DIFFERENTSYSTEMS. 73 



ral, that, as the female poflefles both a proUfic 

 fluid extrad:ed from all parts of her body, and 

 likewile the means of expanding and nourifh- 

 ing, (he fhould produce females without any 

 communication with the male. It muft be al- 

 lowed, that this metaphyfical argument ufed by 

 the Ariftotelians for proving that females are 

 deftitute of a prolific fluid, may be urged as the 

 ftrongefl: argument againfl: every fyfl:em of ge- 

 neration, and, in particular, againft that which 

 1 am endeavouring to eftablifli. 



Let us fuppofe, it may be faid, that the fuper- 

 fluous organic particles are fent from every part 

 of the body into the teflicles and feminal vefl!els 

 of the male, why do they not, by means of your 

 imaginary attracting forces, form fmali organi- 

 zed bodies fimilar to the whole ? Why are not 

 fimilar bodies generated in the female, without 

 any intercourfe with the male ? If you anfwer, 

 that the male fluid contains only males, that the 

 female fluid contains only females, that both pe- 

 rifh for want of the circumftances neceflary for 

 expanfion, and that, for the procreation of an 

 animal, a mixture of both is requifie ; may it 

 not be demanded, why this mod complicated, 

 diflBcult, and lefs fertile mode of generation, is fo 

 invariably preferred by Nature, that all animals, 

 with a few trifling exceptions, generate by the 

 mutual commerce of fexes ? 



I fliall content myfelf, at prcfent, with reply- 

 ing, that this is the mode adlually employed by 



Nature; 



