‘AND FAMILY DISPENSATORY. 7 
near the paffage of the urine are fourcaruncles or flefhy knobs, they are called myrsi- 
formes, becaufe they refemble myrtle-berries ; the uppermoft of them is largeft and 
forked, to receive the neck of the paffage of the urine ; the others lie below this on 
the fides, and are to keep back the air or any hurtful thing from the womb. In vir- 
gins thefe knobs are joined together by a thin fkin, interlarded wich fmall veins, with 
ahole in the middle about the bignefs of one’s little finger, through which paffeth the 
menftruous blood : this fkin is a note of virginity, for the firft. act ef copulation 
breaketh it. I believe that this was that note of virginity which, God gave to the 
Hebrews. Thefe knobs joined together do much refemble a rofe. not quite blown, 
therefore called a flower, whence came the word to deflowera virgin. If I fhould 
take upon me to declare the opinions of authors, it would prove (almoft) an endlefs 
tafk ; this, I fhall add, that I.conceive it not a certain note of virginity, becaufe.it 
may be broken without the act of copulation, as, namely, by applying peffaries to 
provoke the menftrues, or by a defluxion of fharp humours, &c. but it is probable 
that the Jewith virgins were more careful of it, their repatations depending thereon. 
.-Fhewomb in figure is almoft perfectly round, in virgins about the bignefs of a 
walnut, yet, when a women is conceived with child, it dilatesitfelf tofuch a capacity, 
that'it is ableto contain the child; the mouth of it is no bigger than to receive the 
glans of the yard, yet at the delivery makes room for the child to come out, be it 
‘ever fo big : this made Galen admire, and it may be’a great admiration to all, if we — 
confider the wonderful works of Godin the creation of man : he who knows himfe 
_ may know there is an all-powerful God ! and therefore it was engraven’ with’ letters 
of gold over the porch of the temple of Apollo, the god (according to the Panims) 
of knowledge and'wifdom, this fentence---Kuow thyftif---as a falutation’ unto all ; 
-fignifying, that he that would’ —_— — — EM poss grocrenertviind emt 
temple, muft firft know himfelf. “ 
~ «The womb bate cole il Weisinte chee kd ig rete ‘in Guan- 
tity, might be clofe embraced and cherifhed. Women have tefticles or {tones as 
“men have, but they differ from men’s in thefe particulars : they aré within the belly 
in h women, in men without; they are not fo fmooth in women as in men; they 
. cfs t an the ftones of men; they are not | ftaid ‘by mufcles, but by ligaments ; as 
suit are oval, they are flattiths they hav 
ete one yg men’s: have four, | becau 
