OF THE FOETUS. 283 



be fixed by the particles which are detached 

 from the fexual parts of the female ; we may- 

 conclude, that the fexual parts of the male foe- 

 tus are formed by the organic particles of the 

 father, and the reft of its body by the organic 

 . particles of the female ; and, on the contrary, 

 that the female foetus derives nothing but its 

 fex from the mother, and the reft of its body 

 from the father. Boys, therefore, except in 

 the parts which diftinguifh their fex, ought to 

 refemble the mother more than the father, and 

 girls fhould refemble the father more than the 

 mother. 



Confidering generation by fexes under this 

 light, we fhould conclude it to be the moft com- 

 mon manner of reproduction, as it is in reality. 

 Beings of the moft perfect organization, as ani- 

 mals, whofe bodies make a whole that is inca- 

 pable of divifion, and v^hofe powers are all con- 

 centrated into one point, cannot be reproduced 

 in any other way ; becaufe they contain only 

 particles that are perfe<^ly fimilar, and cannot 

 be united but by means of different panicles fur- 

 iiifhed by another individual. But vegetables, 

 which are lefs perfedl in their organization, and 

 which can be divided without deftrudion, are 

 capable of being reproduced in different ways : 



1. Becaufe they contain difhmilar particles ; 



2. Becaufe the form of thefe bodies is lefs fixed 

 and determined than that of an animal, difie- 

 rent parts may fupply the fundions of each o- 



ther. 



