C <b° 3 
XXV. A Letter from James Parfons, M, Z). 
F. K, S. to the Royal Society, giving a 
fhort Account of his Book intituled , A Me- 
4 chanical Critical Inquiry into the Nature of 
Hermaphrodites . London, 1741. -in S V0 ‘ 
Gentlemen, 
S the Compafs of Nature is the utmoft Boun- 
dary of any certain Knowledge we can arrive 
to in this Life, the Difcovery of Truth by our In- 
quiries made into the Myfteries of Nature, mu ft 
afford the greateft Satisfaction, 
<D 
Phyfical Knowledge ought much more to be the 
Subjed of everyone’s Contemplation then, as yet, it 
feems to be ; being molt conducive to publick Wel- 
fare, and to furnifh the Minds of Men with the 
jufteft Notions of the great Author of Nature: 
Life why do learned Societies fo afliduoufly affemble? 
Why endeavour ftill to add more Grains to their 
former Knowledge? but becaufe (alfo) the Study of 
Nature is the only pleafing and fmooth Field for the 
inquifitive Soul to range in ; a Field whofe Objects 
are capable of being feized by our proper Senfes, and 
whole ‘Phenomena may, by due Application, come 
within our Reafon. 
Such a Society then are the beft judges, and fitted 
Protc&ors, of every EBay oppofed to vulgar Errors. 
’Tis therefore I took the Liberty of dedicating this 
my Inquity into the Nature of Hermaphrodites to 
.you, which the Prcfidcnt, Vicc-Prdidcnt, and others 
of 
