SECT. 3] THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 125 



Harvey sums up the work of the macro-iconographic period in the 

 historical introduction contained in Ex. xiv of his De Generatione 

 Animalium. I give it in full in the beautiful seventeenth century 

 English into which Harvey's Latin was translated under his guidance 

 by the physician, Martin Llewellyn, 



"We have already discovered the Formation, and Generation of 

 the Egge; it remains that we now deliver our Observations, con- 

 cerning the Procreation of the Chicken out of the Egge. An under- 

 taking equally difficult, usefull, and pleasant as the former. For 

 Nature's Rudiments and Attempts are involved in obscurity and 

 deep night, and so perplext with subtilties, that they delude the most 

 piercing wit, as well as the sharpest eye. Nor can we easier discover 

 the secret recesses, and dark principles of Generation than the method 

 of the fabrick and composure of the whole world. In this reciprocal 

 interchange of Generation and Corruption consists the ^Eternity 

 and Duration of mortal creatures. And as the Rising and Setting 

 of the Sun, doth by continued revolutions complete and perfect 

 Time; so doth the alternative vicissitude of Individuums, by a 

 constant repetition of the same species, perpetuate the continuance 

 of fading things. 



"Those Authors which have delivered any thing touching this 

 subject, do for the most part tread a several path, for having their 

 Judgements prepossessed with their own private opinions, they pro- 

 ceed to erect and fashion principles proportionable to them. 



"Aristotle of old, and Hieronymus Fabricius of late, have written 

 so accurately concerning the Formation and Generation of the Foetus 

 out of the Egge, that they seem to have left little to the industry 

 of Posterity, And yet Ulysses Aldrovandus hath undertaken the 

 description of the Pullulation or Formation of the chicken out of the 

 Egge, out of his own Observations ; wherein he seems rather to have 

 directed and guided his thoughts by the Authority of Aristotle, than 

 by his own experience. 



"For Volcherus Goiter, living at Bononia at the same time did 

 by the advice of the said Aldrovandus (whom he calls Tutor) dayly 

 employ himself in the opening of Egges sat upon by the Hen, and 

 hath discovered many things truer than Aldrovandus himself, of 

 which he also could not be ignorant. Likewise iEmilius Parisanus 

 (a Venetian Doctor) despising other mens opinions hath fancied A 

 new procreation of the Chicken out of the Egge. 



