ih SEMINAL VERMICULI«. . $5 
« of all kinds be combined, multiplied, repeated, 
“ and perfected ! 
The difficulty of the queftions propofed in 
this yaluable extract is too well defined by its 
illuftrious author not to be evident to all who pof- 
fefs the fmalleft portion of philofophy. It will al- 
ways afford me a good excufe for only attempt- 
ing to anfwer the doubts by diftant conjectures. 
The queftions. may be reduced to three. 1. 
What is the origin of feminal vermiculi? 2. How 
‘do they propagate? 3. What purpofe do se 
ferve? . 
As to the firft, though Bonnet makes no po- 
itive affertion, we perceive his inclination to 
think feminal vermiculi have an external origin. 
Such has been the opinion of many authors in 
efteem; and fuch is the opinion of thofe who 
fappofe that the worms in the body of man and 
animals originate from without. ‘Sir Charles 
Linneeus believes the abode of the fenia is in the 
waters; there he has found them very fmall, and 
even in fome fifhes, particularly in tench, which 
feems to favour this opinion(1). But we fhould 
be certain of the identity of the fpecies found in 
water with that found in the human body, and 
of this we have not yet had fufficient proof. We 
D4 cannot 
(1) See the Italian tranflation of La Contemplation, 
part 10. ch. 26. Note, at the words, Malte centenaia #: 
pea 
