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_Of unnatural Births; Monsters, and extraordinary Conceptions._


Hermaphrodites being Monsters in Nature, it is no more than what may be
reasonably expected that my Account of their Generation, should be
follow'd with some very extraordinary unnatural Births, monstrous
Productions of another Kind, and wonderful Conceptions.

The Heathen Philosophers, were so prejudic'd to the Opinion of Woman's
being an imperfect Animal, (alledging that Nature always propos'd to
herself the Generation of Males as being the most accomplish'd piece of
Workmanship;) that they look'd upon Woman as a Monster in Nature; but
the Scriptures teach us, that Man and Woman are equally perfect in their
Kind, and Nature cannot be suppos'd to produce more Monsters than
perfect Beings, which must be the Case, if this Opinion were allow'd,
Women being more numerous than the Men.

Monsters are deprav'd Conceptions, defin'd by the Ancients to be
excursions of Nature, and are always Vicious, either in Figure,
Situation, Magnitude, or Number. When they bear the resemblance of a
Beast, they are said to be vicious in Figure; when the Parts are
disproportion'd, as that one Part is too big for the other; (which is a
thing very common by reason of some Excrescence) they are vicious in
Magnitude; if the Ears were on the Face, or the Eyes on the Breast, &c.
as was seen in a Monster born at _Revanna_ in _Italy_, in the Year 1570,
They are vicious in Situation, and when having two Heads or four Hands,
and two Bodies join'd, as had a Monster born at _Zarzara_ in the Year
1540, they are vicious in Number.