AND besides, the same is the Case, when the Natural Faculties are all at work in forming, or ripening the Fœtus; for if the Woman be surpriz’d at any sudden Evil, or frighted at any unseemly Sight, the Humours and Spirits presently retire downwards, and (as it were) abscond themselves in the Recess of the Womb: From whence immediately a strong IMAGINATION of the disagreeable Thing (whether seen or heard only) seizes her Mind; and the Forming Faculty (going on in the Interim) quickly impresses the Imaginary Idea of That thing heard off, or the Shape and Form of That thing seen, upon the Fœtus. The same is the Reason, that if a Mouse, Rat, Weazel, Cat, or the like, leaps suddenly upon a Woman that has conceived, or if an Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry, &c. fall upon any part of her Body; the MARK of the thing (be what it will) is instantly imprinted, and will manifestly appear on the same Part, or Member of the CHILD: unless the Woman (in that very Moment) wipe That Part or Member, and move her Hand to some more remote, private, or convenient Place of the Body: which done, the MARK is actually averted, or at least stamped upon the other Part touch’d, where the deep Impression of the Mind, directs, and fixes the IMAGINATION; and whither the Forming Faculty (not so much by any Virtue of the simple Touch, as by Force of the strong IMAGINATION) infallibly converts it.
IN fine, having thus briefly defin’d, and variously described the Powers of IMAGINATION, I come in the next Place, more particularly, to treat of the Reasons of Similitude in Children.
CHAP. VIII.
Of the SIMILITUDE of Children.
WHATEVER may be advanced on this Head, the most probable and solid Reason for the Child’s Likeness or Resemblance, is the IMAGINATION of the Mother in the Act of Copulation; together with the Liberty she gives herself in her Thoughts and Actions, during the Time of Formation, commonly call’d the Time of Breeding.
HENCE it is, that whatever she intentively fixes her Eyes upon, or conceives and impresses in her Mind, the Infant represents the same in its extimous Parts: And particularly whatever Object she directs her Eyes or Thoughts upon, in the Interval between the Embrace and the Charm, its Effigies is afterwards manifest in the Child. As St. Jerom thus relates of a certain Woman, who conceiv’d and brought forth a Black-Child, tho’ both She and her Husband (the real Father) were white; meerly by eying a PICTURE in the Bed-Chamber at that critical Juncture.
UPON this Chapter[[48]]Pliny has most elegantly express’d the Artifice of Nature, together with all the Reasons and Causes of Similitude, to this Purpose; viz. “The Cogitations of the Mind make much for the Similitudes and Resemblances of Children: As many other accidental Occurrences are thought to be very efficacious in the same, and that whether they come by Sight, Hearing, or calling to Remembrance; or by Imaginations conceiv’d, and deeply apprehended in the very Act of Generation, or the very Instant of Conception: The inconstant Mind, and wandering Thought, of either Parent, is justly suppos’d to be one Cause.”
HENCE it is, that some Children favour and resemble their Fathers, some their Mothers, some their Grandfathers, or Mothers, and some their Kinsmen: And hence also it is, that there is more Difference and Diversity in the Rational Kind, than in all other Creatures; because the Velocity of their Thoughts, the Celerity of their Minds, and the Variety of their Dispositions, impress a far greater Diversity of various peculiar MARKS: While the rest of irrational Creatures have their Minds continually fixed (in a manner) immoveable, steady, and alike: every One of them in its own peculiar Kind, and specifick Nature.
INSOMUCH that the Woman’s IMAGINATION frequently induces a strange Likeness to her Infant; that is, in no Part, and in no Respect, favouring the Father. From whence it often happens, that a Woman abusing her Husband’s Bed, and fearing perhaps to be surpriz’d by him in the ACT, brings forth (in due time) her CHILD, no ways resembling the real Father, (namely the Gallant); but altogether LIKE to the injur’d Husband.
UPON which Case the following facetious Epigram was occasionally written by the famous and celebrated Sir Thomas More.