stand anatomy enough to make dissections; but I fancy that
the ladies who want assistence in their lyings-in, are not very curious
of having one that can dissect instead of delivering them.
PROPHANE history
has preserved to us the names and talents of a number of illustrious women
who have distinguished themselves in all kinds of arts. Cleopatra queen
of Egypt, is one of the fist ladies that have written on the art of midwifery.
Mr. Smellie, in his introduction, endeavours to render doubtful this quality
of queen and princess, with a design, probably to weaken the credit of
it, or rather out of contempt to the women; but as all those who have
made collections of antient history, assure us, that notwithstanding the
wars in which this princess was engaged, she did not neglect an assiduous
application to physic, I had rather adhere to their authority, than to
that of Mr. Smellie.
IN Greece, Aspasia, and a number of other celebrated
women, quoted by vari-
