Chap. 4.] GENERATION OF MAN, ETC. 1 39 



happens but that either the mother herself, or one, at least, of 

 the twins perishes. 27 If, however, the twins should happen to 

 -be of different sexes, it is less probable that both of them will 

 survive. Female children are matured more quickly than 

 males, 28 and become old sooner. Of the two, male children 

 most frequently are known to move in the womb ; 29 they mostly 

 lie on the right side of the body, females on the left. 30 



CHAP. 4. (5.) THE GENERATION OF MAN ; UNUSUAL DURATION 

 OF PREGNANCY J INSTANCES OF IT FROM SEVEN TO TWELVE 

 MONTHS. 



In other animals the period of gestation and of birth is fixed 

 and definite, while man, on the other hand, is born at all sea- 

 sons of the year, 31 and without any certain period of gestation j 38 

 for one child is born at the seventh month, another at the 

 eighth, and so on, even to the beginning of the tenth and 

 eleventh. Those children which are born before the seventh 

 month are never known to survive j 33 unless, indeed, they hap- 



27 This does not correspond with the fact, as it exists in our time ; a 

 circumstance which may probahly depend upon our improvement in the 

 obstetrical art. Nor is the opinion, that both twins are less likely to live, 

 if of different sexes, sanctioned by modern experience. B. 



28 " Feminas gigni celerius quam mares ;" there has been much discus- 

 sion among the commentators, both with respect to the meaning of these 

 words, and the fact to which they are supposed to refer. Hardouin inter- 

 prets the phrase, " crescere, pernci, vigere, adolescere ;" Cuvier translates 

 it, " les filles sont portees moins long-temps par leur mere." There is, 

 however, no foundation for this opinion as to a difference in the period of 

 the gestation. B. 



29 There may be some ground for this opinion ; it is maintained by 

 Aristotle in his Hist. Anira. B. As also by Galen. 



30 This statement is made upon the authority of Hippocrates, Aphor. 

 B. v. c. 48, and Aristotle, Hist. Anim. ; but is probably without founda- 

 tion. B. 



31 Animals have a certain period for generation, because they are more 

 immediately affected by the seasons, whereas, in the human race, the arts 

 of life render these fixed terms unnecessary. B. 



32 Notwithstanding all the observations of the moderns, the question is 

 scarcely decided respecting the length of time to which pregnancy may be 

 prolonged. Cuvier says, that the experiments of Tessier have shewn, that 

 there is a greater latitude in animals than had previously been supposed ; 

 he also remarks, that the same animals when domesticated, become less 

 regular in this respect than in the wild state. B. 



33 Dalechamps has collected authorities to prove, that a child may 



