206 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE., 
LETTER’ XxX igh 
TO THE SAME. 
CASTRATION has a strange effect: it emasculates both man, 
beast, and bird, and brings them to a near resemblance of the 
other sex. Thus eunuchs have smooth unmuscular arms, thighs, 
and legs; and broad hips, and beardless chins, and squeaking 
voices. Gelt stags and bucks have hornless heads, like hinds and 
does. Thus wethers have small horns, like ewes ; and oxen large 
bent horns, and hoarse voices when they low, like cows: for bulls 
have short straight horns ; and though they mutter and grumble in 
a deep tremendous tone, yet they low in a shrill high key. Capons 
have small combs and gills, and look pallid about the head like 
pullets ; they also walk without any parade, and hover chickens 
like hens. Barrow-hogs have also small tusks like sows. 
Thus far it is plain that the deprivation of masculine vigour puts 
a stop to the growth of those parts or appendages that are looked 
upon as its insignia. But the ingenious Mr. Lisle, in his book on 
husbandry, carries it much farther; for he says that the loss of 
those insignia alone has sometimes a strange effect on the ability 
itself: he had a boar so fierce and venereous, that, to prevent 
mischief, orders were given for his tusks to be broken off. No 
sooner had the beast suffered this injury than his powers forsook 
him, and he neglected those females to whom before he was 
passionately attached, and from whom no fences would restrain 
him. 
