nor is this peculiar only to Human Race, but common also to Brute Animals, of which more in the following Chapter.

XVII. How Twins are genera∣ted. Whence it is that Twins are brought forth at one Birth.

Ancient Physitians were of opinion, that the Womb is distinguisht into so many Cavities or Cells, divided by Membrans from one another as there are Births generated in the Womb; but the con∣trary is proved by experience. For the Womb hath in reality but one continued Cavity; and the truth of the matter is this, when several Births, at one time are generated in the Womb, they are contain∣ed each in their proper Membrans; so that if two, three or more Births are conceived, it is when the Male Seed hath been very spirituous, even to the

impregnation of so many Eggs, with the same fruit∣fulness through the Fallopian Tubes, as if there were but one, which being driven down to the bottom of the Womb, are there each of them fructified.

XVIII. Whether Issues dis∣pose to Bar∣renness. It is a Vulgar Maxim among Women, and by some taken for a certain truth, especially here in England, that if a Woman have but one Issue, she is condemned to Sterility or Barrenness, and much more, if more. Therefore to married Women that are in expectation of Childing, this sort of application, tho' otherwise thought very conducible to health, is most strictly forbidden.

But of this Interdiction I have yet found no just reason alledged, only there are cited some stories of Barren Women with Issues about them; but it would not be difficult to produce relations of very many Barren Women without Issues, and of many Fruitful ones which have them.