he forming of the Child so confusedly in the
Mother's Womb, that it becomes the Cause of the Birth of an
Hermaphrodite. In answer to this, those Planets are too remote from us
to be the proximate Causes, and to have an absolute Influence on the
Body of the Child that is forming in its Mother's Womb; and admitting
such a Conjunction might cause a Deformity, it would not appear however
in two Hermaphrodites born at different Seasons: But in _Turkey_, and
other Eastern Countries, where these Planets have the greatest
Influence, Hermaphrodites are more numerous than in the Western Parts of
the World, and they are oblig'd to go in different Habits from other
People (_viz_. with Cloaths partly belonging to Men and partly Women) to
prevent their lying with any; and if they go without these Habits they
are punish'd severely.

These are the various Opinions of curious Naturalists; but to proceed to
other Particulars which are more probable, we must more nicely examine
the Nature of the Seed to find out the cause of the Confusion of Sexes.
The Seed is for the most part indifferent as to the two Sexes, and if it
happens to meet with a Ball or Egg in the Horns of the Womb that is full
of Spirits, and includes a hot, dry, and close Matter, it will
impregnate so as to produce a Boy; but if the Seed meets with a Ball or
Egg, not hot nor dry or fill'd with Spirits, tho' it will animate it,
yet 'tis with less strength, so as a Girl will be produc'd. And if the
Matter contain'd in another Ball, is exactly temper'd in its Quantities,
and equal in its parts, so as there is no Predominancy, the Seed of the
Man by its superior Power will determine this matter for a Boy or a
Girl: But if a Man's Seed dispos'd to determine the temperate Seed of a
Woman to one of the two Sexes has not a sufficient quantity of Spirits
to effect it, and the Seed of the Woman prevails for the contrary Sex,
then an Hermaphrodite is form'd, who has relation to one and the other
according to the different Endeavours of the animated Seed of the Man or
Woman.

The Intelligence whose Business it is to compose the little Body of
Hermaphrodites, is very much disturb'd to meet with a Matter that is
intractable for the regular forming of the Genital Parts. On one side
the Matter is moist and loose, on the other close and dry; here 'tis hot
and there 'tis cold. This Matter is so different and consists of such
rebellious Particles, that 'tis impossible to manage it, and the