An Hermaphrodite is an Animal, in which the two Sexes, Male and Female, ought to appear to be each distinct and perfect, as well with regard to the Structure proper to either, as to the Power of exercising the necessary Offices and Functions of those Parts. This Definition naturally arises from the very Term, and therefore, whatsoever is so accounted, and fails of answering these Characters in the most minute Particular, should be consider’d in another light, and indeed call’d by some other Name. It would be an Injury to Truth to deny the Existence of an Hermaphrodital Nature, to all the animal World in general; but however, I am inclin’d to believe it is only proper to some Reptiles, and but a few of these; for among the several Tribes of larger Animals, whether of the Air, Earth, or Waters, there seldom are any, of late Years, to whom this double Nature is ascribed, but those of the Human; with how little Truth or Reason, even to these, I hope to make appear hereafter. Whatever the Necessity might be for the Creation of certain of the Reptiles of this Nature, such as the Garden shell’d Snail, and the large Earth-worm, both of which are certainly so, which I can affirm from my own Knowledge, having often drawn both these asunder when in Coition, and observ’d them; as well as from so good Testimony, as Mr _Bradley_ in his Philosophical Account of the Works of Nature[26], where he has several curious Observations on these Animals, and a Figure of the Parts of Generation of a Snail, done as they appeared in a Microscope. As also from a Book intitled, _Spectacle de la Nature_, which is no less to be regarded than the former, both for Truth and Accuracy. I say, whatever may be the Cause of this, there does not appear in Reason the least occasion for it in larger Animals. As to the former, if we may attempt to guess at a Reason for their being thus created, it may perhaps not be amiss to surmise as follows, _viz._ We know these are very slow Creatures in their Motions, and consequently their Congress is the more seldom; and besides they are subject to so many destroying Accidents, that if the female Properties were but in one, it would hardly be sufficient to preserve their Species; hence it is that at the same Access they both beget, and bear in a reciprocal Manner. However, one Observation worthy of note is, that though they have a Capacity of both ways of engendering, it must be remark’d, that it is at the same Instant both are executed, and not successively or by Choice, being incapable of neglecting either to chuse the other. Besides, we find they are all so, through their whole Class; which to them is the same strict Law of Nature, that it is to other Animals to possess but a single Sex. Nor can this Law be ever violated in them, by any Means whatsoever, any more than that Law of Nature predominant in us should digress from what it always was, or be alter’d by any new Decree of the Divine Will, whose Decrees are already