The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
Concerning its generation, that without all conjunction it begets and
reseminates it self, hereby we introduce a vegetable production in
Animals, and unto sensible natures, transfer the propriety of Plants;
that is, to multiply within themselves, according to the Law of the
Creation [SN: _Gen. 1._], _Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb
yielding seed, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed is in it self_.
Which is indeed the natural way of Plants, who having no distinction of
sex, and the power of the species contained in every _individuum_, beget
and propagate themselves without commixtion; and therefore their fruits
proceeding from simpler roots, are not so unlike, or distinguishable
from each other, as are the off-springs of sensible creatures and
prolifications descending from double originals. But Animal generation
is accomplished by more, and the concurrence of two sexes is required to
the constitution of one. And therefore such as have no distinction of
sex, engender not at all, as _Aristotle_ conceives of Eels, and
testaceous animals. And though Plant-animals do multiply, they do it not
by copulation, but in a way analogous unto Plants. So _Hermaphrodites_
although they include the parts of both sexes, and may be sufficiently
potent in either; yet unto a conception require a separated sex, and
cannot impregnate themselves. And so also though _Adam_ included all
humane nature, or was (as some opinion) an _Hermaphrodite_, yet had he
no power to propagate himself; and therefore God said, _It is not good
that man should be alone, let us make him an help meet for him_; that
is, an help unto generation; for as for any other help, it had been
fitter to have made another man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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