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AND the same is the only Reason, that most Children in Spain and Portugal, are born with some Symptoms of the Venereal Disease; which, however, is without any infectious Malignity, and so Natural to them, that they seldom apply to the Doctor for Cure, until the Case becomes more dangerous or desperate by the Party’s own Means: which generally happens to them in a very few Years, being exceedingly Salacious from their Infancy, because of the stimulating Acrimony of the putrid Humours of the Body, which they only strive to mitigate, or allay, by continual Whoring.

FROM what’s already said, we see that the Efficacy of the Father’s Seed is very considerable; insomuch, that indeed many calamitous Misfortunes may derive from it, to his Posterity: But it is, however, to be strictly observ’d, that what Disorder soever of a vitious Nature derives itself this way from the Mother, hath yet the greater Malignity, and more powerful Effect upon her CHILDREN^[51]; the Habits of her Body, Good or Bad, her Virtues or Vices, taking still a deeper Root, or firmer Footing in the Constitution of the Foetus. Which Distinction, in short, must needs be a most plain Case, considering that the Maternal Blood is its chief Aliment, and the very secundary ORIGIN of its Procreation.