e 
266 ANIMAL REPRODUCTIONS. 
coveries, fhould be very earneft that this will be . 
‘the cafe. ‘Thus, the readers who, after perufing 
my experiments, proceeded to thofe of my oppon- 
ents, found themfelves between two contradictory 
authorities ; and, notwithftanding the confidence 
with which I had made a pofitive affertion in the 
affirmative, this was infufficient for diffipating 
every fhadow of doubt -or fufpicion from their 
minds, which might be excited by the unheard of 
fingularity of the'faét, and-perhaps confirmed and 
augmented by fuch a number of other fatts tend- 
ing to impugn it. There was no method more 
effectual towards conviction, than that this dif- 
puted reproduction fhould come under the rigo- 
rous inveftigation of able naturalifts; and that 
they fhould afcertain it in fuch a manner as to 
leave no room for contradi€tion. This has hap- 
pened. Befides the internal complacency which 
every philofophic enquirer feels in finding his 
own experiments confirmed, I alfo have the fa-” 
tisfaction to obferve that moft of thefe naturalifts 
have been pleafed to take my part, without the 
leaft relation exifting between them and me, 
or the fmalleft literary intercourfe. Therefore 1 
judge it of great importance to my caufe, which 
is that of truth, to collect together the fa€ts that 
favour it. 
Tn 
