SECT. V. Of Procreation in general.

BUT now fuppofe one fhould fhew them of each Species of Beafts, not one only, as above, but two, Male and Female, both endowed with Parts of Generation relative to each other, and enabled thereby to propagate their Kind: Let the most prefumptuous and conceited Atheist, though never fo well verfed in Mathematics or Mechanics, propofe to himself the following Problem, namely, To make two Animals of the fame Species, which befides all other Faculties of Eating, Drinking, Running, Flying, and the like, have likewife that wonderful Property of jointly producing other Creatures of their own Kind, and fo to continue their Pofterity after their own Kind. And let him anfwer us, whether he could be able to do this with all his Wifdom; and if not, whether he must not esteem him that can do it, as much wifer than himself, and all other Men together.

This being done, let him with us contemplate not one, nor two, but thoufands of fuch Creatures in the World; and then confider with himself, whether a pious Enquirer is fo much in the wrong, when he acknowledges the adorable Glory of the Great Creator in all these things; who, to the end that every reafonable Being, that fees these his Wonders, even in fuch fmall Creatures, may be thereby convinced of his Power, of his Wifdom, and of his Bountifulnefs, which he extends to the moft contemptible Animals.

If this be not true, how comes it to pass that in each of the two Sexes, the respective Parts for Procreation are fo accurately adapted, that among fo many Millions, there is hardly one only to be found, that is not or will not be rightly form'd for propagating his Kind. And if this were not the De

fign and Purpose of the Creator, what Reafon can be alledged, that all kind of Creatures living, both upon the Earth, in the Air and Water, (how different foever in Nature, Figure, and Size, they may be) are hurried with fo ftrong an Inclination, yea, even with Rage and Madnefs, to propagate their Species? Infomuch, that one cannot contemplate the fame without Terror many times in thofe Creatures that are ftrong enough to do mischief.

SECT. VI. Generation performed after various

Manners.

THE rather (whereby all Evafions are cut off) fince the wife Creator of all things living has caufed this Propagation of the Species to be performed after fo many and various Ways, that whoever is endowed with any Reafon or Equity, muft be convinced, that all this proves in the cleareft manner, the Work of a free and wife Divine Pleasure, but by no means of a natural Neceffity, operating always after the fame manner.

Thus we fee, that Men, Kine, Sheep, and numberlefs other Creatures, are received and formed in their Mothers Body.

That most Birds are indeed received in their Mothers Body, but are formed in an Egg out of the fame.

That many Fishes (as the Experience of Fishers and other Enquirers inform us) are not only fhaped, but likewife received out of their Mothers Body; forafmuch as the Female or Spawn Fishes, difcharging their Spawn in convenient Places in the Water, the Males refort thither, and impregnate the fame; whereby the little Eggs in the Spawn are fœcundated, and Fishes of the fame Kind are produced from thence.

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The

The Firft is performed entirely in an Animal and Liquid Warmth.

The Second, fo far as it relates to the Reception, is after the fame manner; but the Formation is in a dry and different Warmth: So that in fome Countries many Chickens are hatched from Eggs, in Ovens made exprefly for that Purpofe; not to take notice that Women likewife have hatched Chickens from Eggs by the Warmth of their Bofoms.

The Third, concerning Fishes, happens both ways in Cold Water, without any remarkable Warmth.

And befides this, to fhew that the Great Ruler of al things will not fuffer himself to be bound by any Neceffity or Fatality, we may fee other Fishes to be conceived likewife in their Mothers Body, fuch as Carps, the Spawning-time of which is well known to the Fishers, that teftifie the fame. But befides thefe,there are other Fishes likewife formed in their Mothers Body, fuch as Whales, in which People have oftentimes found living Young ones of the fame Species.

SECT. VII. Animals of both Sexes.

BUT farther to prove this laft, and the unlimited Will of the Great Creator of all things in the Execution of his own wife Purposes, could it be believed that there is a Species of Creatures, which are at the fame time both Male and Female, and which do copulate with each other after both ways? They that defire to be satisfied therein, may confult the Hiftory of the French Academy for the Year 1699. p. 46, 47, &c. where Mr. Poupart affirms, that he had obferved it in Worms that are in the Earth, which would get into a proper Hole for that purpofe by two and two, after fuch Manner, that they can ftretch themselves ftrait out

by

by each other, placing the Head of one by the Tail of the other; after which manner they Copulate, and have been fo found in Spring in warm and moift Weather. This has caufed Mr. Homberg to doubt, whether this Kind of Worms might not impregnate themselves, fince they can conveniently bend their Bodies, and become Males at one end, and Females at the other, into which we fhall not farther enquire. Mr. Poupart does likewife give us there a rough Enumeration of the Creatures, in which he fays, he is fure, that this Particular has Place; and befides thefe EarthWorms, there is mention made of another kind, wiith round Tails, which are found in the Inteftines of Men; fo likewife fuch as are found in Horfes; the Snails of the Earth, and of Frefh Waters, together with many other Kinds, and all Leeches and Blood-Suckers.

This Obfervation is likewife confirmed in the faid Hiftory, for the Year 1708,with many Circumstances about Snails, by Mr. du Verney, as alfo by Dr. Lifter, in his Anotomical Exercitations, as they are mention'd in the Act. Lipf. 1695, p. 318; and Mr. Blancart, in the Theatre of Rupfen, relates the Obfervations of Swammerdam, concerning the Coition of the Horn-Snails, who have in their Neck both the Parts of Generation by each other, and are wont to brandifh the Male Virga feveral times, till it can meet with the Female Part of the other, on both fides the Tab. XVI. Fig. 4. will fhew this • without farther Explanation.

SECT. VIII. Convictions from the foregoing Obfervations.

I HOPE there will be no occafion here of ufing many Arguments to convince a Sceptick, that one who acknowledges a GoD, will not maintain fo

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abfurdly,

abfurdly, when he fees that one and the fame End of Generation is performed after fo many different ways (each of which is the refult of wonderful Wifdom) that this whole Work is to be afcribed to mere Chance, by reafon of the Skill and Contrivance appearing therein; Nor yet to a blind and ignorant neceffary Caufe, on account of the Diverfity and Variety whereby the fame End is fo wifely purfued: But much rather attribute it entirely to GOD, who being neither limited by Laws, by Methods, nor by Inftruments, in revealing his Wonders to Mankind, does make every thing according to his own good Pleasure, and the Council of his Will.

SECT. IX. Young ones produced upon the back of a Pipal.

Now, after how many different Manners, befides thofe already mention'd, the Production of Living Creatures into the World is performed, may be feen in those Treatifes that have exprefly handled this Matter: And that we may be once again convinced, that this is only to be afcribed to a Supreme Will, directing all things according to its determinate Purposes, and which is bound by no particular Rules, we may contemplate the Production of Caterpillars, Silk Worms, and the like, and obferve how much they differ therein from other Creatures, being not fit for it before that they are entirely and fpecifically changed, and from creeping become flying Creatures.

Befides all this, the Belly of the Female Animals feems to be the principally defigned Part for the Procreation of their Young; but again, becaufe none fhould imagine that this were an abfolute Neceffity, and to be afcribed only to the unknown Laws of Nature, let him confult the Second and