The Egyptians have represented this great transformation by
several significant hieroglyphicks, particularly one very
remarkable. There are carv'd upon an obelisk, a barber and a
midwife; the barber delivers his razor to the midwife, and she
her swadling-cloaths to the barber. Accordingly Thales Milesius
(who like the rest of his countrymen, borrow'd his learning from
the Egyptians) after having computed the time of this famous
conjunction, "Then," says he, "shall men and women mutually
exchange the pangs of shaving and child-bearing."
Anaximander modestly describes this metamorphosis in mathematical
terms: "Then," says he, "shall the negative quantity of the women
be turn'd into positive, their - into +;" (i.e.) their minus into
plus.
Plato not only speaks of this great change, but describes all the
preparations towards it. "Long before the bodily transformation,
(says he) nature shall begin the most difficult part of her work,
by changing the ideas and inclinations of the two sexes: Men
shall turn effeminate, and women manly; wives shall domineer, and
husbands obey; ladies shall ride a horseback, dress'd like
cavaliers; princes and nobles appear in night-rails and
petticoats; men shall squeak upon theatres with female voices,
and women corrupt virgins; lords shall knot and cut paper; and
even the northern people.........:" A Greek phrase (which for
modesty's sake I forbear to translate) which denotes a vice too
frequent amongst us.
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