66 " SEMIN AU. VERMICULI. If: 
the eminent Redi has given a-hiftory in a work 
en the fubje@ (1). Beginning with. man, and 
defcending to animals, not excepting the {mall- 
eft, each m like manner has external infects 
which it feeds, as the fame’naturalift proves in 
another treatife(2). But why do all thefe races 
of animals inhabit the internal.and external parts 
of others? Why were they created? This, I 
think, is beyond-the fphere of human knowledge ; 
and it will not difpleafe, if here I fhould be filent.. 
And [ hope I fhall be: pardoned for only gueffing 
at the other two; their intricacy. has: prevented: 
me from doing more. 
The intent of this traét was to examine, with. 
all poffible attention and accuracy, the properties. 
and nature of the myfterious inhabitants of ani- 
mal feminal fluids ; and I have taken the liberty 
to difcufs and refute the opinion of others, learned 
in the fubje&, becaufe their celebrity and divifion 
had created doubt. The intelligent, judicious, and 
impartial reader is left. to confider whether I have 
fucceeded, and whether I have diffipated, at leaft 
diminifhed, the. obfcurity that veiled them from, 
the truth. , 
(1) Degli animali viventi negli animali viventi. 
(2) Efperienze intorno agli infetti. 
OBSER-- 
