THE particular Description of MONSTROUS CONCEPTIONS in the preceding Chapter, leads me, of Course, to treat of another Sort; which I shall comprehend under the Title of Deformed CONCEPTIONS. This Sort happening almost in all Countries promiscuously, tho’ in some more frequently than in others, becomes almost in all Parts Daily obvious to our Eyes, so that we need be at no great Pains to prove the Reality of deformed Births, but rather inquire into the Causes of such uncouth CONCEPTIONS.
IN short therefore as to these, if we only look back and reflect on the three preceding Chapters, we will find the Causes of the present Case very evident and sufficiently manifest, if not particularly included in the Latter: Wherefore I have only farther here to observe, that all such Præternatural CONCEPTIONS, degenerate from the Natural, in proportion to the Prevalency of their Cause or Causes; So that the Cause being less considerable in this, than in the foregoing Case, instead of a MONSTROUS, we have only a deformed Birth: Such as a Scurf-Head, a discolour’d Skin, an ugly Visage, disagreeable Features, distorted Mouth, crooked Nose, Legs, or Arms, maim’d in whole or in Part, Tumours, Pustules, or Bubos about the Groins, &c. Which, tho’ these and such like Accidents may verily proceed from either of the forementioned Causes; Yet I think, the most common and ordinary One, in all Countries, is an impure and unseasonable Copulation: Such as is not only precisely forbid by the Express Word of God[[214]], but also repugnant to right Reason, and even to common Sense.
FOR who can be so stupid as not to conceive, that this Menstruous Contagion, will naturally (tho’ insensibly) creep into the Blood, invade the whole Habit of the Body, and tacitely infect the very soundest Constitution, even sometimes with the Venereal Pox, or perhaps with an Elephantiasis, or the Leprosy it self? Nor does this Evil end always here, but such Births are also generally as perverse in the Mind, as they are Heterogeneous in the Person; for like Bastards of Nature, they are commonly denudated, or destitute of all her laudable Gifts and Graces, which others, her Legitimate Sons, are happily born with and enjoy in Abundance.
HENCE it is, that, if they become not altogether Jolt-Heads, Foolish, or Delirious, they are most ordinarily otherways Lewd, Vitious, and Licentious Persons, if not also envious Traducers, and crafty Cozeners of Mankind: From hence likewise the Italians and Germans derive a memorable PROVERB, which they never forget upon dealing with such Persons, viz. to this purpose; Take Care of Him whom God has marked. For tho’ some of Them, are capable of undertaking Nothing of any Moment, much less of accomplishing any laudable Work, NATURE it self thwarting their Career in every Enterprize, and the very Stars (as it were) concurring to their Frustrations: Yet others have subtile Witt enough to scrape together (per Fas aut Nefas) Heaps of contemptible Dross, much of affinity with their own vile Substance; which however, seldom prevents a base or ignominious CATASTROPHE to themselves, who are thus found established upon such a præternatural Basis of Pollution.
IF then these be the direful Consequences, how unreasonably cruel are such Parents, who thus by Enterprising the Work of PROCREATION without humane Decency, and contrary to the very Institution of NATURE, involve their Posterity, in such miserable Calamities? But this sort of Births, I have also diligently observ’d, happens most frequently in Holland, and that chiefly for the Reasons and Causes mentioned in the foregoing Chapter. Which Observation leads me to the following Matter of Fact, which (without any intended Reflection, or Reproach upon any particular Country, or rather, as this would be, upon Human Nature it self) I shall ingenuously relate, not only to clear up the MYSTERY of a certain Truth, which I have found, to be controverted in this Place, and that even among some of the more Learned themselves; but also for Morality and Instruction sake to the Reader in particular, and for the common Good of Mankind in general, viz.——
THAT these Births in those Parts, are often attended and accompany’d with a Monstrous little Animal, the likest of any thing in Shape and Size to a Moodiwarp; having a hooked Snout, fiery sparkling Eyes, a long round Neck, and an acuminated short Tail, of an extraordinary Agility of FEET. At first sight of the World’s Light, it commonly Yells and Shrieks fearfully; and seeking for a lurking Hole, runs up and down like a little Dæmon, which indeed I took it for, the first time I saw it, and that for none of the better Sort. Moreover——
THE following accidental Passage is so remarkable, that I cannot pass it by, in order to satisfy and convince others of this admirable Truth; Namely, that, not many Years ago, in coming from Germany over East and West Friesland, to Holland, I took Passage in the ordinary Fare-Vessel, from the City of Harlingen for Amsterdam, over what they call the Zuyder-Zee; Which is commonly reckon’d a Voyage of 10 or 12, Hours, tho’ at this Time we happen’d to be near 36 Hours on our Passage. Amongst the better Sort of the Passengers, who possess’d the Cabine, there happen’d to be a Woman big with Child, of a very creditable Aspect, who afterwards told me, that She was bound for Amsterdam, on purpose to buy some Necessaries for her lying-in at the easiest rate; when in the interim, the good Provident Woman, was taken all at once, aboard the Ship, with a sudden and surprizing Labour: Upon which occasion, in short I immediately lent her a helping Hand, and upon the Membrane’s giving way, this forementioned Animal made its wonderful Egress; filling my Ears with dismal Shrieks, and my Mind with greater Consternation.
WHEN not immediately recollecting what I had either heard or read of this MONSTER, I could not help continuing in my Surprize, until I heard some of our Accidental Company call it de Suyger, as they went about to kill it: Upon which I immediately laid the Woman of a pretty plump Girl; who, notwithstanding all this, had no Deformity upon it, save only many dark, livid Spots all over its Body; which I prognosticated might turn to a Universal Scurf. In the mean time I order’d the Express’d Oil of Almonds to be diligently us’d, as soon as we landed.
AFTERWARDS I had occasion to talk with some of the most learned Men, of the several famous Universities in these Provinces upon this Head; who ingenuously told me, that it was so common a Thing, among the Sea-faring, and meaner sort of People, that scarce One of these Women in Three escaped this kind of strange Birth; which my own small Practice among them afterwards also confirmed: Insomuch, that I always as much expected the Thing de Suyger, as the Child it self: And besides the Women in like manner, make a respective suitable Preparation, to receive it warmly, and throw it into the Fire; holding Sheets before the Chimney, that it may not get off; as it always endeavours to save it self, by getting into some dark Hole or Corner. They properly call it de Suyger, which is (in our Language) the Sucker, because, like a Leech, it sucks up the Infant’s Blood and Aliment.
UPON this Head, and to this Purpose, I might produce the Authorities of sundry good Writers, but shall content my self here at present with One of the same Nation, viz.[[215]] The most Learned and Eminent Levinus Lemnius, who gives us a very remarkable and particular Account at large, of a certain Birth, which began with a MONSTROUS MOLE, succeeded by the Sucker, and ended with the Production of an excarnificated Male-Child.