And the History reported by _Riolanus_ favours the Opinion against those
who maintain that Generation may be perform'd by shedding of the Seed on
the Cabia of a Woman's Privities. The _Vagina_ of the Woman mention'd by
this Writer, was shut up with Scars after a troublesome Child-birth, to
such a Degree as only to leave a small Hole for the passage of the Terms
and Urine, through which also pass'd the Husband's Seed that got her
with Child; this might not hinder these two Persons from Copulating
strictly; nay, there must have been a strict Alliance and the Womb, by
contracting of the Passage, must in this Case have drawn the Seed as
greedily as an hungry Stomach attracts the Victuals by the Mouth.
Some Persons have believ'd that a Woman may Engender, without the
Application of a Man's Privities. They tell us of a Woman that was got
with Child in the Embraces of her She-Companion, who but a little before
came from her Husband's Arms: And of a young Woman that was found
Breeding by no other Cause than her Father's having by chance Polluted
himself in the same Bed where she was: But these Stories seem to be
contriv'd to cover the Lasciviousness of Women, and conceal the Vice of
an impure Love.
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