332 OF THE GROWTH, &c. 



could not be the caufe of it ; For, what is the 

 efFed of horror ? An internal movement, or, if 

 you pleafe, a convulfion of the mother's body, 

 which might alternately comprefs and ftretch 

 the uterus. What VN^ould he the refult of this 

 commotion ? Nothing fimilar to its caufe ; for, 

 if the commotion was very violent, the foetus 

 might be killed, wounded, or have fome of its 

 parts deranged : But how is it poffible to ima- 

 gine that this commotion fhould produce in the 

 foetus any thing fimilar to the thoughts of the 

 mother, unlefs we fuppofe, with Harvey, that 

 the uterus poiTefTes the faculty of conceiving 

 ideas, and of realifmg them upon the foetus ? 



But, if the imagination of the mother has no 

 effed upon the foetus, it may ftill be demanded. 

 Why did this child come into the world with 

 its members broken ? Though a dired folution 

 of a fad, which is both extraordinary and un- 

 certain, is not to be expeded ; yet, I think, this 

 queftion admits of a fatisfadory anfwer. Phae- 

 nomena of the moft uncommon kind, and which 

 are but rarely exhibited, as neceifarily happen 

 as thofe that are ufual and frequent. Among 

 the infinite combinations of which matter is ca- 

 pable of forming, arrangements of the moft pe- 

 culiar and extraordinary fpecies muft fometimes 

 take place. Hence, out of the numberlefs chil- 

 dren which daily come into the world, one may 

 fometimes appear with two heads, with four 

 legs, or with all its members broken. It is, 



therefore, 



