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_Of the material Cause and Generation of_ Hermaphrodites


There are several Reasons assign'd by Naturalists for the Cause and
Production of Hermaphrodites. Some are of Opinion that Hermaphrodites
are form'd whilst the Terms are upon Women, which being always impure,
they can produce nothing but Monsters; but to this it may be answer'd,
that when Children are conceived during the Sowing of the Terms, there
is a greater probability of their being born with the Itch, or other
scorbutick Distempers, than of their being Hermaphrodites.

Others believe, that the Man and the Woman having equally contributed
to Generation, the forming Power which endeavours to render the Matter
whereon it works like unto those it came from, imprints the Characters
of Man and Woman upon it: And that some have been able to engender in a
double Capacity, as to have a Child with one Breast resembling that of a
Woman, and the other that of a Man; but this Opinion is very fabulous,
for the uniting Faculty, which is the Effect of the Soul, is not capable
of making such very great Differences; and Generation being
accomplish'd, thro' the Fermentation of the Seed only, it cannot
separate their Actions after they are mix'd.

Some Naturalists tell us, that where Nature design'd Seed in the Womb
for a Male only, (as working up for the best, and aiming at the highest
Perfection of its Workmanship) too much Cold and Moisture accidentally
falling into the Work, before it is perfected in the Womb, at the same
time there being too great a quantity of Seed and menstrous Blood, what