of Selborne i8i 



probably we should have found them somewhere in the 

 neck, and not in the abdomen. 



LETTER XXXII 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Castration has a strange effect : it emasculates both 

 man, beast, and bird, and brings them to a near resem- 

 blance of the other sex. Thus eunuchs have smooth 

 unnmscular arms, thighs and legs ; and broad hips, and 

 beardless chins, and squeaking voices. Gelt-stags and 

 bucks have hornless heads, like hinds and docs. Thus 

 wethers have small horns, like ewes ; and oxen large bent 

 horns, and hoarse voices when they low, like cows : for 

 bulls have short straight horns ; and though they mutter 

 and grumble in a deep tremendous tone, yet tliey low in 

 a shrill high key. Capons have small combs and gills, 

 and look pallid about the head, like pullets ; they also 

 walk without any parade, and hover chickens like hens. 

 Barrow-hogs have also small tusks like sows. 



Thus far it is plain that the deprivation of masculine 

 vigour puts a stop to the growth of those parts or appen- 

 dages that are looked upon as its insignia. But the 

 ingenious Mr. Lisle, in his book on husbandry, carries it 

 much farther; for he says that the loss of those insignia 

 alone has sometimes a strange effect on the ability itself: 

 he had a boar so fierce and venereous, that, to prevent 

 mischief, orders were given for his tusks to be broken off. 

 No sooner had the beast suffered this injury than his 

 powers forsook him, and he neglected those females to 

 whom before he was passionately attached, and from 

 whom no fences could restrain him. 



