The Count observing her inclin'd to Pleasure, invited her to his House, which she at first rejected, but after a great deal of Intreaty and Persuasion she condescended, not rightly apprehending the Consequence, with a Gentleman that was a perfect Stranger to her. When they were arriv'd at the House of the Count Isabella was handed through several Rooms of State to an Anti-Chamber, where he was desir'd to sit down, the Count calling for his Servants to prepare a costly Supper; while the Supper was dressing, he kiss'd and dally'd with Isabella, but she was unexpectedly shy, behaving her self with a great deal of gravity; at length the Supper was brought, consisting of Fish, Fowl, Ragooes, Soops, &c. dress'd to the heighth of the Mode; they both eat heartily and drank very freely of noble Wines. After the Supper was over, the Count renew'd his Addresses to Isabella, who seem'd a little more compliable, but would not allow him the Fredom he desir'd, which had the usual Consequences of encreasing his Inclinations: It growing late, he carry'd her, to his Chamber, where after some Time, she, was oblig'd to go to Bed with him.
The Count, after he was in Bed, being inspir'd with Love, began the amorous Adventure with Isabella, before he had thoroughly examin'd the Secrets of Nature; and after a short Space, finding an Uneasiness in his amorous Struggles, he put down his Hand to discover what it was, and feeling something like the Testicles of a Man, he rose from her in the greatest Confusion, and calling to his Servant for a Candle, in his passion he pull'd out a sharp Pen-knife and cut off the external Members of Isabella, highly resenting the Affront, and very much displeas'd with himself, that he should embrace a Monster. Isabella made a hideous Outcry, which disturb'd the whole Neighbourhood, but the Count sending for an experienc'd Surgeon, to prevent the Effusion of too great a Quantity of Blood, it issuing out with great violence, kept her at his House all Night, and sent her the next Morning in a Chair to her Companion.
Isabella was a considerable Time before she recover'd of this great Wound, but at length growing well, and Diana having very much suffer'd by her extravagant Frolicks, they liv'd together as Man and Wife (being now better qualified for it) a considerable Space, 'till on a Time they had a very great Quarrel, which occasion'd a Separation; and Diana reviving her former Diversions, met at last with the same Fate as Isabella, her masculine Instrument being likewise sever'd from her Privities, after which, both of them liv'd to be harmless old Women. These Intrigues being very remarkable, I thought fit to insert them for the Entertainment of the curious Reader; I now proceed to the Nature and Generation of Hermaphrodites.
Of the material Cause and Generation of Hermaphrodites
There are several Reasons assign'd by Naturalists for the Cause and Production of Hermaphrodites. Some are of Opinion that Hermaphrodites are form'd whilst the Terms are upon Women, which being always impure, they can produce nothing but Monsters; but to this it may be answer'd, that when Children are conceived during the Sowing of the Terms, there is a greater probability of their being born with the Itch, or other scorbutick Distempers, than of their being Hermaphrodites.
Others believe, that the Man and the Woman having equally contributed to Generation, the forming Power which endeavours to render the Matter whereon it works like unto those it came from, imprints the Characters of Man and Woman upon it: And that some have been able to engender in a double Capacity, as to have a Child with one Breast resembling that of a Woman, and the other that of a Man; but this Opinion is very fabulous, for the uniting Faculty, which is the Effect of the Soul, is not capable of making such very great Differences; and Generation being accomplish'd, thro' the Fermentation of the Seed only, it cannot separate their Actions after they are mix'd.
Some Naturalists tell us, that where Nature design'd Seed in the Womb for a Male only, (as working up for the best, and aiming at the highest Perfection of its Workmanship) too much Cold and Moisture accidentally falling into the Work, before it is perfected in the Womb, at the same time there being too great a quantity of Seed and menstrous Blood, what was intended for Man in part degenerates, and renders the Infant of a double Sex or Nature, placing it in the middle of both Sexes, as seeming to participate of Male and Female.