S^ OF THE GENERATION 



individuals : A concurrence or. union of both i§ 

 requifite to accompliih this end. Thofe fmall 

 moving bodies, CAWcd/pcrinatic animals^ which, 

 by the aililtance of the microfcope, are feen in 

 the feminal fiuids of al! male animals, are, per- 

 haps, organized fubllances proceeding from the 

 individual which contains them ; bur, of them- 

 felves, they are incapable of expanhon, or of 

 becoming animals fnnilar to thofe in whom they 

 exift. We fnall afterwards demonftrate, that 

 there are fnnilar animalcules in the feminal fluids 

 of females, and point out the place vvherc this 

 fluid is to be found. 



It is probable, tliat thefe organic bodies are 

 only the firft rudiments of an animal, containing 

 nothing but its eiTential parts. We fhall not en- 

 ter into a detail of proofs on this fubject, but 

 content ourfelves with remarking, that the or- 

 ganization of thefe pretended fpermatic animals 

 maybe very imperfed: ; or rather, "that they 

 are the living organic particles mentioned above, 

 which are common both to vegetables and to 

 animals ; or, at moft, that they are only the firft 

 jundion of thefe particles. 



But, to return to our fubjed:. It may be afki- . 

 ed, how is it pofiible that the fuperfluous orga- 

 nic particles fhould be detached from all parts of 

 the body, and unite upon the mixture of the 

 male and female fluids ? Befides, are we certain 

 that fuch a mixture takes place ? Has it not been 

 maintained, that thie female furnifhes no fluid of 



the 



