Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/138

 Dr. Barrow, or Mr. Newton, because he knew enough to be thought a Conjurer in the Age in which he lived, and no despicable Person in any other.

But it may not be amiss to give a Tast of some of the Pythagorean Notions; such, I mean, as they first started in Europe, and chiefly valued themselves upon. Of this Sort, were their Arithmetical Speculations. By them they pretended to explain the Causes of Natural Things. The following Account of their Explication of Generation is taken out of Censorinus and Aristides.

'Perfect Animals are generated in two distinct Periods of Time; some in Seven Months, some in Nine. Those Generations that are compleated in Seven Months proceed in this Order: In the First Six Days after Conception the Humour is Milky; in the next Eight it is turned into Blood; which Number 8 bears the Proportion of 1$1⁄3$ to 6; in Nine Days more it becomes Flesh; 9 is in a Sescuple Proportion to 6; in Twelve Days more the Embryo is formed; 12 is double to 6: Here then are these Stages, 6, 8, 9, 12; 6 is the First perfect Number, because it is the Sum of 1, 2, 3, the only Numbers by which it can be divided: Now if we add these Four