The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2 — John Shaqi
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
though they have not much disputed their generation, yet have they
controverted their Resurrection, and raisen a querie, whether any at the
last day should arise in the sex of Women; as may be observed in the
supplement of _Aquinas_.
Now as we must acknowledge this Androgynal condition in Man [SN:
_Consisting of man and woman._], so can we not deny the like doth
happen in beasts. Thus do we read in _Pliny_, that _Neroes_ Chariot was
drawn by four Hermaphroditical Mares, and _Cardan_ affirms he also
beheld one at _Antwerp_. And thus may we also concede, that Hares have
been of both sexes, and some have ocularly confirmed it; but that the
whole species or kind should be bisexous or double-sexed, we cannot
affirm, who have found the parts of male and female respectively
distinct and single in any wherein we have enquired: And the like
success had _Bacchinus_[SN: Bacch. De Hermaphroditis.] in such as he
dissected. And whereas it is conceived, that being an harmless Animal
and delectable food unto man, nature hath made them with double sexes,
that actively and passively performing they might more numerously
increase; we forget an higher providence of nature whereby she
especially promotes the multiplication of Hares, which is by
superfetation; that is, a conception upon a conception, or an
improvement of a second fruit before the first be excluded; preventing
hereby the usual intermission and vacant time of generation; which is
very common and frequently observable in Hares, mentioned long ago by
_Aristotle_, _Herodotus_, and _Pliny_; and we have often observed, that
after the first cast, there remain successive conceptions, and other
younglings very immature, and far from their term of exclusion.
[Sidenote: _Superfetation possible in women, and that unto a perfect
birth._]
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