ON GENERATION. 425 



arise." In the bird, however, this is not so ; for whatever the 

 colour of the feathers, the skin is still never otherwise than of 

 one tint, viz., white. And then the same feather or quill is fre- 

 quently seen of different and often brilliant colours in different 

 parts for the ornament of the creature. 



In the human foetus the skin and all the parts connected 

 with it are in like manner perfected the last of all. In the 

 earlier periods, consequently, we find neither lips, cheeks, ex- 

 ternal ears, eyelids, nor nose ; and the last part to grow toge- 

 ther is the upper lip in the course of the middle line of the 

 body. 



Man comes into the world naked and unarmed, as if nature 

 had destined him for a social creature, and ordained him to live 

 under equitable laws and in peace ; as if she had desired that he 

 should be guided by reason rather than be driven by force; 

 therefore did she endow him with understanding, and furnish 

 him with hands, that he might himself contrive what was neces- 

 sary to his clothing and protection. To those animals to which 

 nature has given vast strength, she has also presented weapons 

 in harmony with their powers ; to those that are not thus vigo- 

 rous, she has given ingenuity, cunning, and singular dexterity 

 in avoiding injury. 



Ornaments of all kinds, such as tufts, crests, combs, wattles, 

 brilliant plumage, and the like, of which some vain creatures 

 seem not a little proud, to say nothing of such offensive wea- 

 pons as teeth, horns, spurs, and other implements employed in 

 combat, are more frequently and remarkably conferred upon 

 the male than the female. And it is not uninteresting to 

 remark, that many of these ornaments or weapons are most 

 conspicuous in the male at that epoch when the females come 

 into season, and burn with desire of engendering. And whilst 

 in the young they are still absent, in the aged they also fail as 

 being no longer wanted. 



Our common cock, whose pugnacious qualities are well known, 

 so soon as he comes to his strength and is possessed of the fa- 

 culty of engendering, is distinguished by his spurs, and orna- 

 mented with his comb and beautiful feathers, by which he 

 charms his mates to the rites of Venus, and is furnished for the 

 combat with other males, the subject of dispute being no empty 

 or vainglorious matter, but the perpetuation of the stock in 



