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CHAP. VII. Of the Formation of the EMBRYO.

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THE spirituous Substance of both Seeds, by its own generative and active Qualities, in a well disposed Womb, produceth a small Consistence within the Space of Seven Days, call’d the Genitura; which contains three^[13] Bullæ (so term’d by Physicians) superlatively Minute, design’d for the three Spermatick Members: The one containing the purer Part of the Seed, full of Vital Spirit, for the Heart; the other, the more thick and pinguid Part, full of Natural Spirit, for the Liver; and the third, the more cold and crude Part, full of Animal Spirit, for the Brain.

ACCORDING to^[14] Hippocrates’s Definition of the Genitura, it appears the likest of any Thing to a raw immature Egg, inclosing a certain red Liquor, with some pale-colour’d Fibres, of the finest Contexture, not unlike the Filaments of a small Spider’s Web, wrap’d up with the said red thick Blood in the Pellicule.

BUT in this place I must farther observe, that the abovesaid spirituous Substance, in which the effective Virtue of Conception resides, is endued with four distinct Faculties, which perfect as many different Operations, all subordinately effected in the Constitution of the Conception, viz.

I. THE animatïve or vivificating Faculty of the Menstruum, called by some the first Constitutive Faculty of Conception, operating, as above, in Seven Days; which is otherwise term’d the Time of Spumification, Lactation, or Coagulation.

II. THE separative or severing Faculty of the Parts of the grosser Materials of the Conception, destinated for the respective Constitution of the different Organical Members; which, being the Work of the next Eight or Ten Days, is perfected about the 15th or 17th Day from Conception; and this is called the Time of Lineation or Ramification, when the Genitura receives the Name of Embryo.

III. THE collocative or ordinating Faculty of all the severed material Parts of the different Members, disposing and placing them according to the Law of Nature, in due Order, Figure, and Situation; which, happening the following^[15] Twelve or Fifteen Days, about the 27th or 32d Day from Conception, is called the Time of Carnification; when the Embryo receives the Name of Foetus.

NOW according to the Maxims of Astrology, as all inferiour Bodies are govern’d and influenced by Superiours, so the Seven Planets have Dominion over the Man, not only from the Day of Birth, but also from the Moment of Conception; yet not All at one and the same Time, but every one in their Order, reigning each its peculiar Month. According to which Principles, Saturn reigns the first Month, suppeditating the humid and liquid Substance of the Genitura and Embryo, through his frigid and siccid Quality’s due Coagulation for generating the Man; by virtue of whose Siccity the uterine Retentions also happen.

IV. THE formative and figurating Faculty of all the Members of the Body, imparting their respective Shape, Figure, and natural Form, to every particular one; which being the Work of the next Eight to Eighteen Days, is perfected about the 35th, to the 50th Day from Conception, and is called the Time of coarticulate Formation, when the Foetus, or Cyema, is stil’d Infant.

AND in this, the second Month, Jupiter is supposed to exert his Power in the Seed, by his calid and humid Qualities; and thereby to vivify the Spirits, strengthen the Members, and give Augmentation and Growth to the whole Foetus: So that the interior Members are not^[16] only conspicuous, but also Legs and Arms appear perfectly delineated, and are (at this time) distinctly visible; when also the Head takes its Distance from the Shoulders, the Arms from the Sides, and the Legs are plainly parted.

BUT, however, the above-mention’d Four remarkable Times may be also thus distinguished; viz. The first perfects the Work of Spumification and Coagulation; the second the Vegetative; the third the Sensitive; and the fourth begins the Rational Operation: Altho’ this cannot yet be discern’d, because of the Redundancy of Humours.

FROM the beginning of this Chapter, ’tis evident that the more noble, or three chief Parts take the first beginning to Formation, tho’ perhaps last perfected, which forthwith distribute their respective Branches to the whole Body; as the Heart sends forth the Arteries, the Liver the Veins, and the Brain the Spinal Marrow, with all their other Dependencies: And according to Aristotle, (who says, there must be a different Matter to every different Form); So indeed every distinct Part of the Body is form’d of a different Substance, according to the different Nature and singular Disposition of every particular Part.

HOWEVER, I shall not here pretend to go much farther in describing the Formation, it being more the Philosopher’s than the Physician’s Business: But whatever farther Progress others may attempt, I judge it a most difficult and ambiguous Matter; for who can be so well vers’d in those Indiscoverables? Or, who can pretend to know sufficiently what is done in those Obscurities? The Series of Nature being profounder than our Understandings, is consequently above our nicest and exactest Scrutinies: Which Consideration makes me astonished at the Logical Dissertations that some Men offer on these Principles, even on the most minute Particles, and smallest Proportions, rashly and inconsiderately assigning every respective one of these, a precise definite Time for their Formation.

I HAVE often been inclin’d to think, that such Sciolists have not read, or at least not consider’d the Words of the^[17] Preacher; As thou knowest not what is the Way of the SPIRIT, nor how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child; even so thou knowest not the Works of GOD that maketh all. Neither do I find that the wise^[18] Hebrean ever enter’d upon such Syllogisms, who (to the contrary) testifies that the Counsel of GOD is not to be known; that our Thoughts are miserable, and our Devices uncertain. Upon which Authority, I say, in this Case, as that Labour is commendable which can be compar’d to Possibilities, so to dive into those Things, which exceed our Judgments, and admit of no possible Comparison, is nothing better than Folly. Wherefore All that is further requisite, or possible for us, is to contemplate and admire the Greatness and Elegancy, the Sublimity and Profundity of this wonderful and amazing Work of Formation; which Subject (we find) hath been the frequent Contemplation of the Royal Prophet^[19], particularly expressing himself, in the most eloquent and sublime Terms, according to the divine Light of his illuminated Understanding: Saying, Thou hast possessed my Reins: Thou hast ordered me in my Mother’s Womb. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, marvellous are thy Works, and that my Soul knoweth right well. My Substance was not hid from thee, tho’ I was made in secret, and curiously fashioned in the lowest Parts of the Earth. Thine Eyes did see my Bones, yet being imperfect; and in thy Book were all my Members written; which Day by Day were formed, when as yet there was none of them. Whence I proceed in order, to