The Count, after he was in Bed, being inspir’d with Love, began the amorous Adventure with Isabella, before he had thoroughly examin’d the Secrets of Nature; and after a short Space, finding an Uneasiness in his amorous Struggles, he put down his Hand to discover what it was, and feeling something like the Testicles of a Man, he rose from her in the greatest Confusion, and calling to his Servant for a Candle, in his passion he pull’d out a sharp Pen-knife and cut off the external Members of Isabella, highly resenting the Affront, and very much displeas’d with himself, that he should embrace a Monster. Isabella made a hideous Outcry, which disturb’d the whole Neighbourhood, but the Count sending for an experienc’d Surgeon, to prevent the Effusion of too great a Quantity of Blood, it issuing out with great violence, kept her at his House all Night, and sent her the next Morning in a Chair to her Companion.

Isabella was a considerable Time before she recover’d of this great Wound, but at length growing well, and Diana having very much suffer’d by her extravagant Frolicks, they liv’d together as Man and Wife (being now better qualified for it) a considerable Space, ’till on a Time they had a very great Quarrel, which occasion’d a Separation; and Diana reviving her former Diversions, met at last with the same Fate as Isabella, her masculine Instrument being likewise sever’d from her Privities, after which, both of them liv’d to be harmless old Women.  These Intrigues being very remarkable, I thought fit to insert them for the Entertainment of the curious Reader; I now proceed to the Nature and Generation of Hermaphrodites.

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Of the material Cause and Generation of Hermaphrodites

There are several Reasons assign’d by Naturalists for the Cause and Production of Hermaphrodites.  Some are of Opinion that Hermaphrodites are form’d whilst the Terms are upon Women, which being always impure, they can produce nothing but Monsters; but to this it may be answer’d, that when Children are conceived during the Sowing of the Terms, there is a greater probability of their being born with the Itch, or other scorbutick Distempers, than of their being Hermaphrodites.

Others believe, that the Man and the Woman having equally contributed to Generation, the forming Power which endeavours to render the Matter whereon it works like unto those it came from, imprints the Characters of Man and Woman upon it:  And that some have been able to engender in a double Capacity, as to have a Child with one Breast resembling that of a Woman, and the other that of a Man; but this Opinion is very fabulous, for the uniting Faculty, which is the Effect of the Soul, is not capable of making such very great Differences; and Generation being accomplish’d, thro’ the Fermentation of the Seed only, it cannot separate their Actions after they are mix’d.