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2. A family; a race (Shak.). 3. Progeny; offspring (Shak.). 4. A single succession (Raleigh). 5. An age; about 33 years (Hooker). GENERATION, a sexual action for the purpose of propagating life, performed in different ways among different animals; some of which have the powers of both sexes in the same individual, others, and by far the larger part, the powers divided between male and female individuals.

The females of quadrupeds have a matrix, separated into two cavities, uterus bicornis, and a considerable number of teats: excepting a few species of simia they have no menstrual flux; most of them bear several young at a time, and the period of their gestation is generally short. The generation of birds is very different, The males have a strong genital organ, which is often double. The vulva in females is placed within and behind the anus; the ovaries have no matrices, and there is a duct for the purpose of conveying the egg from the ovarium into the intestines: this passage is called the oviduct. The eggs of pullets have exhibited unexpected facts to physiologists who have examined the phænomena of incubation. The most important discoveries are those of the immortal Haller, who persuaded himself that he had found the chicken perfectly formed in eggs which were not fecundated: a fact however that wants much confirmation. There is no determinate conjunction between fishes, excepting the squalus or shark; the female deposits her eggs on the sand, over which the male passes, and emits its seminal fluid, doubtless for the purpose of fecundating them; these eggs are hatched after a certain time. The males of several oviparous quadru peds have a double or forked organ. Insects exhibit all the varieties which are observed in other animals. The organ of the male is usually armed with two hooks to seize the female: the place of these organs is greatly varied; with some, it is at the upper part of the belly near the chest, as in the female dragon fy; in others, it is at the extremity of the antenna, as in the male spider. Most worms are hermaphrodite; each individual has both sexes. Polypes, with respect to genera tion, are singular animals: they produce by buds or offsets: a bud is separated from each vigorous polype, which is fixed to some neigh bouring body and grows.

The polypules, or young polypes, are likewise found on the surface of the parent worm, germinating in the same manner as branches issue from plants.

Such is a glance at the difference of the sexual organs in different classes of animals. To give even an equal glance at the different theories which have endeavoured to account for the production of life upon the prolific conjunction or mere action of these organs, would carry us far beyond our limits.

The following, however, which is equally brief and comprehensive, we shall beg leave to select from Mr. Good's notes on his translation of Lucretius, vol. ii. p. 195. “Omitting an

infinite variety of offsets and abortive systems which have been generated and have existed for a short time, from this fertile subject, there ate three that deserve our particular attention; that which contends that the animal, or rather the human fetus, for we are now principally bending our attention to our own species, is the conjoint production of seminal matter afforded in coition by both sexes, which has been termed the theory of epigenesis; that which asserts that the female alone affords the basis of the embryon; and that which affirms it to be the total production of the male; both which latter have been denominated theories of evolution.

"The second hypothesis in the present ar rangement, or that contending for the production of the fetus from female rudiments alone, was originally advanced by Josephus de Aromatariis; but it was principally brought into notice by Swammerdam and Harvey. Observing a vast cluster of vesicles in the female ovarium, an organ situated on each side of the uterus or womb, and in its immediate vicinity, though only mediately connected with it by means of the Fallopian tube and vasa deferentia, and perceiving that these vesicles appeared to diminish in number in some kind of propor tion to the number of parturitions a woman had sustained, they successively determined that these vesicles must be inert eggs, or ovula, containing in extreme embryo a perfect miniature of the form assumed afterwards; which, by the pleasurable shock sustained throughout the whole body in the immediate act of coition, but more directly by themselves from proximity of situation, are instantaneously thrown into a state of vital activity, are detached from the common cluster of which they constitute a part, and in a short time pass into the uterus through the canal of the Fallopian tube, which spontaneously enlarges for the purpose; where, by the genial powers of the uterus itself, the incipient embryon is gradually evolved and augmented into a perfect fetus, and partakes of the common form and properties of the parent stock. The little animal, it was maintained by Harvey, might be occasionally impressed with an organic resemblance to the father from the electric impulse communicated in copulation to every portion of the fluids and solids of the body, and, of consequence, to the essential humour of the ova themselves: but, reasoning from the length of the vagina in cows, and many other animals, and his own occasional dissections of the human subject shortly after coition, he contended that the emitted fluid of the male never could enter the uterns, and, of course, could not mechanically assist in the evolution of the contained embryo.

"Leewenhoek and Hartsoeker, however, upon a more accurate anatomy of the uterus immediately after copulation, discovered not only that the projected male fluid could enter into its cavity, but that it actually did thus enter; and in some instances which fell beneath their notice, had obviously ascended into the Fallopian tubes. And now a new doctrine was

started, and one altogether opposite to the theory gestation. The system of generation ab ant

of Harvey. Upon the principle of the former theory the father had no immediate connection with his own child: he could not bestow upon it a particle of his corporeal frame, and the entire production was the operation of the mother. In consequence, then, of this discovery, we were instructed that the whole creation was the property of the father, and that the mother, in her turn, had nothing to do with it; that every particle of the projected fluid was a true and perfect semen, containing in itself, like the ovum of the female upon the theory of Harvey, the miniature of all the organs and members of the future fetus, which in due time were gradually evolved and augmented; and that the uterus and ovum, into which some one of these semina was almost sure of being protruded in the act of coition, conjointly offered nothing more than a mere nest, in which the homunculus, or radimental fetus, was deposited for warmth and nutriment. And as the former appealed to the phenomena of oviparous animals during the period of incubation, the phenomena of worms and porwigles were appealed to by the latter; and a very considerable degree of life and motion were supposed to be incontrovertibly discovered, by the aid of good magnifying glasses, in the seminal fluid itself, and not less than many millions of these homunculi, or little unborn men, frisking about in a diameter of the smallest grain of sand, and all of them of the exact shape of a tadpole. But Delappius, a pupil of Leewenhoek, advanced farther, for he not only saw these tadpoles but traced one of them bursting through its tunic and exhibiting two arms, two legs, the human head and heart. Imagination, we see, is not confined to poetry: it often extends as largely to the profoundest branches of science; and the investigator of philosophical systems meets with his occasional pleasantries, as well as the hunter after historical anecdotes. It is truly astonishing, how ever, to reflect on the universality with which this latter opinion has, till within a very few years, been accredited; and how decisively every anatomist, and indeed every man who pretended to the smallest portion of medical science, was convinced that his children were no more related, in point of actual generation, to his own wife than they were to his neighbours! It was in vain that Verheyen denied the existence of animalcules in the seminal fluid, and demonstrated that the motion supposed to be traced there was a mere microscopic delusion: it was in vain that the impossibility was urged of the descent of a pulpy and vesicular ovulum through the almost imperceptible canal of the Fallopian tube, with which, in reality, it is never immediately connected; it was in vain to adduce the existence of an equal quantity of maternal and paternal features in almost every family in the world, the undeviating intermixture of features in mules and other hybrid animals, and the casual transfer of maternal impressions to the child when suddenly frightened during the earlier period of

malculo maris was still triumphantly maintained, and the feeble exertions of the few who had sense enough to oppose it was drowned in the multitudinous vociferation of their opponents.

"At last arose the accurate and indefatigable Buffon, and undecoyed by opinion, as well as undismayed by clamour, he resolved to deviate from the beaten path of absurdity, to think for himself, and to publish his thoughts to the world. And what do they at last amount to? A resuscitation of the Epicurean theory of Lucretius, illustrated and explained from inodern science and the experience of additional ages. All animals and vegetables, according to the ingenious theory of this admirable naturalist, contain an infinite number of organic molecules in every part of their frames; but in the sexual fluid and the seed-vessels of plants they are more numerous than in any other parts. These organic elements afford nutrition and growth to the animal and vegetable system; and when either becomes adult, the surplus is secreted and strained off for the formation of their respective seeds. The existence of vesicular ova detached at distinct periods of time from the female ovarium is, upon this hypothesis, a mere chimera, and their passage through the Fallopian tube into the uterus is declared to be totally unfounded on any proof whatsoever, and a mere assumption for the purpose of systematizing. The ovaria are, in reality, testes, receiving, like those of the male, the surplus of the organic molecules of the body, and secreting them for the purpose of generation. The seminal liquor thus secerned in the male and female frames are, in the act of coition, protruded at the same time into the uterus; and becoming intimately blended together, produce by a kind of new fermentation the first filaments of the fetus, which grow and expand like the filaments of plants; for nature, it appears, commences all her operations by a similar kind of motion; and the fetus, in its state of incipient existence, possesses nothing more than this. To render such combination of seminal fluids productive, it is contended that their quantities must be duly proportioned, their powers of action definite, and their solidity, tenacity, or rarefaction symphoneous and accordant; and that the fetus is either male or female as the animal fluid of the man or woman abounds most with organic molecules, and resembles the father or the mother according to the different combinations of these elements.

"This ingenious theory has since been strenuously supported by Maupertius in his Venus Physique, and Needham in his admirable paper inserted in the Philosophical Transactions, vol. xiv. In each of these last publications, indeed, we find some degree of change, and for the most part some degree of improvement; but the variations are neither numerous nor very essential. The system of Darwin differs but little from that of Buffon, and obviously took its rise from it. Professor Blumenbach, of

Gottingen, has also of late brought forwards a theory not essentially different from this of Dr. Darwin."

We have only to add that the theory of epigenesis, first started by the Epicureans, and since re-started by Buffon, has also received complete or nearly complete confirmation both in zoology and phytology by the experiments of Spalanzani and Koelreuter, and the result of such experiments as applied by Werner.

GENERATION (Female organs of). The parts subservient to generation in a woman are divided into external and internal. The external parts are the mons veneris, the labia, the perinæum, the clitoris, and the nymphæ. To these may be added the meatus urinarius, or orifice of the urethra. The hymen may be esteemed the barrier between the external and internal parts. That soft fatty prominence which is situated upon the ossa pubis, extending towards the groins and abdomen, is called the mons veneris; its use seems to be chiefly that of preventing inconvenience or injury in the act of coition. If a line be drawn across the anterior angle of the pudendum, all that part above it which is covered with hair may be called mons veneris, below it the labia commence, which being of a similar though looser texture, appear like a continuance of the mons veneris passing on each side of the pudendum, which they chiefly compose. Proceeding downwards and backwards the labia again unite, and the perinæum is formed. All that space between the posterior angle of the pudendum and the anus is called the perinæum; the external covering of which is the skin, as the vagina is the internal; including between them cellular and adipose membrane and the lower part of the sphincter ani. The extent of the perinæum is generally about an inch and a half, though in some subjects it is not more than one, and in others is equal to three inches. The thin anterior edge is called the frænum labiorum. Below the anterior angle of the pudendum the clitoris is placed, which arises by two crura or branches from the upper part of the rami of the ischia. The external part or extremity of the clitoris is called the glands, which has a prepuce or thin covering to which the nymphæ are joined. The clitoris is supposed to be the principal seat of pleasure, and to be capable of some degree of erection in the act of coition. The nymphe are two small spongy bodies or doublings of the skin, rising from the extremities of the prepuce of the clitoris, less in size, but resembling in their form the labia. They pass on each side of the pudendum within the labia to half its length, when they are gradually diminished till they disappear. Immediately below the inferior edge of the symphysis of the ossa pubis, between the nymphæ, is the meatus urinarius or termination of the urethra, which is about one inch and a half in length, and runs to the bladder in a straight direction along the internal surface of symphy sis, to which, and to the vagina, it is connected by cellular membrane. On each side of the meatus are small orifices which discharge

mucus for the purpose of preserving the external part from any injury, to which they might be liable from the acrimony of the urine. There is a very great difference in the appearance of all these parts in different women, especially in those who have had many children, and at various periods of life. In young women they are firm and vegete, but in the old, these, together with the internal, become flaccid and withered. The labia and nymphæ are liable to elongation, to excrescences, and to the production of schirrous tumours, which in some instances have grown to an enormous size, especially in hot climates. It is not unusual for one of the labia or of the nympha to be larger or more pendulous than the other: but the enlargement or elongation are not regarded as diseases, till some inconvenience is produced by them. The internal parts of generation are the vagina and uterus and its appendages. See VAGINA, UTERUS, &c.

GENERATION (Male organs of). The parts which constitute the organs of generation in men are the PENIS, TESTICLES, and VESICULE SEMINALES. For which, see these respective articles.

GENERATING LINE or FIGURE, in geometry, is that which by its motion produces any other plane or solid figure. Thus a right line moved any way parallel to itself, generates a parallelogram; round a point in the same plane, with one end fastened in that point, it generates a circle. One entire revolution of a circle, in the same plane, generates the cycloid; and the revolution of a semicircle round its diameter, generates a sphere.

GENERATIVE. a. (generatif, French.) 1. Having the power of propagation (Brown). 2. Prolific; having the power of production; fruitful (Bentley).

GENERATOR.s. (from genero, Lat.) The power which begets, causes, or produces (Br.).

GENERATOR, in music, signifies the principal sound or sounds by which others are produced. Thus the lowest C for the treble of the harpsichord, besides its octave, will strike an attentive ear with its twelfth above, or Gin alt, and with its seventeenth above, or E in alt. The C, therefore, is called their generator, the G and E its products or harmonies. But in the approximation of chords, for G its octave below is substituted, which constitutes a fifth from the generator or lowest C; and for E is likewise substituted its fifteenth below, which, with the abovementioned C, forms a third major. To the lowest notes, therefore, exchanged for these in alt by substitution, the denominations of products or harmonics are likewise given, whilst the C retains the name of their generator. But still, according to the system of Tartini, two notes in concord, which when sounded produce a third, may be termed the concurring generators of that third.

As the famous discovery of Tartini is far from universally known, although it has led to the adoption of some new and ingenious principles in the theory of music, a brief account of it is here laid before the reader.

"If two sounds be produced at the same time properly tuned and with due force, from their conjunction a third sound is generated, so much more distinctly to be perceived by delicate ears as the relation between the gene rating sounds is more simple; yet from this rule we must except the unison and octave. From the fifth is produced a sound unison with its lowest generator; from the fourth, one which is an octave lower than the highest of its generators; from the third major, one which is an octave lower than its lowest; and from the sixth minor (whose highest note forms an octave with the lowest of the third formerly mentioned) will be produced a sound lower by a double octave than the highest of the lesser sixth; from the third minor, one which is double the distance of a greater third from its lowest; but from the sixth major (whose highest note makes an octave to the lowest in the third minor), will be produced a sound only lower by double the quantity of a greater third than the highest; from the second major, a sound lower by a double octave than the lowest; from a second minor, a sound lower by triple the quantity of a third major than the highest; from the interval of a diatonic or greater semitone, a sound lower by a triple octave than the highest; from that of a minor or chromatic semitone, a sound lower by the quantity of a fifth four times multiplied than the lowest, &c. &c. But that these musical phenomena may be tried by experiments pro per to ascertain them, two hautboys tuned with scrupulous exactness must be procured, whilst the musicians are placed at the distance of some paces one from the other, and the hearers in the middle. The violin will likewise give the same chords, but they will be less distinctly perceived, and the experiment more fallacious, because the vibrations of other strings may be supposed to enter into it."

GENERIC. GENE'RICAL. a. (generique, French.) That comprehends the genus, or distinguishes from another genus (Watts).

GENERIC CHARACTER, in botany, or zoology, the definition of the genus of a plant or animal. This is factitious, essential, or natural. See GENUS and CHARACTER.

GENERIC NAME. Cognomen gentilitium. In botany, the family surname, as it were, of vegetables.

GENERICALLY. ad. With regard to the genus, though not the species (Woodward.

GENEROSITY. s. (generosité, French.) The quality of being generous; magnanimity; liberality (Locke).

GENEROSITY, the disposition which prompts us to bestow favours, which are not the purchase of any particular merit. It has not, like mercy, any immediate relation either to imprudencies or criminality. It is compounded of benevolence with a degree of sympathy with some peculiarities in the state or circumstances of another, which demand our aid, either in the remission of pecuniary claims, in voluntary grants, or in donations and bene

factions to assist their indigence. It generally relates to some concessions, sacrifices, or peculiar exertions that have been made in the exer. cise of the benevolent principle. The extent of generosity is measured by the advantages and pleasures which have been relinquished in favour of another; or according to the troubles and difficulties which have been encountered by the benefactor on the one hand, and the slender pretensions of the object to these benevolent offices on the other. (Cogan on the Passions).

GENEROUS. a. (generosus, Latin.) 1. Not of mean birth; of good extraction. 2 Noble of mind; magnanimous; open of heart (Pope). 3. Sprightly; daring; courageous (Cowley). 4. Liberal; munificent (Parnel). 5. Strong; vigorous (Boyle).

GENEROUSLY. ad. (from generous.) 1. Not meanly with regard to birth. 2. Magnanimously; nobly (Dryden). 3. Liberally, munificently.

GENEROUSNESS. s. (from generous.) The quality of being generous (Collier).

GENESIS, the first book of the Old Testament, containing the history of the creation and the lives of the first patriarchs. The book of Genesis stands at the head of the Pentateuch, Its author is held to be Moses; it contains the relation of 2369 years, viz. from the beginning of the world to the death of Joseph. The Jews are forbidden to read the beginning of Genesis and the beginning of Ezekiel before 30 years of age. The Hebrews called this book Beres chith, because it begins with that word, which in their language signifies in principio, or "in the beginning." The Greeks gave it the name Genesis, reis, q. d. production, generation, because it begins with the history of the production or generation of all beings. This book, besides the history of the creation, contains an account of the original innocence and fall of man; the propagation of mankind; the rise of religion; the general defection and corruption of the world; the deluge; the restoration of the world; the division and peopling of the earth; and the history of the first patriarchs to the death of Joseph. It was easy for Moses to be satisfied of the truth of what he delivers in this book, because it came down to him through a few hands; for from Adam to Noah there was one man, viz. Methuselah, who lived so long as to see them both: in like manner Shem conversed with Noah and Abraham; Isaac with Abraham and Joseph, from whom the records of this book might easily be conveyed to Moses by Amran, who was contem porary with Joseph.

GENESIS, in geometry, denotes the formation of a line, plane, or solid, by the motion of flux of a point, line, or surface. (See FLUKIONS.) The genesis or formation, e. gr. of a globe or sphere is conceived by supposing a semicircle to revolve upon a right line, drawn from one extreme thereof to the other, called its axis, or axis of circumvolution: the motion or revolution of that semicircle is the genesis of the sphere, &c. Ine genesis of figures, &c.

the line of surface that moves is called the describent; and the line round which, or according to which, the revolution or motion is made, the dirigent:

GENET. in mastiology. See VIVERRA. GENETHLIACI, in astrology, persons who erect horoscopes, or pretend to foretel what shall befal a man, by means of the stars which presided at his nativity. The word is formed of the Greek yx, origin, generation, nativity. GENETHLIACUM, GENETHLIAC POEM, is a composition in verse, on the birth of some prince, or other illustrious person; wherein the poet promises him great honours, advantages, &c.

GENETHLIACS. 5. (from yeviĴan:) The science of calculating nativities, or predicting the future events of life from the stars predominant at the birth.

GENETTE, in the old manage, a Turkish bit, the curb of which is all of one piece, made like a large ring, and placed above the liberty of the tongue. When they bridled a horse, they made his chin pass through this curb, which surrounds his beard. This sort of bit was much used at the court of France when Guillet wrote.

GENETTE, is also used for a particular way of riding practised in Spain: this, being so short that the spurs bear upon the horse's flank, would be reckoned absurd in England; but, among the Spaniards, it is thought handsome, when they ride upon their genettes before the ladies in going to court.

GENEVA, an ancient, large, and populous town, capical of a republic of the same name, near the confines of France and Swisserland. It is seated on the most narrow part of the lake of the same name, where the Rhone issues in two large narrow channels, which soon after unite. This river divides the city into two unequal parts. Geneva, which lies partly in the plain on the borders of the lake, and partly on a gentle ascent, is irregularly built. It is the most populous town of Swisserland, containing 24,000 souls. The reformation, first preached at Geneva, by William Farel, a native of Gap, and Peter Viret, of Orbe, owed its final reception and establishment here to the celebrated John Calvin. The treaty of alliance which Geneva contracted with Bern and Friburg, in 1526, may be considered as the true era of its liberty and independence; for, not long after, the dukes of Savy were deprived of the authority which they possessed over this city, the bishop was expelled, a republican form of government established, and the reformation intruduced. In 1584, Geneva concluded a treaty of perpetual alliance with Zurich and Bern, by which it is allied with the Swiss cantous. It is governed by a senate, or little council of 25; of which four are annually chosen syndics, who are the chief magistrates. Thus far the government is aristocratic. But there is also a great council, and a general council or assembly of the people; the latter amounting to about 1500, who name half the members of the great council, as the

senate does the other half. This is the democratic part of the government. The houses of Geneva are lofty, and many that stand in the trading part of the city have arcades of wood, which are raised even to the upper stories. These arcades, supported by pillars, give a gloomy appearance to the street, but are useful to the inhabitants in protecting them from the sun and rain. The citizens of both sexes are remarkably well instructed. Lat. 46. 11 N. Lon. 6.5 E.

GENEVA (Lake of), a large lake between Swisserland and Savoy, in a valley, which separates the Alps from Mount Jura. The length along the coast of Swisserland is eighteen leagues and three quarters (twenty-five to a degree), on the side of Savoy fifteen leagues: the greatest breadth three leagues and a quarter. The water is clear, except where the entrance of the Rhone makes it foul by the quantity of mud it brings along with it in its course: near Geneva it is shallow, but in some parts exceedingly deep, by some said to be unfathomable: it abounds in fish remarkable as well for their excellence as size.

GENEVA. Gin. A hot, fiery spirit, too much used by the lower classes of people in this country as a dram, and is unquestionably most injurious to their constitution and morals. A liquid of this kind was formerly sold in the apothecaries shops, drawn from the juniperberry, but distillers now have completely sup planted the trade of the apothecary, who sell it under the name of geneva, or gin, in which, it is believed, juniper berries make no part of the cothposition. It is composed of bil of turpentine and malt spirits. A better sort is said to be drawn off by a slow fire, from juniperberries, proof-spitits, and water in the propor tion of three pounds of berries to four gallons of water and ten of spirit. The celebrated Hol lands geneva is manufactured chiefly at a village near Rotterdam, from the same materials, mak ing use of French brandy instead of malt spirits.

GENEVIEVE, a town of North America, on the west side of the Missisippi. Lat. 37. 35 N. Lon. 90. 44 W.

GENEVIEVE, St. GENEVIEVE, or St. GENEVIEFVE, fathers or religious of St. Genevieve, the name of a congregation of regular canons of the order of St. Augustin, established in France. The congregation of St. Genevieve is a reform of the Augustine canons. It was begun by St. Charles Faute, in the abbey of St. Vincent de Senlis, whereof he was a member, in the year 1618. The congregation takes its name from the abbey of St. Genevieve, which is the chief of the order, and whose abbot is the general thereof. The abbey itself took its naine from St. Genevieve, the patroness of the city of Paris, who died in the year 512. Five years after her death, Clovis erected the church of St. Genevieve, under the name and invocation of St. Peter, where her relics are still preserved, her shrine visited, and her image carried with great processions and ceremonies upon extraordinary occasions, as when some great favour is to be intreated of heaven.

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