{i Cafe of numerous Births . 355 
died next day. He further adds, that thefe are the only cafes 
of quadruplets, or any larger number, he had ever heard of,, 
as born in Scotland, in his memory. 
Though cafes fimilar to the prefent of five children born at 
once, are ftill much more uncommon ; and though Haller’s 
affertion of their not happening above once in a million of 
births, may be reckoned a very moderate calculation, yet we 
are not altogether without fuch inftances in this country. 
From the Gentleman’s Magazine we learn, that on the 5th. 
of Odober, 1736, a woman at a milk-cellar, in the Strand, 
was delivered of three boys and two girls at one birth; and 
that in March, 1739, at Wells, in Somerfetfhire, a woman 
was delivered of four fons and a daughter, all alive, all 
chriftened, and all then feeming likely to live. 
In the Commercium Literarium Norim bergenfe for the year 
1731, we have two fuch cafes; one happening in Upper 
Saxony, the other near Prague, in Bohemia; in each of which 
five children were born and chriftened, all of whom were 
arrived to that equal degree of maturity, which rendered it 
probable, they were all conceived about the fame time. 
I learned from two foreign Profeflors, when in London lafi: 
winter, that they had ,each heard of a cafe of five children 
born near Paris, and near Ghent in Flanders ; but the particu- 
lars not being fent as promifed, I prefume they may have been - 
mifin formed. 
When we advance farther we get into the region of tradi- 
tion and improbability ; and it would ill become me to trouble 
a Society, whofe profelTed objed is truth and fcience, withi 
the numerous and wonderful relations which many grave and 
learned authors have recorded as fads they themfelves believed;, 
yet I hill think we have no authority to rejed abfolutely every. 
relation 
