A mechanical and critical enquiry into the nature of hermaphrodites.

8vo: [4]-liv-[1 bl.-1]-156 pp. (some min. dampstaining in the margins, tiny tear in upper blank margin of first pl.).

Hybrid binding: covers in calf (some scratches and sm. def.), sheep spine on 5 raised bands (rubbed).

Rare and interesting first edition of this curious work by the English physician, antiquary and Fellow of the Royal Society J. Parsons (1705-1770). Ill. with 3 fold. pl. Parsons discusses the physical characteristics of hermaphrodites as well as the social and religious questions they posed. He scrutinises past laws and customs since Roman times regarding hermaphrodites. In the introduction he states clearly: "What, but ignorance or superstition, could perswade men to imagine, that poor human creatures (which were only distorted in some particular part, or had any thing unusual appearing about them, from some morbid cause affecting them, either in the uterus, or after their births) were prodigies or monsters in nature? What, but ignorance or superstition, could urge men to make laws for their destruction or exclusion from the common benefits of life?". Our copy has a stocklist in fine.
Ref. Blake 339. - Wellcome III:310. - COPAC. - BnF.