PREFACE. V 



fled than thofe of the other two Memoirs ; and as 

 this Memoir was added to the laft edition of the 

 Tracts, independent of the excellence of the matter 

 which it contains, the reader will not be difpleafed ^ 

 to fee it reprinted. Although Spallanzani makes 

 repeated allufions to an extcnfive work on ani- 

 mal reproduftions, he never publillied any thing 

 refpedling the reproduftions of v/ater newts, ex*- 

 cept what is in his Prodromo. The author of 

 his Literary Life informs us, that he confidered 

 the defed had been fully fupplied by M. Bonnet, 

 and he therefore abandoned the defign of pub- 

 lifhing his Refearches on Animal Reproduc- 

 tions ; — a determination deeply to be regretted 

 by every philofopher. All that is contained in 

 thefe volumes on this fubjed:, was at hrll intend- 

 ed for a feparate publication. 



It may fafely be affirrtied, that we are indebted 

 to the friendlhip fubfifling betv;een the two phi- 

 iofophers for whatever portion of this work is 

 written by M. Bonnet. Their efteem was mu* 

 tual. Spallanzani tranflated La Contejiiplation de 

 la Nature into Itahan ; and propofed to tranflate 

 La Fallngenefie alfo. However, I believe, the 

 Inquifition oppofed it : at lead, it is faid, that the 

 tranllation of the work v/as prohibited by thit 

 formidable tribunal. 



b 3 The 



