ANIMALS. 167 



think that all animals, of what kind soever, were produced from eggs 

 At first, however, there was some altercation raised against this sys- 

 tem : for, as these ovaria were separate from the womh, it was object- 

 ed that they could not be any way instrumental in replenishing thai 

 organ, with which they did not communicate. But, upon more mi 

 nute inspection, Fallopius, the anatomist, perceived two tubular ves 

 sels depending from the womb, which, like the horns of a snail, had 

 a power of erecting themselves, of embracing the ovaria, and of re- 

 ceiving the eggs, in order to be fecundated by the seminal liquor. 

 This discovery seemed, for a long time after, to fix the opinions of 

 philosophers. The doctrine of Hippocrates was re-established, and 

 the chief business of generation was ascribed to the female. This 

 was for a long time the established opinion of the schools ; but Leu- 

 wenhoeck, once more, shook the whole system, and produced a new 

 schism among the lovers of speculation. Upon examining the seminal 

 liquor of a great variety of male animals with microscopes, which 

 helped his sight more than that of any of his predecessors; he perceiv- 

 ed therein infinite numbers of little living creatures, like tadpoles, 

 very brisk, and floating in the fluid with a seeming voluntary motion. 

 Each of these, therefore, was thought to be the rudiments of an ani- 

 mal, similar to that from which it was produced ; and this only re- 

 quired a reception from the female, together with proper nourishment, 

 to complete its growth. The business of generation was now, there- 

 fore, given back to the male a second time, by many ; while others 

 suspended their assent, and chose rather to confess ignorance than to 

 embrace error.* 



In this manner has the dispute continued for several ages, some ac- 

 cidental discovery serving, at intervals, to renew the debate, and re- 

 vive curiosity. It was a subject where speculation could find much 

 room to display itself; and Mr. Buffon, who loved to speculate, would 

 not omit such an opportunity of giving scope to his propensity. .Ac- 

 cording to this most pleasing of all naturalists, the microscope disco- 

 vers that the seminal liquor, not only of males, but of females also, 

 abounds in these moving little animals, which have been mentioned 

 above, and that they appear equally brisk in either fluid. These he 

 takes not to be real animals, but organical particles, which, being 

 simple, cannot be said to organize themselves, but go to the compo- 

 sition of all organized bodies whatsoever ; in the same manner as a 

 tooth in the wheel of a watch, cannot be called either a wheel, or the 

 watch, and yet contributes to the sum of the machine. These orga- 

 nical particles are, according to him, diffused throughout all nature, 

 and to be found not only in the seminal liquor, but in most other 

 fluids in the parts of vegetables, and all parts of animated nature. As 

 they happen, therefore, to be differently applied, they serve to con- 

 stitute a part of the animal, or the vegetable, whose growth they serve t 

 to increase, while the superfluity is thrown off in the seminal liquor' 

 of both sexes, for the reproduction of other animals or vegetables of 

 the same species. These particles assume different figures, according 

 10 the receptacle into which they enter; falling into the womb, they 



* Bonet. Considerations sur les Crjps Origines 



