56 



male or female abounds more or less in the organic 

 assemblages : and resembles father or mother, accord* 

 ing to the different combinations of the two seeds. 

 One finds also the origin of this idea; in Pythagoras, 

 Aristotle, and Hippocrates. - 



8. It would be to stray from my subject, were I to 

 treat of the merit of one or other of these systems. 

 My scope will be sufficiently attained, if I make the 

 Analogy of them appear. It seems to me, that both 

 of them are the productions of very fine geniuses ; 

 that of Anaxagoras is more intricate, and not sup- 

 ported by the exact experiments, which sustain that 

 of Mr. dc Buffon ; it were to be wished therefore, 

 that the Greek philosopher had discovered the prin- 

 ciples traced out by the modern ; but the advantage 

 the one had of making use of a microscope, ought not 

 to turn to the disadvantage of the other ; yet hereafter 

 we shall see, that the ancients, in this respect, did not 

 long remain behind. 



There is another system, which is no less ingenious 

 than this, and of which we find equal traces among 

 the ancients. 



