Castration has a strange effect: it emasculates both man, beast, and
bird, and brings them to a near resemblance of the other sex. Thus
eunuchs have smooth, unmuscular arms, thighs, and legs; and broad hips,
and beardless chins, and squeaking voices. Gelt stags and bucks have
hornless heads, like hinds and does. Thus wethers have small horns, like
ewes; and oxen large bent horns, and hoarse voices when they low, like
cows: for bulls have short straight horns; and though they mutter and
grumble in a deep, tremendous tone, yet they low in a shrill high key.
Capons have small combs and gills, and look pallid about the head, like
pullets; they also walk without any parade, and hover chickens like hens.
Barrow-hogs have also small tusks like sows.
Thus far it is plain that the deprivation of masculine vigour puts a stop
to the growth of those parts or appendages that are looked upon as its
insignia. But the ingenious Mr. Lisle, in his book on husbandry, carries
it much farther; for he says that the loss of those insignia alone has
sometimes a strange effect on the ability itself: he had a boar so fierce
and venereous, that, to prevent mischief, orders were given for his tusks
to be broken off. No sooner had the beast suffered this injury than his
powers forsook him, and he neglected those females to whom before he was
passionately attached, and from whom no fences would restrain him.