A Trutife //BODIES. Chap. 24. 



on of nature upon this feed, may in a long time and with a due 

 proccife, bring out ftich figures, fituation.and qualities ( as flui- 

 dity, confidence, drinefle, and the like) which by much mixti- 

 on and con!equent alteration, may in the end become fuch as 

 con(titute a living creature of fuch a kind. And thusjt appcareth 

 that although other fubflances, and liquours, and fteams arc 

 from time to time mingled with the feed, and then with the 

 heart, and afterwards with the other parts, as they grow on 

 and encreafe; yet the main virtue of the enfuing animal , is firtt 

 in the feed, and afterwards in the heart. 



Whence the reafbn is evident, why both defects and excre- 

 fcences do pafle fometimes from the parents to the children; to 

 wit, when nothing fupplyeth the defect or correfteth the exor- 

 bitancy. Rather after this which we have faid, the difficulty will 

 appear greater,m that fuch accidents arc notalwayes hereditary 

 from the parencs;but happen only now & then Come rare times. 

 But the fame grounds we have laid will likewise folve this ob- 

 jection :fbr feein that the heart of the animal, from whence the 



* 7^ 



iced receiveth its proper nature (as we have- declared) is im- 

 pregnated with the fpecifick virtue of each feverall part of the 

 body; it cannot be doubted but that the heart will fupply for 

 any defect happened in any part. after it hath been imbued with 

 that virtue, and is grown to a firmnefle, and vigorous confi- 

 dence with that virtue moulded, and deeply imbibed into the 

 \ cry lubfrancc of it. And although the heart (hould be tin&ed 

 from its firft origine with an undue virtue from fome part ( as 

 it feemeth to have been in the mother of thofe daughters thac 

 had two thumbes upon onehand: ) yet it is not neceflfary thac 

 all the offspring of tlvu parent fhould be formed after that mo- 

 dell; for the other partners feed may be more efficacious, and 

 predominate in the geniture, over the faulty feed of the other 

 parent; and then it will fupply foramicorreft the others devia- 

 tion from the generall rule of nature. Which feemeth to be the 

 cafe of that womans male children; for in them the fathers feed 

 beeing ttrongcir 3 all their fingers imitated the regularity of their 

 fathers : whereas the daughters (\vhofc fex implieth that the fa- 

 thers feed was lefle active) carried upon fome of theirs, the re- 

 fcmblancc of their mothers irregularity. 



A J 



And 



