298 HISTORY OF 



lure of the womb, and by reiterated efforts it endeavours to ex- 

 tend the same : these endeavours produce the pain, which all 

 women, in labour, feel in some degree ; those of strong constitu- 

 tions the least, those most weakly the most severely ; since we 

 learn, that the women of Africa always deliver themselves, and 

 are well a few hours after; while those of Europe require assis- 

 tance, and recover more slowly. Thus the infant, still continu- 

 ing to push with its head forward, by the repetition of its endea- 

 vours, at last succeeds, and issues into life. The blood which 

 had hitherto passed through the heart, now takes a wider circuit ; 

 and the foramen ovale closes ; the lungs, that had till this time 

 been inactive, now first begin their functions ; the air rushes in 

 to distend them ; and this produces the first sensation of pain, 

 which the infant expresses by a shriek ; so that the beginning of 

 our lives, as well as the end, is marked with anguish.' 



From comparing these accounts, we perceive that the most 

 laboured generation is the most perfect ; and that the animal, 

 which, in proportion to its bulk, takes the longest time 

 for production, is always the most complete when finish- 

 ed. Of all others, man seems the slowest in coming into 

 life, as he is the slowest in coming to perfection ; other ani- 

 mals, of the same bulk, seldom remain in the womb above 

 six months, while he continues nine ; and even after his 

 hirth, appears more than any other to have his state of imbecil- 

 ity prolonged. 



We may observe also, that that generation is the most com- 

 plete, in which the fewest animals are produced ; Natuie, by 

 attending to the production of one at a time, seems to exert all 

 her efforts in bringing it to perfection ; but, where this atten- 

 tion is divided, the animals so produced come into the world 

 with partial advantages. In this manner twins are never, at 

 least while infants, so large, or so strong, as those that come 

 singly into the world ; each having, in some measure, robbed the 

 other of its right ; as that support, which Nature meant for one, 

 nas been prodigally divided. 



In this manner, as those animals are the best that are pro- 

 duced singly, so we find that the noblest animals are ever the 

 least fruitful. These are seen usually to bring forth but one at 



1 Bounet Conteinplat. de la Nature, vol. i. p. 213. 



