WHICH Fable may however serve to satisfy us, that they have had no better Opinion of an Eight-Months BIRTH, in those Antient Days, than the Generality of Learned Men yet have in these Modern Times: signifying in the main, by this comical Allusion to that little Island in the Ægean Sea, that if, peradventure, an Octimestrian BIRTH, by its more propitious Destiny, should be determined to Life; that ought to be looked upon as something Extraordinary, and not laid down for any general Hypothesis: especially for this manifest Reason, because in all other Nations, such CHILDREN are commonly observed to be but short-liv’d; as the Women, labouring with CHILD at that critical[[122]] or fatal TIME, are absolutely exposed to the severest of excruciating PAINS, and the greatest of imminent DANGERS.

MOREOVER, Hippocrates himself testifies, that the very Gestation[[123]] of the eighth Month is the most onerous and difficult of all the Time, as well on account of the Indisposition of the Womb, as by reason of the Mother’s being affected by the disturbing Motions of the Infant: Wherefore if the Birth then draws on, it receives a double Damage, and suffers as well because of these Affections of the Mother and Womb, as by its own proper Motions in precipitating itself.

FROM what is said, we may easily comprehend what HIPPOCRATES means by that obscure[[124]] Ænigma, which some have formerly reckoned more inextricable than any Herculean Knot, viz. An Octimestrian Birth is and is not; signifying thereby nothing else than that the Child born in the eighth Month (in some respect) may be supposed in Being, but really and indeed is not, because it soon vanishes and dies.

CHAP. XXXV.
Of a Nine-Months BIRTH.

THE Generality of Modern Writers have too strictly confined a Legitimate Birth, and tied it down to this very Month only; and some even restrain it to the narrow Limits of its Latter Half: Both equally affirming That Time to produce the most vigorous and lively Children, and strenuously alledging it to be the only appointed Time of Nature; because (as they say) it happens most frequently.

BUT unless they could produce some better natural Reasons than This, or any others indeed that I have yet heard of, they shall scarce influence me to agree with their popular Notions or vulgar Errors: For their fond Opinion seems not to be so much supported by any Arguments of Natural Reason, as by an imaginary Experience, founded upon Hearsay, or the general Misconstruction of Women.

HOWEVER, in Condescension and Good-Manners to Female Authority (to which I owe all imaginable Deference) I shall not launch out into any immodest or disagreeable Contradictions; but, on the contrary, I shall endeavour to make it evidently appear from the Nature of the Month itself, that it indisputably induceth both Perfection and Vitality to the Child, whether it be born at this Time or not: For I must frankly own this Truth indeed, that many Auspicious Births happen in this very same Month, for several good Reasons.

I. BECAUSE then, if we will believe Astrologers, Jupiter now returns with his Serene Aspect, by his pure healing Heat and Humidity, cherishing and renovating the Life of the Infant (which consists of those two vital Qualities) and quite effacing the former Mischiefs and Injuries of noxious Saturn: whereby he renders This ninth Month not only most conducive to the Birth, but also to the future Welfare and Prosperity of the Infant.

II. BECAUSE this auspicious Number Nine is dedicated to the Muses, according to the Order of the Celestial Spheres: Hence as we have nine moveable Spheres, viz. the Primum Mobile, the Starry Heaven, and the Spheres of SATURN, JUPITER, MARS, SOL, VENUS, MERCURY, and LUNA; so there are Nine Muses appropriated to them, to accomplish their Harmony or Consort.