The Works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher | Page 2

in Swedland, a man was married at 100 years of
age to a girl of 30 years, and had many children by her; but his
countenance was so fresh, that those who knew him not, imagined him
not to exceed 50. And in Campania, where the air is clear and
temperate, men of 80 marry young virgins, and have children by them;
which shows that age in them does not hinder procreation, unless they
be exhausted in their youths and their yards be shrivelled up.
If any would know why a woman is sooner barren than a man, they
may be assured that the natural heat, which is the cause of generation,
is more predominant in the man than in the woman; for since a woman

is more moist than a man, as her monthly purgations demonstrate, as
also the softness of her body; it is also apparent that he does not much
exceed her in natural heat, which is the chief thing that concocts the
humours in proper aliment, which the woman wanting grows fat;
whereas a man, through his native heat, melts his fat by degrees and his
humours are dissolved; and by the benefit thereof are converted into
seed. And this may also be added, that women, generally, are not so
strong as men, nor so wise or prudent; nor have so much reason and
ingenuity in ordering affairs; which shows that thereby the faculties are
hindered in operations.
* * * * *
CHAPTER II
How to beget a male or female child; and of the Embryo and perfect
Birth; and the fittest time for the copula.
When a young couple are married, they naturally desire children; and
therefore adopt the means that nature has appointed to that end. But
notwithstanding their endeavours they must know that the success of all
depends on the blessing of the Gods: not only so, but the sex, whether
male or female, is from their disposal also, though it cannot be denied,
that secondary causes have influence therein, especially two. First, the
general humour, which is brought by the arteria praeparantes to the
testes, in form of blood, and there elaborated into seed, by the
seminifical faculty residing in them. Secondly, the desire of coition,
which fires the imagination with unusual fancies, and by the sight of
brisk, charming beauty, may soon inflame the appetite. But if nature be
enfeebled, some meats must be eaten as will conduce to afford such
aliment as makes the seed abound, and restores the exhaustion of nature
that the faculties may freely operate, and remove impediments
obstructing the procreating of children. Then, since diet alters the evil
state of the body to a better, those subject to barrenness must eat such
meats as are juicy and nourish well, making the body lively and full of
sap; of which faculty are all hot moist meats. For, according to Galen,
seed is made of pure concocted and windy superfluity of blood, whence

we may conclude, that there is a power in many things, to accumulate
seed, and also to augment it; and other things of force to cause desire,
as hen eggs, pheasants, woodcocks, gnat-snappers, blackbirds, thrushes,
young pigeons, sparrows, partridges, capons, almonds, pine nuts,
raisins, currants, strong wines taken sparingly, especially those made of
the grapes of Italy. But erection is chiefly caused by scuraum, eringoes,
cresses, crysmon, parsnips, artichokes, turnips, asparagus, candied
ginger, acorns bruised to powder and drank in muscadel, scallion, sea
shell fish, etc. But these must have time to perform their operation, and
must be used for a considerable time, or you will reap but little benefit
from them. The act of coition being over, let the woman repose herself
on her right side, with her head lying low, and her body declining, that
by sleeping in that posture, the cani, on the right side of the matrix,
may prove the place of conception; for therein is the greatest generative
heat, which is the chief procuring cause of male children, and rarely
fails the expectations of those that experience it, especially if they do
but keep warm, without much motion, leaning to the right, and drinking
a little spirit of saffron and juice of hissop in a glass of Malaga or
Alicant, when they lie down and arise, for a week.
For a female child, let the woman lie on her left side, strongly fancying
a female in the time of procreation, drinking the decoction of female
mercury four days from the first day of purgation; the male mercury
having the like operation in case of a male; for this concoction purges
the right and left side of the womb, opens the receptacles, and makes
way for the seminary of generation. The best time to beget a female is,
when the moon is