explaining it fully, but it is not suitable to our purpose; I have only
hinted it to you, because it helps the Story a little, and makes it
something more probable that a Man may be form'd without the help of
Father and Mother; and there are some which affirm positively that _Hai
Ebn Yokdhan_ was so, others deny it, and tell the Story thus:

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[Illustration 3]

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§ 3. They say, that there lay, not far from this our Island, another
Great Island very fertile and well peopled; which was then govern'd by a
Prince of a Proud and Jealous Disposition: he had a Sister of exquisite
Beauty, which he confin'd and restrain'd from Marriage, because he could
not match her to one suitable to her quality He had a near Relation
whose Name was _Yokdhân_, that courted this Princess, and Married her
privately, according to the Rites of Matrimony then in use among them;
it was not long before she prov'd with Child, and was brought to Bed of
a Son; and being afraid that it should be discovered, she took him in
the Evening, and when she had Suckled him she put him into a little Ark
which she closed up fast, and so Conveys him to the Sea shore, with some
of her Servants and Friends as she could trust; and there with an Heart
equally affected with Love and Fear, she takes her last leave of him in
these Words, _O God, thou form'dst this Child out of nothing, and didst
Cherish him in the Dark recesses of my Womb, till he was compleat in all
his parts; I fearing the Cruelty of a Proud and unjust King, commit him
to thy Goodness, hoping that thou who art infinitely merciful, will be
pleas'd by thy gracious Providence to protect him, and never leave him