WHATEVERmay be advanced on thisHead, the most probable and solid Reason for theChild’sLikenessorResemblance, is theIMAGINATIONof theMotherin theActofCopulation; together with theLibertyshe gives herself in herThoughtsandActions, during the Time ofFormation, commonly call’d the Time ofBreeding.
HENCEit is, that whatever she intentively fixes herEyesupon, orconceivesandimpressesin her Mind, theInfantrepresents the same in itsextimous Parts: And particularly whateverObjectshe directs herEyesorThoughtsupon, in the Interval between theEmbraceand theCharm, itsEffigiesis afterwards manifest in theChild. As St.Jeromthus relates of a certainWoman, who conceiv’d and brought forth aBlack-Child, tho’ bothSheand herHusband(the real Father) werewhite; meerly by eying aPICTUREin the Bed-Chamber at thatcritical Juncture.
UPONthis Chapter[48]Plinyhas most elegantly express’d theArtificeofNature, together with all theReasonsandCausesofSimilitude, to this Purpose;viz.“The Cogitations of the Mind make much for theSimilitudesandResemblancesof Children: As many other accidental Occurrences are thought to be very efficacious in the same, and that whether they come bySight, Hearing,or calling toRemembrance;or byImaginationsconceiv’d, and deeply apprehended in the very Act ofGeneration,or the very Instant ofConception:The inconstantMind,and wanderingThought,of eitherParent,is justly suppos’d to be oneCause.”
HENCEit is, that someChildrenfavour and resemble theirFathers, some theirMothers, some theirGrandfathers, orMothers, and some theirKinsmen: And hence also it is, that there is more Difference and Diversity in theRational Kind, than in allother Creatures; because the Velocity of theirThoughts, the Celerity of theirMinds, and the Variety of theirDispositions, impress a far greaterDiversityof various peculiarMARKS: While the rest ofirrational Creatureshave theirMindscontinually fixed (in a manner) immoveable, steady, and alike: everyOneof them in its own peculiar Kind, and specifick Nature.
INSOMUCHthat theWoman’sIMAGINATIONfrequently induces a strangeLikenessto herInfant; that is, in no Part, and in no Respect, favouring theFather. From whence it often happens, that aWomanabusing herHusband’sBed, and fearingperhaps to be surpriz’d by him in theACT, brings forth (in due time) herCHILD, no waysresemblingtherealFather, (namely theGallant); but altogetherLIKEto theinjur’dHusband.
UPONwhich Case the following facetiousEpigramwas occasionally written by the famous and celebrated SirThomas More.
“Quos ante Conjux quatuor“Natos,SABINE,protulit,“Multùm ecce dissimiles tui,“Tuos nec ipse deputas.“Sed quem tibi puellulum“Enixa jam nuperrimè est,“Solum tibi simillimum,“Pro quatuor complecteris.“Adulterinos quatuor“Vocas, repellis, abdicas.“Atqui graves tradunt Sophi,“Quodcunque matres interim“Imaginantur fortiter,“Dum liberis datur opera,“Ejus latenter & notas“Certas, & indelebiles“Modóque inexplicabili“In semen ipsum congeri.“Quibus receptis intimè,“Simúlque concrescentibus,“A mente Matris insitam“Natus refert imaginem.“Quum tot abesses millibus,“Dum gignit Uxor quatuor,“Quòd esset admodum tui“Secura, dissimiles parit.“Sed unus omnium hic Puer“Tui refert imaginem,“Quòd mater hunc dum concipit,“Sollicita de te plurimùm,“Te tota cogitaverat,“Dum pertimescit anxia,“Ne tu,Sabine,incommodus,“Velútque lupus in fabulâ“Supervenires interim.
“Quos ante Conjux quatuor“Natos,SABINE,protulit,“Multùm ecce dissimiles tui,“Tuos nec ipse deputas.“Sed quem tibi puellulum“Enixa jam nuperrimè est,“Solum tibi simillimum,“Pro quatuor complecteris.“Adulterinos quatuor“Vocas, repellis, abdicas.“Atqui graves tradunt Sophi,“Quodcunque matres interim“Imaginantur fortiter,“Dum liberis datur opera,“Ejus latenter & notas“Certas, & indelebiles“Modóque inexplicabili“In semen ipsum congeri.“Quibus receptis intimè,“Simúlque concrescentibus,“A mente Matris insitam“Natus refert imaginem.“Quum tot abesses millibus,“Dum gignit Uxor quatuor,“Quòd esset admodum tui“Secura, dissimiles parit.“Sed unus omnium hic Puer“Tui refert imaginem,“Quòd mater hunc dum concipit,“Sollicita de te plurimùm,“Te tota cogitaverat,“Dum pertimescit anxia,“Ne tu,Sabine,incommodus,“Velútque lupus in fabulâ“Supervenires interim.
“Quos ante Conjux quatuor“Natos,SABINE,protulit,“Multùm ecce dissimiles tui,“Tuos nec ipse deputas.“Sed quem tibi puellulum“Enixa jam nuperrimè est,“Solum tibi simillimum,“Pro quatuor complecteris.“Adulterinos quatuor“Vocas, repellis, abdicas.“Atqui graves tradunt Sophi,“Quodcunque matres interim“Imaginantur fortiter,“Dum liberis datur opera,“Ejus latenter & notas“Certas, & indelebiles“Modóque inexplicabili“In semen ipsum congeri.“Quibus receptis intimè,“Simúlque concrescentibus,“A mente Matris insitam“Natus refert imaginem.“Quum tot abesses millibus,“Dum gignit Uxor quatuor,“Quòd esset admodum tui“Secura, dissimiles parit.“Sed unus omnium hic Puer“Tui refert imaginem,“Quòd mater hunc dum concipit,“Sollicita de te plurimùm,“Te tota cogitaverat,“Dum pertimescit anxia,“Ne tu,Sabine,incommodus,“Velútque lupus in fabulâ“Supervenires interim.
“Quos ante Conjux quatuor
“Natos,SABINE,protulit,
“Multùm ecce dissimiles tui,
“Tuos nec ipse deputas.
“Sed quem tibi puellulum
“Enixa jam nuperrimè est,
“Solum tibi simillimum,
“Pro quatuor complecteris.
“Adulterinos quatuor
“Vocas, repellis, abdicas.
“Atqui graves tradunt Sophi,
“Quodcunque matres interim
“Imaginantur fortiter,
“Dum liberis datur opera,
“Ejus latenter & notas
“Certas, & indelebiles
“Modóque inexplicabili
“In semen ipsum congeri.
“Quibus receptis intimè,
“Simúlque concrescentibus,
“A mente Matris insitam
“Natus refert imaginem.
“Quum tot abesses millibus,
“Dum gignit Uxor quatuor,
“Quòd esset admodum tui
“Secura, dissimiles parit.
“Sed unus omnium hic Puer
“Tui refert imaginem,
“Quòd mater hunc dum concipit,
“Sollicita de te plurimùm,
“Te tota cogitaverat,
“Dum pertimescit anxia,
“Ne tu,Sabine,incommodus,
“Velútque lupus in fabulâ
“Supervenires interim.
HOWEVER, as to what relates to theTempers,Dispositions,Miens,Manners,Qualities, andPropensionsof theMind, dailyExamplesconvince us, thatChildren, after all, generally much resembleThoseof theirProgenitors; which proceeds merely from theEfficacyof theSeed, containing the Power of the naturalFacultiesof their Minds andvital Spirits, which are thence infus’d into theirPosterity.
BUTI take thisMatterto depend much upon thePassion,Indolence, orIndifferencyof the Mind, with which theActofCopulationis perform’d. For as theArdourandFervencyof theParents, and their plentiful prolifickContribution, tend much to theCHILD’saffecting the sameBehaviour,Gestures,Actions,Tempers, andMotionsofBodyandMind; even sometimes to their representing the veryNature, and treading the veryFoot-Stepsof theirParents, to so nice a degree, of an exact Resemblance, that I’ve more than once observed aMole-Markof aFatherplainly impress’d on hisChild. Which, I think, is also conformable to[49]Horace’s Meaning;
“Fortes creantur fortibus & bonis:“Est in Juvencis, est in equis patrum“Virtus: nec imbellem feroces“Progenerant Aquilæ Columbam.
“Fortes creantur fortibus & bonis:“Est in Juvencis, est in equis patrum“Virtus: nec imbellem feroces“Progenerant Aquilæ Columbam.
“Fortes creantur fortibus & bonis:“Est in Juvencis, est in equis patrum“Virtus: nec imbellem feroces“Progenerant Aquilæ Columbam.
“Fortes creantur fortibus & bonis:
“Est in Juvencis, est in equis patrum
“Virtus: nec imbellem feroces
“Progenerant Aquilæ Columbam.
To valiantFathers, valiantSonssucceed;ThusBullsfromBullsdescend, andmartial Horsesbreed.
To valiantFathers, valiantSonssucceed;ThusBullsfromBullsdescend, andmartial Horsesbreed.
To valiantFathers, valiantSonssucceed;ThusBullsfromBullsdescend, andmartial Horsesbreed.
To valiantFathers, valiantSonssucceed;
ThusBullsfromBullsdescend, andmartial Horsesbreed.
ANDbecause theInstitution of Nature, perfects its ownGifts, which, by the Help ofEducation, correctsErrors, and abolishesBlemishes; thePoetvery pertinently adds,
“Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam,“Rectíq; Mores pectora roborant.Yet the bestBloodbyLearningis refin’d,AndVirtuearms thesolid Mind;WhilstVicewill stain thenoblest Race,And thepaternal Stampefface.
“Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam,“Rectíq; Mores pectora roborant.Yet the bestBloodbyLearningis refin’d,AndVirtuearms thesolid Mind;WhilstVicewill stain thenoblest Race,And thepaternal Stampefface.
“Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam,“Rectíq; Mores pectora roborant.
“Doctrina sed vim promovet insitam,
“Rectíq; Mores pectora roborant.
Yet the bestBloodbyLearningis refin’d,AndVirtuearms thesolid Mind;WhilstVicewill stain thenoblest Race,And thepaternal Stampefface.
Yet the bestBloodbyLearningis refin’d,
AndVirtuearms thesolid Mind;
WhilstVicewill stain thenoblest Race,
And thepaternal Stampefface.
BUT, however yet, there are manyParentsstill less salacious and less fervid; who rather vilify, than covet, and rather abstain from, than delight themselves in thisEncounter. In short, there are some of both Sexes, who, in patiently gratifying their activeConsorts, esteem it rather a sort ofHardshipandTASKforFamily-Quiet, than any incumbentDUTYofNuptial Benevolence; Which[50]St.Paulseems to allude to, by calling it thedefrauding of one the other.
FROMhence it is, thatChildrenoften degenerate from theNatureandQualitiesof theirParents; from hence also it is, thatbrisk Mensometimes havestupid, andwise Menfrequently begetfoolish Children. This happens only because of theIndifferency,Indolence, orColdness, either of Mind or Constitution, in theirConjugal Pleasures: The dull heavyFacultyof theirInclinationsto theAct, being diffus’d and transmitted through theSeedinto theInfant, according toCatullus;
“Naturæ sequitur semina quisque suæ.
“Naturæ sequitur semina quisque suæ.
“Naturæ sequitur semina quisque suæ.
“Naturæ sequitur semina quisque suæ.
BUTfarther still, theSeedflowing from theprincipal Partsof the Body, comprehends in itself theVigourandQualityof their respective Members: Whence it follows, thatDiseases,Imperfections,Blemishes, or anyotherDeformity, inherent in anyPartof theParents, becomes commonlyhereditaryto theirChildren.
THISis the Case of the whole Dutchy of upperStyria, where all theNativeshave a hugeExcrescenceofFlesh, which grows up with theBody(however visibly increasing and decreasing with theMoon) generally lying upon the Left side from theJaw-bone, and hanging downwards: So that theWomengivingSuckof thatBreast, commonly cast thiscarnous Excrescence(which they callCrape) over their Shoulders. This is soNaturalto them, and remarkable, that in a Journey once fromVenicetoVienna, passing thro’ the chief Town of that Country, call’dJudenburg, I had the Curiosity to go off thePost-Waggon, into theChurch, with five other Gentlemen, Fellow-Passengers, to be better satisfy’d of the Truth of it. ThePeoplewere atMass, but the sight of us soon confounded, or at least disturb’d theirDevotion; for in a Moment, the Eyes of the wholeCongregationwere staring upon us, wondering to see so manydeform’d Men(as they call’d us) in that Place at one Time.
ANDthe same is the only Reason, that mostChildreninSpainandPortugal, are born with someSymptomsof theVenereal Disease; which, however, is without any infectiousMalignity, and soNaturalto them, that they seldom apply to theDoctorforCure, until the Case becomes more dangerous or desperate by theParty’sown Means: which generally happens to them in a very few Years, being exceedinglySalaciousfrom theirInfancy, because of the stimulatingAcrimonyof theputrid Humoursof the Body, which they only strive to mitigate, or allay, bycontinualWhoring.
FROMwhat’s already said, we see that theEfficacyof theFather’sSeedis very considerable; insomuch, that indeed many calamitousMisfortunesmay derive from it, to hisPosterity: But it is, however, to be strictly observ’d, that whatDisordersoever of a vitious Nature derives itself this way from theMother, hath yet the greaterMalignity, and more powerfulEffectupon herCHILDREN[51]; theHabitsof her Body, Good or Bad, herVirtuesorVices, taking still a deeperRoot, or firmerFootingin the Constitution of theFoetus. WhichDistinction, in short, must needs be a most plainCase, considering that theMaternal Bloodis its chiefAliment, and the verysecundary ORIGINof itsProcreation.
ANDthis, in fine, is the onlynatural Reasonto be given, why manyThings, no ways commendable in eitherSex, are the less excusable in theWoman.