The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 1
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
That a Brock or Badger hath the legs on one side shorter then of the
other, though an opinion perhaps not very ancient, is yet very general;
received not only by Theorists and unexperienced believers, but assented
unto by most who have the opportunity to behold and hunt them daily.
Which notwithstanding upon enquiry I find repugnant unto the three
Determinators of Truth, Authority, Sense, and Reason. For first,
_Albertus Magnus_ speaks dubiously, confessing he could not confirm the
verity hereof; but _Aldrovandus_ plainly affirmeth, there can be no
such inequality observed. And for my own part, upon indifferent enquiry,
I cannot discover this difference, although the regardable side be
defined, and the brevity by most imputed unto the left.
Again, It seems no easie affront unto Reason, and generally repugnant
unto the course of Nature; for if we survey the total set of Animals, we
may in their legs, or Organs of progression, observe an equality of
length, and parity of Numeration; that is, not any to have an odd legg,
or the supporters and movers of one side not exactly answered by the
other. Although the hinder may be unequal unto the fore and middle legs,
as in Frogs, Locusts, and Grasshoppers; or both unto the middle, as in
some Beetles and Spiders, as is determined by _Aristotle_, _De incessu
Animalium_. [SN: De incessu Animalium.] Perfect and viviparous
quadrupeds, so standing in their position of proneness, that the
opposite joints of Neighbour-legs consist in the same plane; and a line
descending from their Navel intersects at right angles the axis of the
Earth. It happeneth often I confess that a Lobster hath the Chely or
great claw of one side longer then the other; but this is not properly
their leg, but a part of apprehension, and whereby they hold or seiz
upon their prey; for the legs and proper parts of progression are
inverted backward, and stand in a position opposite unto these.
Lastly, The Monstrosity is ill contrived, and with some disadvantage;
the shortness being affixed unto the legs of one side, which might have
been more tolerably placed upon the thwart or Diagonial Movers. [SN:
_Diagonion, a line drawn from the cross angles._] For the progression of
quadrupeds being performed _per Diametrum_, that is the cross legs
moving or resting together, so that two are always in motion, and two
in station at the same time; the brevity had been more tolerable in the
cross legs. For then the Motion and station had been performed by equal
legs; whereas herein they are both performed by unequal Organs, and the
imperfection becomes discoverable at every hand.
CHAPTER VI
Of the Bear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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