ANIMALS. 17* 



the two whitish specks on each side, now appeared to be the rudi- 

 ments of the lungs ; towards the region ol the belly, the liver began 

 to be seen, of a reddish colour, and a little intricate mass, like ravel 

 "ed thread, discerned, which soon appeared to be the stomach and 

 the intestines ; the legs soon after began to be seen, and to assume 

 their natural positions : and from that time forth, all the parts being 

 formed, every day only served to develope them still more, until the 

 thirty-first day, when the rabbit brought forth her young, completely 

 fitted for the purposes of their humble happiness. 



Having thus seen the stages of generation in the meaner animals, 

 let us take a view of its progress in man ; and trace the feeble be- 

 ginnings of our own existence. An account of the lowliness of our 

 own origin, if it cannot amuse, will at least serve to humble us ; and 

 it may take from our pride, though it fails to gratify our curiosity. We 

 cannot here trace the variations of the beginning animal, as in the 

 former instances ; for the opportunities of inspection are but few and 

 accidental : f-r this reason 'we must be content often to fill up the 

 blanks of our history with conjecture. And, first, we are entirely ig- 

 norant of the state of the infant in the womb, immediately after con- 

 ception ; but we have good reason to believe that it proceeds, as in 

 most other animals, from the egg.* Anatomists inform us, that four 

 days after conception, there is found in the womb, an oval substance, 

 about the size of a small pea, but longer one way than the other ; this 

 little body is formed by an extremely fine membrane, inclosing a 

 liquor a good deal resembling the white of an egg : in this may, even 

 then, be perceived, several small fibres, united together, which form 

 the first rudiments of the embryo. Besides these, are seen another 

 set of fibres, which soon after become the placenta, or that body by 

 which the animal is supplied with nourishment. 



Seven days after conception, we can readily distinguish, by the eve, 

 the first lineaments of the child in the womb. However, they are as 

 yet without form ; showing at the end of seven days pretty much 

 such an appearance as that of the chicken after four and twenty hours, 

 being a small jelly-like mass, yet exhibiting the rudiments of the head ; 

 the trunk is barely visible : there likewise is to be discerned a small 

 assemblage of fibres issuing from the body of the infant, which after- 

 wards become the blood-vessels that convey nourishment turn the 

 placenta to the child, while inclosed in the womb. 



Fifteen days after conception, the head becomes distinctly visible, 

 and even the most prominent features of the visage begin to appear. 

 The nose is a little elevated ; there are two black specks in the place 

 of the eyes; and two little holes, where the ears are afterwards seen. 

 The body of the embryo also is grown larger ; and, both above and be- 

 low, are seen two little protuberances, which mark the places from 

 whence the arms and thighs are to proceed. The length of the whole 

 body, at this time, is less than half an inch. 



At the end of three weeks, the body has received very little in- 

 crease ; but the legs and feet, with the hands and arms, are become 



* The history ol the child in the womb is translated from Mr. Buffon, with some alter- 



