Page:The Works of William Harvey (part 1 of 2).djvu/399

 it does not take place, for I have known several, who without anything of the kind were sufficiently prolific, and even some who after experiencing such an emission and having had great enjoyment, nevertheless appeared to have lost somewhat of their wonted fecundity ; and then an infinite number of instances might be quoted of women who, although they have great satis- faction in intercourse, still emit nothing, and yet conceive; passing over these facts, I say, I cannot but express surprise at those especially, who, conceiving such an emission on the part of the female necessary to conception, have not adverted to the fact that the fluid emitted is discharged, cast out, and is parti- cularly abundant about the clitoris and orifice of the vulva; that it is seldom poured out within the vulva, never within the uterus, and so as to be mingled with the semen of the male ; moreover, it is of a mere serous or ichorous consistency, like urine, by no means thick and apparently unctuous, like the spermatic matter of the male. But how shall we suppose that to be of use internally which is discharged externally ? Or shall we say that this humour, as if bidding the uterus farewell, is taken to the verge of the vulva, that it may be then recalled with greater favour by the uterus ?

The other argument is drawn from the genital organs of women, the testes, to wit, and vasa spermatica, prseparantia et deferentia, which are held to serve for the preparation of the spermatic fluid. I, for my part, greatly wonder how any one can believe that from parts so imperfect and obscure, a fluid like the semen, so elaborate, concoct and vivifying, can ever be produced, endowed with force and spirit and generative influ- ence adequate to overcome that of the male; for this is implied in the discussion concerning the predominance of the male or the female, as to which of them is to become the agent and effi- cient cause, which the matter and pathic principle. How should such a fluid get the better of another concocted under the in- fluence of a heat so fostering, of vessels so elaborate, and en- dowed with such vital energy ? how should such a fluid as the male semen be made to play the part of mere matter ? But of these things more hereafter.

Meantime it is certain that the egg of the hen is not en- gendered from any such discharge of fluid during sexual inter- course, although after connexion, and brimful of satisfaction,