23.13. 13. Of Seaport Towns.
In seaport towns, where men expose themselves
to a thousand dangers, and go abroad to live or die in distant climates,
there are fewer men than women: and yet we see more children there than
in other places. This proceeds from the greater ease with which they
procure the means of subsistence. Perhaps even the oily parts of fish
are more proper to furnish that matter which contributes to generation.
This may be one of the causes of the infinite number of people in
Japan
[15]
and China,
[16]
where they live almost wholly on fish.
[17]
If this be the case, certain monastic rules, which oblige the monks to live
on fish, must be contrary to the spirit of the legislator himself.
Footnotes
[15]
Japan is composed of a number of isles, where there are many
banks, and the sea is there extremely full of fish.
[16]
China abounds in rivers.
[17]
See Father Du Halde, tome ii, pp. 139, 142. ff.
