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PHILOSOPHICAL FANCIES. | |
WRITTEN | |
By the Right Honourable, | |
THE LADY NEWCASTLE. | |
LONDON, | |
Printed by Tho: Roycroft, for J. Martin, and J. Allestry, at the Bell in St. | |
Paul's Church-yard, 1653. | |
A Dedication to FAME. | |
TO thee, great Fame, I dedicate this Piece. | |
Though I am no Philosopher of Greece; | |
Yet do not thou my works of Thoughts despise, | |
Because they came not from the Ancient, Wise. | |
Nor do not think, great Fame, that they had all | |
The strange Opinions, which we Learning call. | |
For Nature's unconfined, and gives about | |
Her several Fancies, without leave, no doubt. | |
She's infinite, and can no limits take, | |
But by her Art, as good a Brain may make. | |
Although she's not so bountiful to me, | |
Yet pray accept of this Epitome. | |
An Epistle to Time. | |
SWift, ever-moving Time, I write to thee, | |
To crave thy pardon, if ill spent thou be. | |
But I did choose this way, thinking it best: | |
For by my writing I do none molest. | |
I injure none, nor yet disturb their way, | |
I slander none, nor any one betray. | |
If I do wast thee in a musing thought, | |
Yet I take pains, my Brains constantly wrought. | |
For in three weeks begun, and finished all | |
These Philosophical Fancies, which I call. | |
If thou think much, that I should spend thee so, | |
To write of that, I can but guess, not know; | |
I'll tell thee Time, thou may be worser spent, | |
In wanton ways, which some call Merriment. | |
Let me tell thee, this better pleases me, | |
Then if I spent thee in fine Pageantry. | |
A Request to Time. | |
TIme, prithee be content, and let me write; | |
I'll use thee better then the Carpet Knight, | |
Or Amorous Ladies, which do dance, and play, | |
Casting their Modesty, and Fame away. | |
I humbly cast mine eyes down to the ground, | |
Or shut them close, while I a Fancy found. | |
And in a Melancholy posture sit, | |
With musing Thoughts, till I more Fancies get. | |
Besides, dear Time, Nature doth not me give | |
Such store of Health, to hope I old shall live. | |
Then let me give my Youth the most content, | |
Which is to write, and send it to the Print. | |
If any like my Fancies when they are read, | |
My time's rewarded, though my Body's dead. | |
If they do not, my Son'e will lye at rest, | |
Because my Life did think, what's harmless, best. | |
An Epistle to my BRAIN. | |
I Wonder, Brain, thou art so dull, when there | |
Was not a day, but Wit past, through the year. | |
For seven years 'tis, since I have married bin; | |
Which time, my Brain might be a Magazine, | |
To store up wise discourse, naturally sent, | |
In fluent words, which free, and easy went. | |
If thou art not with Wit enriched thereby, | |
Then useless is the Art of Memory. | |
But thou, poor Brain, hard ftozen art with Cold, | |
Words Seals, of Wit, will neither print, nor hold. | |
AN EPISTLE To a troubled FANCY. | |
FAncies in sleep are Visions, Dreams we call, | |
Raised in the Brain to sport themselves withal. | |
Sometimes they take delight to fright the Mind, | |
Taking strange Shapes, not like to Natures kind. | |
After the Soul they hunt, and run about, | |
As from the Body they would thrust it out. | |
But if they are in humour kind, and good, | |
In pleasing Shapes before the Mind they stood. | |
An Epistle to Contemplation. | |
I Contemplating by a Fires side, | |
In Winter cold, my Thoughts would hunting ride. | |
And after Fancies they do run a Race, | |
If lose them not, they have a pleasant Chase. | |
If they do catch the Hare, or kill the Dear, | |
They dress them strait in Verse, and make good Cheer. | |
An Epistle to my Musefull Thoughts. | |
THoughts, trouble not the Soul with falling out, | |
Siding in Factions, with Fear, Hope and Doubt. | |
But with the Muses dance in measured feet, | |
Taking out all the Fancies as you meet. | |
Some Fancies are like wild, and Toyish Girls, | |
And some are sober, grave; others are Churls. | |
Let those that sober, sad, a Pavin measure, | |
Corantoes are the lighter Fancies pleasure. | |
Let Churlish Fancies dance with crabbed Feet, | |
In Numbers odd, not even, smooth, nor sweet. | |
Another to the Thoughts. | |
MY Thoughts lye close imprisoned in the Mind, | |
Unless through strange Opinions passage find. | |
But when they find a way, they run so fast, | |
No Reason can persuade to stay their hast. | |
Then they strait seek a Credit for to win, | |
Persuading all they meet to follow them: | |
And with their Rhetoric hope they to grow strong, | |
Striving to get belief, as they go on. | |
If Contradiction chance to stop their way, | |
They strait fly out, and oft times run away. | |
And seldom they do back return again, | |
To rally, or to muster in the Brain. | |
But the weak Brain is forced more Thoughts to raise, | |
Striving to get a Victory of Praise. | |
Reason, and the Thoughts. | |
THOUGHTS, run not in such Reason. | |
strange fantastic ways, | |
Nor take such pains to get a Vulgar Praise. | |
The World will scorn, and say, you are all Fools, | |
Because you are not taught in common Schools. | |
The World will think you mad, because you run | |
Not the same Track, that former times have done. | |
Turn foolish Thoughts, walk in a Beaten Path, | |
Or else the World ridiculously will laugh. | |
Reason forbear, our Study not Thoughts. | |
molest, | |
For we do go those ways that please us best. | |
Nature doth give us liberty to run, | |
Without a Check, more swift far then the Sun. | |
But if we jar, and sometimes disagree, | |
By thy Disputes, we run unevenly. | |
But prithee Reason trouble us no more, | |
For if you prate, we'll thrust you out of door. | |
TO SIR CHARLES CAVENDISH, MY NOBLE BROTHER-IN-LAW. | |
SIR, | |
TO forget to divulge your noble Favours to me, in any of my Works, were to | |
murder GRATITVDE; Which I will never be guilty of: And though I am your Slave, | |
being manacl'd with Chains of Obligation, yet my Chains feel softer then | |
Silk, and my Bondage is pleasanter then Freedom; because I am bound to your | |
self, who are a Person so full of Generosity, as you delight in Bounty, and | |
take pleasure to relieve the necessitated Condition of your Friends; and what | |
is freely given, is comfortably received, and a satisfaction to the mind. For, | |
should a bountiful hand be joined to Repining Thoughts, it would be like a | |
Gilded Statue made of rotten wood. But your mind is the Mint of Virtues, which | |
makes them currant Coin; which I will never clip with a silent Tongue, nor | |
change with an unthankful Heart; but locke it up with the Key of Admiration, | |
in the Chest of Affection. I shall not fear to be turned out of your Favour, | |
though my deserts make me not worthy to dwell therein; because you are so | |
constant to Charity, and so compassionate to Misery; so adverse to | |
Covetousness, so armed against Mis-fortunes, so valiant in Friendship, so | |
victorious in Natural Affections, as you are the Conqueror of all Merit. And | |
may you ride in Triumph on Fame round the Universe, until the expiring | |
thereof. | |
Thus doth your humble Servant joy in your Love, proud of your Favour, Glory | |
in your Fame, and will die in your Service. M. N. | |
TO THE READER. | |
Noble Readers, | |
IF this Work is not so well wrought, but that you may find some false | |
Stitches; I must let you understand it was huddl'd up in such hast, (out of a | |
desire to have it joined to my Book of Poems) as I took not so much time, as | |
to consider thoroughly; For I writ it in less then three weeks; and yet for | |
all my hast, it came a week too short of the Press. Besides my desire (to | |
have those Works Printed in England, which I wrote in England, before I leave | |
England) persuaded me to send it to the Press, without a further enlargement. | |
But I imagine my Readers will say, that there is enough, unless it were better. | |
I can only say, I wish it were so good, as to give satisfaction: howsoever I | |
pleased my self in the Study of it. | |
The Table. | |
OF Matter, and Motion, page 1. Of the Form, and the Mind, 2. Of Eternal | |
Matter, 3. Of Infinite Matter, 4. There is no proportion in Nature, ib. Of one | |
kind of Matter, 5. Of Infinite Knowledge, ib. There is no Judge in Nature, ib. | |
Of Perfection, 6. Of Inequalities, ib. Of Unities, 8. Of Thin, and Thick | |
Matter, ib. Of Vacuum, 9. The Unity of Nature, ib Of Division, 10 The order of | |
Nature, ib. Of War, and no absolute power, 11. Of Power, ib. Similizing the | |
Spirits, or Innate Motion, Of Operation, 13. Of Natural, or Sensitive War. 14. | |
Of Annihilation, ib. Of Life, 15. Of Change, 20. Of Youth, and Growth, 21. Of | |
Increasing, 22. Of Decay, 23. Of Dead, and Death, 24. Of local Shapes, 25. | |
This visible Motions in Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, 26. Of the working | |
of the several Motions of Nature, 27. Of the Mind, 30. Of their several | |
Dances, and Figures, 31. The Sympathy, and Antipathy of Spirits, 33. The | |
Sympathy of Sensitive, and Rational Spirits in one Figure, 36. The Sympathy of | |
the Rational, and Sensitive Spirits, to the Figure they make, and inhabit, 37. | |
Of Pleasure, and Pain, 38. Of the Mind, ib. Of Thinking, or the Mind, and | |
Thoughts, 41. Of the motions of the Spirits, 42. Of the Creation of the Animal | |
Figure. 45. Of the gathering of the Spirits, 47. The moving of Innate Matter, | |
49. Of Matter, Motion, and Knowledge, or Understanding, 52. Of the Animal | |
Figure, 54. What an Animal is, 55. Of Sense, and Reason, exercised in their | |
different Shapes, 56. Of the dispersing of the Rational Spirits, 63. Of the | |
Senses, 64. Of motion that makes Light, 65. Of Optics, ib. Of the flowing of | |
the Spirits, 66. Of Motion, and Matter, 67. Of the Brain, 68. Of Darkness, | |
ib. Of the Sun, 69. Of the Clouds, ib. Of the motion of the Planets, 70. Of the | |
motion of the Sea, ib. | |
I speak not here of Deiaticall Infinites, but of gross Infinites, such, as | |
Philosophers call Chaos. | |
OF MATTER AND MOTION. | |
THERE is no first Matter, nor first Motion; for matter and motion are | |
infinite, and being infinite, must consequently be Eternal; and though but one | |
matter, yet there is no such thing, as the whole matter, that is, as one should | |
say, All. And though there is but one kind of matter, yet there are infinite | |
degrees of matter, as thinner and thicker, softer and harder, weightier and | |
lighter; and as there is but one matter, so there is but one motion, yet there | |
are infinite degrees of motion, as swifter and slower; and infinite changes of | |
motion: And although there is but one matter, yet there are infinite of parts | |
in that matter, and so infinites of Figures: if infinite figures, infinite | |
sizes; if infinite sizes, infinite degrees of highness, and infinite degrees of | |
smallness, infinite thickness, infinite thinness, infinite lightness, | |
infinite weightinesse; if infinite degrees of motion, infinite degrees of | |
strengths; if infinite degrees of strengths, infinite degrees of power, and | |
infinite degrees of knowledge, and infinite degrees of sense. | |
Of the Form, and the Mind. I mean of Form, dull Matter. | |
AS I said, there is but one Matter, thinner and thicker, which is the Form, | |
and the Mind, that is, Matter moving, or Matter moved; likewise there is but | |
one motion, though slower or swifter moving several ways; but the slower or | |
weaker motions are no less motion, then the stronger or swifter. So Matter | |
that is thinnest or thickest, softest or hardest, yet it is but one Matter; for | |
if it were divided by degrees, until it came to an Atom, that Atom would | |
still be the same Matter, as well as the greatest bulk. But we cannot say | |
smallest, or biggest, thickest or thinnest, softest or hardest in Infinite. | |
Eternal Matter. | |
THat Matter which was solid, and weighty from all Eternity, may be so | |
eternally; and what was spungie, and light from all Eternity, may be so | |
eternally; and what had innate motion from Eternity, may be so eternally; and | |
what was dull without innate motion from Eternity, may be so eternally: for if | |
the degrees could change, then there might be all thin, and no thick, or all | |
thick, and no thin, all hard, no soft, and fluid, or all fluid, and no | |
solidity. For though contracting and dilating may bring and join parts | |
together, or separate parts asunder, yet those parts shall not be any other | |
ways, then by Nature they were. | |
Of Infinite matter. | |
INfinite Matter cannot have exact Form, or Figure, because it hath no Limits: | |
but being divided by motion into several parts, those Parts may have perfect | |
Figures, so long as those Figures last; yet these parts cannot be taken from | |
the Infinite Body. And though parts may be divided in the Body Infinite, and | |
joined several ways, yet Infinite can neither be added, nor diminished; yet | |
division is as infinite, as the Matter divided. | |
No proportion in Nature. | |
IN Nature there is no such thing, as Number, or Quantity; for Number, Quantity | |
have only reference to division: neither is there any such thing as Time in | |
Eternity; for Time hath no reference but to the Present, if there be any such | |
thing as Present. | |
Of one Kind of Matter. | |
ALthough there may be infinite degrees of matter, yet the Nature, and kind of | |
Matter is finite: for Infinite of several kinds of Matter would make a | |
Confusion. | |
Of Infinite knowledge. | |
THere can be no absolute Knowledge, if infinite degrees of Knowledge; nor no | |
absolute power, if there be infinite degrees of strength: nor present, if | |
infinite degrees of Motion. | |
No Judge in Nature. | |
NO Entreaty, nor Petition can persuade Nature, nor any Bribes an corrupt, or | |
alter the course of Nature. Justly there can be no complaints made against | |
Nature, nor to Nature. Nature can give no redress. There are no Appeals can | |
be made, nor Causes determined, because Nature is Infinite, and eternal: for | |
Infinite cannot be confined, or prescribed, settled, or altered, ruled, or | |
disposed, because the Effects are as infinite as the Causes: and what is | |
infinite, hath no absolute power: for what is absolute, is finite. | |
Finite cannot tel how Infinite doth flow, | |
Nor how Infinite Matter moves to and fro. | |
For Infinite of Knowledge cannot guess | |
Of Infinite of Matter, more, or less: | |
Nor Infinite of Causes cannot find | |
The Infinite Effects of every Kind. | |
Of Perfection. | |
IN Infinite can no Perfection be, | |
For why? Perfection is in Unity? | |
In Infinite no Union can combine, Some think there was a Chaos, a confused | |
Heap. | |
For that has neither Number, Point, nor Line; | |
Though Infinite can have no Figure, | |
Yet not lye all confu'sd in Heaps together. | |
Of Inequalities. | |
IF Infinites have Infinite degrees, | |
And none a like to make Equalities. | |
As if a Hair be cut with curious Arts, | |
Innumerable, but Unequal parts, | |
And that not any part alike shall be, | |
How shall we join, to make them well agree? | |
If every one is like it self alone, | |
There cannot be, unless three equal Ones. | |
If one, and one make two; and two, and two make four, yet there must be two | |
equal ones to make two, and two equal two s to make four. And as two and one | |
make three, yet there must be two equal ones joined to a single one, to make | |
three, or three equal single ones to join in three. | |
The like is in Weight, and Measure, in Motion and Strength. | |
Of Unities. | |
IN Infinite if Infinite degrees, | |
Then those Degrees may meet in Unities. | |
And if one man should have the strength of four, | |
Then four to equal him will be no more. | |
As if one Line should be in four parts cut, | |
Shall equal the Same Lino together put; | |
So two and one, though odd, is three; | |
Yet three and three shall equal be. | |
Like those that equal spaces backwards go, | |
To those that's forward, equals them we know. | |
Like Buckets in a Well, if empty be, | |
As one descends, the other ascends, we see | |
So Motions, though they are cross, may well agree, | |
As oft in Music make a Harmony. | |
There is no Vacuity. | |
IN Nature if Degrees may equal be, | |
All may be full, and no Vacuity. | |
As Boxes small, smaller may contain, | |
So bigger, and bigger must there be again. | |
Infinite may run contracting, dilating, | |
Still, still, by degrees without a separating. | |
Of Thin, and Thick Matter. | |
THus may thin Matter into Solid run, | |
And by its motion, make thick Matter turn. | |
In several ways, and fashions, as it will, | |
Although dull Matter of it self lye still: | |
Tis not, that Solid Matter moves in Thin, | |
For that is dull, but thin which moves therein. | |
Like Marrow in the Bones, or Blood in Veins. | |
Or thinner Matter which the Blood contains. | |
Like Heat in Fire, the effect is strait to burn, | |
So Matter thin makes solid Matter run. | |
Of Vacuum. | |
IF Infinite Inequality doth run, The Readers may take either Opinion. | |
Then must there be in Infinite Vacuum. | |
For what's unequal, cannot joined be | |
So close, but there will be Vacuity. | |
The Unity of Nature. | |
NAture tends to Unity, being but of a kind of Matter: but the degrees of this | |
Matter being thinner, and thicker, softer, and harder, weightier, and lighter, | |
makes it, as it were, of different kind, when tis but different degrees: Like | |
several extractions, as it were out of one and the same thing; and when it | |
comes to such an Extract, it turns to Spirits, that is, to have an Innate | |
motion. | |
Of Division. | |
THe several Degrees of Matter cause Division by different Motion, making | |
several Figures, erecting, and dissolving them, according as their Matter | |
moves, This makes Motion, and Figure always to be in War, but not the Matter; | |
for it is the several effects that disagree, but not the Causes: for the | |
Eternal Matter is always in Peace, as being not subject to Change; but | |
Motion, and Figure, Several Motions, and several Figures. | |
being subject to Change, strive for Superiority: which can never be, because | |
subject to Change. | |
The Order of Nature. | |
THe Reason, that there is not a Confusion in Nature, but an orderly Course | |
therein, is, the Eternal Matter is always One, and the same: for though | |
there are Infinite degrees, yet the Nature of that Matter never alters. But all | |
Variety is made according to the several Degrees, the several Degrees do | |
palliate, and in some sense make an Equality in Infinite; so as it is not the | |
several degrees of Matter, that strive against each other, but several | |
Motions drive them against one another. | |
Of War, and no absolute Power. | |
THe Reason, that all things make War upon one another, is, the several Not | |
the Matter, but the Degrees | |
Degrees of Matter, the contradiction of Motion, and the Degrees, and the | |
Advantage of the shapes of Not the Bigness of Figures, but the manner of | |
shapes: which makes some shapes to have the Advantage over others much bigger, | |
as a Mouse will kill an Elephant. | |
Figures always striving. | |
Of Power. | |
THere is no absolute Power, because Power is Infinite, and the Infiniteness | |
hinders the absolutenesse: for if there were an absolute power, there would be | |
no dispute; but because there is no absolute power, there would be no dispute; | |
but because there is no absolute power, therefore there are Disputes, and will | |
be eternally: for the several Degrees of Matter, Motion, and Figure strive for | |
Superiority, making Faction by Which is in Likeness. | |
Sympathy, and Fraction, by Unlikenesse. | |
Antipathy. | |
Similizing the Spirits, or Innate Matter. | |
THe Spirits, or Essences in Nature are like Quick-silver: for say it be fluid, | |
it will part into little Sphaericall Bodies, running about, though it be ne'er | |
so small a Quantity: and though they are Sphaericall, yet those Figures they | |
make by several, and subtle motion, may differ variously, and Infinitely. | |
This Innate Matter is a kind of God, or Gods to the dull part of Matter, | |
having power to form it, as it please: and why may not every degree of Innate | |
Matter be, as several Gods, and so a stronger Motion be a God to the weaker, | |
and so have an Infinite, and Eternal Government? As we will compare Motions to | |
Officers, or Magistrates. The Constable rules the Parish, the Mayor the | |
Constable, the King the Mayor, and some Higher power the King: thus Infinite | |
powers rule Eternity. Or again thus, the Constable rules the Hundred, the | |
Mayor rules the City, the King the Kingdom, and Caesar the World. | |
Thus may dull Matter over others rule, One Shape hath power over another; one | |
Mind knows more then another. | |
According as 'tis shaped by Motions Tool. | |
So Innate Matter Governs by degree, According as the stronger Motions be. | |
Of Operation. | |
ALL t hings in the World have an Operat iv power; which Operation is made by | |
Sympathetical Motions, and Antipathetical Motions, in several Figures. For | |
the assisting Operation is caused by One, the destructive Operation by another; | |
like Poison, and Cordials, the one Kills, the other cures: but Operations are | |
as Infinite, as Motions. | |
Natural, or Sensitive War. | |
ALL Natural War is caused either by a Sympathetical Motion, or an | |
Antipathetical Motion. For Natural War, and Peace proceed from | |
Selfe-preservation, which belongs only to the Figure; for nothing is | |
annihilated in Nature, but the particular Prints, or several shapes that | |
Motion makes of Matter; which Motion in every Figure strives to maintain what | |
they have created: for when some Figures destroy others, it is for the | |
maintenance or security of themselves: and when the Destruction is, for Food, | |
it is Sympathetical Motion, which makes a particular Appetite, or nourishment | |
from some Creatures to others; but an Antipathetical Motion, that makes the | |
Destruction. | |
Of Annihilation. | |
THere can be no Annihilation in Nature: not particular Motions, and Figures, | |
because the Matter, remains hat was the Cause of those Motions and Figures. As | |
for particular Figures, although every part is separated that made such a | |
Figure, yet it is not Annihilated; because Those parts remain that made it. So | |
as it is not impossible but the same particular Figures may be erected by the | |
same Motions, that joined those parts, and in the Matter may repeat the same | |
Motion eternally so by succession: and the same Matter in a Figure may be | |
Erected, and dispersed eternally. Thus the Dispersing of the Matter into | |
particular Figures Either by Growth, or Sense, or Reason. | |
by an Alteration of Motion, we call Death; and the joining of Parts to create | |
a Figure, we call Life. Death is a Separation, Life is a Contraction. | |
Of LIFE. | |
LIfe is the Extract, or Spirit of Common For when Matter comes to such a | |
degree it quickens, | |
Matter: () This Extract is Agile, being always in motion; for the Thinness | |
of this Matter causes the subtelty of the Quality, or property which Quality, | |
or property is to work upon all dull Matter. | |
This Essence, or Life, which are Spirits of Sense, move of themselves: for the | |
dull part of Matter moves not, but as it is moved thereby. | |
Their Common Motions are four. | |
Atractive. Retentive. Digestive. Expulsive. | |
Atractive is that which we call Growth, That it begins to move, Motion is | |
Life. | |
or Youth. Retentive, is that we call Strength. Digestive is that we call | |
Health, that is an equal distribution of Parts to Parts, and agreeing of those | |
Sprits. Expulsive is that which we call Death, or Decay. | |
The Attractive Spirits gather, and draw the Materials together. | |
The Digestive Spirits do cut and carve out every thing. | |
The Retentive do fit, and lay them in their proper places. | |
The Expulsive do pull down, and scatter them about. | |
Those Spirits most commonly move according to the matter they work on. For in | |
spungy and in Porous light matter, their motion is quick; in solid, and | |
weighty, their motion is slower. For the solid parts are not only dull, and | |
immovable in themselves, but they hinder and I mean when I say Obstruct, that | |
it either turns their motion another way, or makes them move slower. | |
obstruct those Spirits of sense, and though they cut and pierce through all, | |
yet it is with more labour, and slower motion; for their motions change | |
according to the quantity and quality of that Matter they meet with; for that | |
which is Porous and Spungy, the Figures that they form that matter in, are | |
sooner made, and suddenlier destroyed, then that which is more combustible. | |
This is the reason Minerals last longer then Vegetables and Animals, because | |
that Matter is both tougher and harder to work on, then Vegetables and Animals | |
are. | |
These Sensitive spirits we may similize to several Workmen, being always | |
busily employed, removing, lifting, carrying, driving, drawing, digging, and | |
the like. And although these Spirits are of substance thinner then dull matter, | |
yet they are stronger by reason of their subtlety, and motion, which motion | |
gives them power: for they are of an acute quality, being the Vitrioll, as it | |
were, of Nature, cut and divide all that opposes their way. | |
Now these Spirits although they be infinite, yet we cannot think them so | |
gross an infinite, as combustible matter, yet those thinner infinites may cut, | |
and carve the thicker infinites all into several Figures: like as Aqua-fort is | |
will eat into the hardest Iron, and divide it into small parts. | |
As I have said before, the Spirits of life work according as the Matter is, | |
for every thing is shaped according to the solidity of the matter; like as a | |
man which builds a House, makes the beams of the House of such wood, which is | |
tough, and strong, because he knows otherwise it will break, by reason of the | |
great weight they are to bear; but to make Laths he takes his Wood and cuts it | |
thin, that the Nails may easier pass through, so joining and fitting several | |
forts to proper uses to build his house. Or like a Cooke when he's to raise a | |
Pie, must take stiff Dough; for otherwise it will not only fall before it be | |
finished, but it cannot be raised, and to make the Lids to cover his Pie, he | |
must use a softer Paste, otherwise it will not roll thin; thus a stiff Paste | |
is not fit for a Lid, nor a thinner Paste for to raise a Pie; it may make a | |
Cake, or so. So the Spirits of life must make Figures, as the matter is fit, | |
and proper thereto, for the figure of man or the like; the Spirits of life take | |
the solid and hard matter for the I do not say that Bones are the solid'st | |
matter in Nature. | |
Bones: The Glutinous Matter for the Sinews, Nerves, Muscles. and the like; and | |
the Oily matter for Flesh, Fat, Marrow. So the fluid for Blood, and such like | |
matter. And the Spirits themselves do give this dull matter, motion, not only | |
in the building of the Figure, but to make the Figure move when it is built. | |
Now the spirits of life, or lively spirits do not only move dull and in | |
moving matter, but makes that matter to move, and work upon others; for some | |
kind of Figures shall make As the Figure of Man. | |
another to resemble it self, though not just be as it self is made, but as | |
the shadow like the substance; for it works as a Hand that is guided by | |
another, and not of its own strength: that is the reason, Arts have not so | |
much persection as Nature. The Copy is not so lively as the Original; for the | |
spirits of life move, and work of their own strength, and the dull matter by | |
the strength of the Spirits. | |
Of CHANGE. | |
THe Change of motion in several Figures makes all change and difference in | |
the World, and their several properties and effects thereto. And that which we | |
call Death, or corruption, is not All Motion is Life. | |
an absence of life, but an expulsive motion which doth annihilate those | |
figures, that erecting motion hath made. So death is an annihilation of the | |
Print, not of the Mould of figures; for the Moulds of those figures of | |
Mankind, Beast, or Plant, of all kinds whatsoever, shall never be annihilated | |
so long as motion and matter last, which may always be; for the mould of all | |
Figures is in the power of motion, and the substance of matter. | |
Of Youth, or Growth. | |
THus Spirits of sense work according to the substance of the matter: for if | |
the matter be porous and light, they form those Figures quicker, and dissolve | |
them suddenly: But if their matter be solid and hard, they work slower, which | |
makes some figures longer ere they come to perfection, and not so easily | |
undone. And if their strength be too weak for the matter they work upon, as | |
wanting help, then the Figure is imperfect, and misshapen, as we say. This is | |
the reason Animals Vegetables, which are young, have not so great strength as | |
when they are full grown; because there are fewer spirits, and the materials | |
are loose and unsettled, not knocked close: But by degrees more spirits gather | |
together, which help to forward their work, bring in materials by Food, | |
settling them by nourishment, carrying out by Evacuations that matter that is | |
unuseful, and that Rubbish and Chips, as I may say, which would hinder their | |
motion. If they bring in unuseful matter, their figure increases not, as we | |
say, thrives not. And if they carry out the principal materials, the figure | |
decays, and falls down. But those parts of matter which are not spirits, do | |
not carry that part of matter which is spirit, but the spirits carry the dull | |
matter. Thus the spirits, the innated matter, move in dull matter, and dull | |
matter moves by the spirits; and if the matter be fine, and not gross, which | |
they build withal, and their motion be regular, then the Figure is beautiful | |
and well proportioned. | |
Of Increasing. | |
THe reason that the corruption of one Figure is the cause of making of another | |
of the same kind, is, not only, that it is of such a tempered matter that can | |
only make such a kind of figure; but that the spirits make figures according | |
to their strength: So that the spirits that I mean the Figure of dull matter | |
are in the Seed, when they have undone the figure they are in, by a general | |
expulsion, which we call corruption, they begin to create again another figure | |
of the same kind, if no greater power hinder it. For the Matter that is | |
proper, to make such like Figures, is fitted, or tempered to their strengths. | |
So as the Temper of the Matter, and the strength of the Spirits, are the | |
Erectors of those Figures eternally. And the reason, that from one Seed, less, | |
or more Numbers are increased and raised, is, that though few begin the work, | |
more will come to their help; And as their Numbers are increased, their Figures | |
are more, or less, weaker, or stronger. | |
Of Decay. | |
WHen Spirits of Life have created As a plentiful Crop, or a great Brood. | |
a Figure, and brought it to perfection; if they did not pull it down again | |
they would be idle having no work to do; and Idleness is against the Nature of | |
Life, being a perpetual Mption. For as soon as a Figure is perfected, the | |
Spirits generally move to an Expulsive Motion. This is the reason, that Age | |
hath not that strength as Full-growth: But like an old house falling down by | |
degrees, shed their Hairs or Leaves, instead of Tiles, the Windows broke | |
down, and stopped with Rubbish. | |
So Eyes in Animals grow hollow and dim. And when the Foundation of a house | |
is loose, every little wind shakes it. So when the Nerves being slack, and the | |
Muscles entire, and the Joints unhinged, the whole Body is weak, and tottering, | |
which we call Palsies: which Palsies, as the wind, shakes. | |
The Blood, as the Spring dries up, Rheumes as Rain falls down, and Vapours, | |
as Dust, fly up. | |
Of Dead, and Death. | |
DEad is, where there is a General Alteration of such Motion, as is proper to | |
such Figures. But Death is an Annihilation of that Print, or Figure, by an | |
Expulsive Motion: And as that Figure dissolves, the Spirits disperse about, | |
carrying their several burdens to the making of other Figures. Like as a | |
house that is ruined by Time, or spoiled by accident; the several Materials | |
are employed to other uses; sometimes to the building of an house again. But a | |
house is longer a building then a pulling down, by reason of the cutting, | |
carving, laying, carrying, placing, and fitting every part to make them join | |
together; so all the works of Nature are sooner dissolved then created. | |
Of Local Shapes. | |
SOme Shapes have power over others, but tis not always in the size, or bulck | |
of the Figure, but in the manner of their Forms that gives advantage, or | |
disadvantage. A little Mouse will run through the Snout of a great Elephant: A | |
little Fly will sting a great Figure to death; A Worm will wind through a | |
thick Body; The Lions force lies in his Claws, The Horses in his Hoof, The | |
Dogs in his Teeth, The Bulls in his Horns, and Mans in his Arms, and Hands; | |
Birds in their Bills, and Talons: And the manner of their Shapes gives them | |
several properties, or faculties. As the Shape of a Bird causes them to fly, | |
a Worm to creep, the Shape of a Beast to run, the Shape of Fish to swim; yet | |
some fly swifter, and higher then others, as their Wings are made: So some run | |
nimbler then others, according as their Limbs are made; and some swim glider | |
then others, according as their Fins are made. But Man surpasses the shape of | |
all other Creatures; because he hath a part, as it were, of every shape. But | |
the same Motion, and the same Matter, without the shape, could not give such | |
External Properties; since all Internal Properties are wrought out of dull | |
Matter. So as it is their shapes, joined with such Motions proper thereunto, | |
that give strength, Agilenesse. But the Internal Qualities may be alike in | |
every Figure; because Rational Spirits work not upon dull Matter, but Figures | |
themselves. | |
The Visible Motion in Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals. | |
THE External Motions of Animals are, running, turning, winding, tumbling, | |
leaping, jumping, shoving, throwing, darting, climbing, creeping, drawing, | |
heaving, lifting, carrying, holding, or staying, piercing, digging flying, | |
swimming, diving. The Internal Motion, is, contriving, directing, examining, | |
comparing, or judging, contemplating, or reasoning, approving, or disapproving, | |
resolving. From whence arise all the Passions, and several Dispositions. | |
These, and the like, are the visible, Internal Motions in Animals. | |
The Internal Motions of Vegetables, and Minerals, are in operation; As, | |
contracting, dilating; which is Attractive, Retentive, Digestive, Expulsive. | |
The Vegetables External Motion, is, increasing, decreasing, that is enlarging, | |
or lasting; although there may be Matter not moving, yet there is no Matter, | |
which is not moved. | |
Of the Working of several Motions of Nature. | |
MOtions do work according as they find | |
Matter, that's fit, and proper for each kind. | |
Sensitive Spirits work not all one way, | |
But as the Matter is, they cut, carve, lay. | |
Joining together Matter, solid Light, | |
And build, form some Figures straight upright; | |
Or make them bending, and so jutting out: | |
And some are large, and strong, and big about. | |
And some are thick, and hard, and close unite; | |
Others are flat, and low, and loose, and light. | |
But when they meet with Matter, fine, and thin, | |
Then they do weave, as Spiders when they spin: | |
All that is woven is soft, smooth, thin things, | |
As flowery Vegetables, Animal Skins. | |
Observe the Grain of every thing, you'll see, | |
Like inter-woven Threads lye evenly. | |
And like to Diaper, Damask wrought, | |
In several works, that for our Table's bought. | |
Or like to Carpets which the Persian made, | |
Or Satin smooth, which is the Florence Trade. | |
Some Matter they engrave, like Ring, and Seal, | |
Which is the Stamp of Natures Commonwealth. | |
Tis Natures Arms, where she doth print | |
On all her Works, as Coin that's in the Mint. | |
Some several sorts they join together glu'd. | |
As Matter solid, with some that's fluid. | |
Like to the Earthly ball, where some are mixed | |
Of several sorts, although not fixed. | |
For though the Figure of the Earth may last | |
Longer then others; yet at last may waste. | |
And so the Sun, and Moon, and Planets all, | |
Like other Figures, at the last may fall. | |
The Matter's still the same, but Motion may | |
Alter it into Figures every way: | |
Yet keep the property, to make such kind | |
Of Figures fit, which Motion out can find. | |
Thus may the Figures change, if Motion hurles | |
That Matter of her ways, sor other Worlds. | |
Of the Mind. | |
THere is a degree of stronger Spirits then the Sensitive Spirits, as it were | |
These degrees are visible to us. | |
the Essence of Spirits; as the Spirit of Spirits: This is the Mind, or Soul | |
of Animals. For as the Sensitive Spirits are a weak knowledge, so this is a | |
stronger Knowledge. As to similize them, I may say, there is as much difference | |
betwixt them, as Aqua Fortis, to ordinary Vitrioll. These Rational Spirits, as | |
I may call them, work not upon dull Matter, as the Sensitive Spirits do; but | |
only move in measure, and number, which make Figures; which Figures are | |
Thoughts, as Memory, Understanding, Imaginations, or Fancy, and Remembrance, | |
and Will. | |
Thus these Spirits moving in measure, casting, and placing themselves into | |
Figures make a Consort, and Harmony by Numbers. | |
Where the greater Quantity, or Numbers, are together of those rational | |
Spirits, the more variety of Figure is made Dancing is a measured Motion. | |
by their several Motion, they dance several dances according to their | |
Company. | |
Of their several Dances, or Figures. | |
WHat Object soever is presented unto them by the senses, they strait dance | |
themselves into that Figure; this is Memory. And when they dance the same | |
figure without the help of the outward object, this is Remembrance When they | |
dance figures of their own invention, (as I may say) then that is Imagination | |
or Fancy. Understanding is when they dance perfectly (as I may say) not to | |
miss the least part of those figures that are brought through the senses. Will | |
is to choose a dance, that is to move as they please, and not as they are | |
persuaded by the sensitive spirits. But when their motion and measures be not | |
regular, or their quantity or numbers sufficient to make the figures perfect, | |
then is the mind weak and infirm, (as I may say) they dance out of time and | |
measure. But where the greatest number of these, or quantity of these Essences | |
are met, and joined in the most regular motion, there is the clearest | |
Understanding, the deepest Judgement, the perfectest Knowledge, the finest | |
Fancies, the more Imagination, the stronger Memory, the obstinatest Will. | |
But sometimes their motions may be regular; but society is so small, so as | |
they cannot change into so many several figures: then we say he hath a weak | |
mind, or a poor soul. But be their quantity or numbers few or great, yet if | |
they move confusedly, and out of order, we say the mind is distracted. And | |
the reason the mind, or soul is improvable, or decayable, is, that the | |
quantity or numbers are increaseable, or decreaseable, and their motions | |
regular, and irregular. | |
A Fever in the Body is the same motion amongst the sensitive spirits, as | |
madness is in the mind amongst the rational Spirits. So lkewise Pain in the | |
Body is like those Motions, that make Grief in the Mind. So Pleasure in the | |
Body is the like Motions, as make Delight, and Joy in the Mind, All Convulsive | |
Motions in the Body, are like the Motions that cause Fear in the Mind. All | |
Expulsive motions amongst the Rational Spirits, are a dispersing their Society; | |
As Expulsity in the Body, is the dispersing of dull Matter by the Sensitive | |
Spirits. | |
All Drugs have an Opposite Motion to the Matter they work on, working by an | |
Expulsive Motion; and if they move strongly, having great quantity of Spirits | |
gathered together in a little dull Matter, they do not only cast out superfluous | |
matter, but pull down the very Materials of a Figure. But al Cordials have a | |
Sympathetical Motion to the Matter they meet, giving strength by their help to | |
those Spirits they find tired: (as one may say) that it is to be over-power'd | |
by opposite Motions in dull Matter. | |
The Sympathy, and Antipathy of Spirits. | |
PLeasure, and Delight, Discontent, and Sorrow, which is Love, and Hate, is | |
like Light, and Darkness; the one is a quick, equal, and free Motion; the | |
other is a slow, irregular, and obstructed Motion. When there is the like | |
Motion of Rational Spirits in opposite Figures, then there is a like | |
Understanding, and Disposition. Just as when there is the like Motion in the | |
Sensitive Spirits, then there is the like Constitution of Body. So when there | |
is the like quantity laid in the same Symmetry, then the Figures agree in the | |
same Proportions, and Lineaments of Figures. | |
The reason, that the Rational Spirits in one Figure, are delighted with the | |
outward Form of another Figure, is, that the Motions of those sensitive | |
Spirits which move in that Figure agree with the Motion of the rational | |
Spirits in the other. This is Love of Beauty; And when the sensitive Motions | |
alter in the Figure of the Body, and the Beauty decays, then the Motion of the | |
rational Spirits alter, and the love, or goodliking ceases. If the Motion of | |
the rational Spirits are cross to the Motion of the sensitive Spirits, in | |
opposite Figures, then it is dislike. So if the Motion be just cross, and | |
contrary, of the rational Spirits in opposite Figures, it is Hate; but if they | |
agree, it is Love. | |
But these Sympathies, which are made only by a likeness of Motions without an | |
Intermixture, last not lunge; because those Spirits are at a distance, changing | |
their Motion without the knowledge, or consent of either side. But the way that | |
the Rational Spirits intermix, is, through the Organs of the Body, especially | |
the Eyes, and Ears, which are the common doors, which let the Spirits out, and | |
in. For the Vocal, and Verbal Motion from the mouth, carry the spirits through | |
the ears down to the Heart, where Love, and Hate is lodged. And the Spirits | |
from the Eyes issue out in Beams, and Rays; as from the Sun, which heat, or | |
scorch Scorching is, when the Motion is too quick. | |
the Heart, which either raise a fruitful crop of Love, making the ground | |
fertile, or dries it so much, as makes it insipid, that nothing of good will | |
grow there, unless stinking Weeds of Hate: But if the ground be fertile, | |
although every Crop is not so rich, as some, yet it never grows barren, | |
unless they take out the strength with too much kindness; As the old Proverb, | |
they kill with too much kindness; which Murder is seldom committed. But the | |
rational spirits That is, when there come so many Spirits, as they disagree, | |
pressing upon one another. | |
are apt to take Surfeit, as well as sensitive spirits, which makes Love, and | |
Good-will, so often to be ill rewarded, neglected, and disdained. | |
The Sympathy of Sensitive, and Rational Spirits in one Figure. | |
THere is a strong Sympathy, and agreement, or Affection (as I may say) | |
betwixt the rational spirits, and the sensitive spirits joined in one Figure: | |
Like Fellow-labourers that assist one another, to help to finish their work. | |
For when they disagree, as the rational spirits will move one way sometimes, | |
and the sensitive spirits another; that is, when Reason strives to abate the | |
Appetite of the Senses; yet it is by a loving direction, rather to admonish | |
them by a gentle contrary Motion for them to imitate, and follow in the like | |
Motions; yet it is, as they always agree at last; Like the Father, and the | |
Son. For though the Father rules by command, and the Son obeies through | |
obedience, yet the Father out of love to his Son, as willing to please him, | |
submits to his delight, although Those Degrees that are nearest, have the | |
greatest Sympathy. | |
it is against his liking. So the rational spirits oftimes agree with the | |
Motions of the sensitive spirits, although they would rather move another way. | |
The Sympathy of the Rational and Sensitive Spirits, to the Figure they make, | |
and inhabit. | |
ALL the External Motion in a Figure, is, by the sensitive spirits; and all | |
the Internal, by the Rational spirits: and when the Rational, and Sensitive | |
Spirits, disagree in opposite Figures, by contrary Motion, they oft war upon | |
one another; which to defend, the sensitive Spirits, and rational Spirits, use | |
all their force, and power in either Figure; to defend, or to assault, to | |
succour, or to destroy, through an aversion made by contrary Motions in each | |
other. | |
Now the rational spirits do not only choose the Materials for their defence, | |
or assault, but do direct the sensitive spirits in the management thereof; and | |
according to the strength of the spirits of either side, the victory is gained, | |
or lost. If the Body be weak, there is less sensitive Spirit, if the direction | |
be not advantageous, there is less rational Spirit. But many times the | |
Alacrity of the rational and sensitive Spirits, made by moving in a regular | |
Motion, overcomes the greater numbers, being in a disordered Motion. Thus what | |
is lost by Scarcity, is regained by Conformity and Unity. | |
Of Pleasure, and Pain. | |
ALL Evacuations have an Expulsive Motion; If the Expulsive Motion is regular, | |
tis Pleasure, if irregular, tis Pain. Indeed, all Irregular, and cross | |
Motion, is Pain; all Regular Motion is Pleasure, and Delight, being a Harmony | |
of Motion, or a discord of Motion. | |
Of the Mind. | |
IMagine the rational Essence, or Spirits, like little spherical Bodies of | |
Quick-silver several ways Like Chess-men, Table-men Nine-pins, or the like. | |
placing themselves in several Figures, sometimes moving in measure, and in | |
order, and sometimes out of order: this Quick-silver to be the Mind, and their | |
several postures made by Motion, the Passions, and Affections; or all that is | |
moving in a Mind, to express those several motions, is only to be done by | |
guess, not by knowledge, as some few I will guesseat. Love is, when they move | |
in equal number, and even measure. Hate is an opposite motion: Fear is, when | |
those small Bodies tumble on a Heap together without order. Anger is, when they | |
move without measure, and in no uniforme Figure. Inconstancy is, when they move | |
swistly several ways. Constancy is a circular motion. Doubt, and suspicion, | |
and jealousy, are, when those small Bodies move with odd numbers. Hope is when | |
those small Bodies move like wild Geese, one after another. Admiration is, | |
when those Spherical Bodies gather close together, knitting so, as to make | |
such a circular figure; and one is to stand for a Center or point in the midst. | |
Humility is a creeping motion. Joy is a hopping, skipping motion. Ambition is a | |
lofty motion, as to move upwards, or I say higher, for expressions sake. | |
higher then other motions. Coveting, or Ambition is like a flying motion, | |
moving in several Figures like that which they covet for; if they covet for | |
Fame, they put themselves into such Figures, as Letters do, that express | |
words, which words are such praises as they would have, or such Figures as they | |
would have Statues cut, or Pictures drawn: But all their motion which they | |
make, is according to those Figures with which they sympathize and agree: | |
besides, their motion and figures are like the sound of Music; though the | |
Notes differ, the cords agree to make a harmony: so several Symmetries make a | |
perfect Figure, several Figures make a just number, and several quantities or | |
proportions make a just weight, and several Lines make an even measure: thus | |
equal may be made out of Divisions eternally, and infinitely. And because the | |
Figures and motions of the infinite Spirits which they move, and make, are | |
infinite, I cannot give a final description: besides, their motion is so | |
subtle, curious, and intricate, as they are past finding out. | |
Some Natural Motions work so curious fine, | |
None can perceive, unless an Eye divine. | |
Of Thinking, or the Mind, and Thoughts. | |
ONE may think, and yet not of any particular thing; that is, one may have | |
Sense, and not Thoughts: For Thoughts are when the Mind takes a particular | |
notice of some outward Object, or inward Idea; But Thinking is only a Sense | |
without any particular notice. As for Example; Those that are in a great fear, | |
and are amazed, the Mind is in confused sense, without any particular | |
Thoughts: but when the Mind is out of that amaze, it fixes it self on | |
Particulars, and then have Thoughts of past danger; but the Mind can have no | |
particular Thought of the Amaze; for the Mind cannot call to mind that which | |
was not. | |
Likewise when we are asleep, the Mind is not out of the Body, nor the Motion | |
that makes the sense of the Mind ceased, which is Thinking; but the Motion that | |
makes the Thoughts therein work upon Particulars. Thus the Mind may be | |
without Thoughts, but Thoughts cannot be without the Mind: yet Thoughts go out | |
of the Mind very oft, that is, such a Motion to such a thing is ceased; and | |
when that Motion is made again, it returns. Thus Thinking is the Mind, and | |
Thoughts the Effect thereof: Thinking is an equal Motion without a Figure, or | |
as when we feel Heat, and see no fire. | |
Of the Motions of the Spirits. | |
IF it be, as probably it is, that all sensitive Spirits live in dull Matter; | |
So rational Spirits live in sensitive Spirits, according to the shape of those | |
Figures that the sensitive Spirits form them. | |
The rational Spirits by moving several ways, may make several kinds of | |
Knowledge, and according to the Motions of the sensitive Spirits in their | |
several Figures they make, though the Spirits may be the same, yet their | |
several Motions may be unknown to each other. Like as a Point, that writes | |
upon a Table-book, which when the Letter that was writ thereon, is rubbed out, | |
the Table is as plain, as if there was never any Letter thereon; But though the | |
Letters are out, yet the Table-book, and Pen remain. So although this Motion | |
is gone, the Spirit, and Matter remain; But if those Spirits make other kinds | |
of Motions, like other kinds of Letters, or Language, those Motions understand | |
not the first, nor the first understands not them, being as several Languages. | |
Even so it may be in a Sound; for that kind of Knowledge the Figure had in the | |
Sound, which is an alteration of the Motion of the rational Spirits, caused by | |
an alteration of the Motion of the sensitive Spirits in dull Matter: And by | |
these disorderly Motions, other Motions are ru'bd out of the Table-book, which | |
is the Matter that was moved. But if the same kind of letters be writ in the | |
same place again; that is, when the Spirits move in the same Motion, then the | |
same knowledge is in that Figure, as it was before; the other kind of | |
Knowledge, which was made by other kind of Motion, is rubbed out; which several | |
knowledge is no more known to each other, then several Languages by unlearned | |
men. And as Language is still Language, though not understood, so Knowledge is | |
still Knowledge, although not general; but if they be That, we call dead, then | |
those letters that were rubbed out, were never writ again; which is, the same | |
knowledge never returns into the same Figure. | |
Thus the Spirits of Knowledge, or the Knowledge of Spirits, which is their | |
several Motions, may be ignorant, and unacquainted with each other: that is, | |
that some Motion may not know how other Motions move, not only in several | |
Spirits, but in one and the same Spirit; no more then every Effect can know | |
their Cause: And Motion is but the Effect of the Spirits, which Spirits are a | |
thin, subtle Matter: for there would be no Motion if there were no Matter; for | |
Nothing can move: but there may be Matter without Selfe-motion, but not | |
Selfe-motion without Matter. | |
Matter prime knows not what effects shall be, | |
Or how their several motions will agree. | |
Because Nothing can be made or known absolute out of Infinite and Eternal. | |
tis Infinite, and so doth move | |
Eternally, in which nothing can prove. | |
For Infinite doth not in compass lye, | |
Nor hath Eternal Lines to measure by. | |
Knowledge is there none, to comprehend | |
That which hath no beginning, nor no end. | |
Perfect Knowledge comprises all can be, | |
But nothing can comprise Eternity. | |
Destiny, and Fates, or what the like we call, | |
In Infinites they no power have at all. | |
Nature hath Generosity enough to give | |
All Figures case, whilst in that Form they live. | |
But Motion which innated Matter is | |
By running cross, each several pains it gives. | |
Of the Creation of the Animal Figure. | |
THe reason, Though it may have other Motions, yet not the Animal Motion. | |
that the sensitive spirits, when they begin to create an animal Figure, the | |
figure that is created feels it not, until the model be finished, that is, it | |
cannot have an animal motion, until it hath an animal Figure; for it is the | |
shape which gives it local motion: and after the Fabric is built, they begin | |
to furnish it with The Figure might be without an Animal Motion, but an | |
Animal Motion cannot be until there is an Animal Figure | |
strength, and enlarge it with growth, and the rational Spirit which inhabits | |
it, chooses his room, which is the Head; And although some rational Spirits | |
were from the first creating it, yet had not such motions, as when created: | |
besides, at first they have not so much company, as to make so much change, as | |
to take parts, like Instruments of Music, which cannot make so much Division | |
upon few strings as upon more. The next, the Figure being weak, their motions | |
cannot be strong; besides, before the Figure is enlarged by growth, they want | |
room to move in. This is the reason, that newborn Animals seem to have no | |
knowledge, especially Man; because the spirits do neither move so strong, nor | |
have such variety of change, for want of company to make a Consort. Yet some | |
Animals have more knowledge then others, by reason of their strength, as all | |
Beasts know their Dams, and run to their Dugs, and know how to suck as soon as | |
they are borne; and Birds and Children, and the like weak Creatures, such do | |
not. | |
But the Spirits of sense give them strength, and the spirits of reason do | |
direct them to their Food, Which Food is when such Materials are not proper | |
for such a Figure. | |
the Spirits of sense give them Taste, and Appetite, and the spirits of reason | |
choose their meat: for all Animal Creatures are not of one diet, for that | |
which will nourish one, will destroy another. | |
The Gathering of Spirits. | |
IF the rational Spirits should enter into a Figure newly created, altogether, | |
and not by degrees, a Child (for example) would have as much understanding and | |
knowledge in the Womb, or when it is new-borne, as when it is enlarged and | |
fully grown. But we find by experience there are several sorts and degrees of | |
knowledge and understanding, by the recourse of spirits: Which is the reason, | |
some Figures have greater Proportion of understanding and knowledge, and sooner | |
then others; yet it is increased by degrees, according as rational spirits | |
increase. Like as Children, they must get strength before they can go. So | |
Learning and experience increase rational spirits, as Food the sensitive: But | |
experience and Learning is not always tied to the Ear; for every Organ and | |
Pore of the Body is as several doors to let them in and out: For the | |
Rational spirits living with the Sensitive spirits, come in, and go out with | |
them, but not in equal proportion, but sometimes more, sometimes fewer: this | |
makes understanding more perfect in Health then in Sickness, and in our middle | |
age, more then in the latter age: For in age and sickness there is more | |
carried out, then brought in. This is the Reason, Children have not such | |
understanding, but their reason increases with their years. But the Rational | |
spirits may be similized The greater the Number is, the more variety of Motion | |
is made, which makes Figures in the brain. | |
to a company of Good fellows, which have pointed a meeting; and the Company | |
coming from several places, makes their time the longer ere their numbers are | |
completed, though many a brain is disappointed; but in some Figures the rooms | |
are not commodious to move in, made in their Creation, for want of help: those | |
are Changelings, Innocents, or Natural Fools. | |
The Rational Spirits seem most to delight in spungy, soft, and liquid Matter; | |
as in the Blood, Brain, Nerves, and in Vegetables; as not only being nearest to | |
their own nature, but having more room to move in. This makes the Rational | |
Spirits to choose the Head in Animals, for their chief room to dance their | |
Figures in: In Animal Shapes. | |
for the Head is the biggest place that hath the spungy Materials; thus as | |
soon as a Figure is created, those Rational Spirits choose a Room. | |
The moving of Innate Matter. | |
THough Motion makes Knowledge, yet the Spirits give Motion: for those Spirits, | |
or Essences, are the Guiders, Governors, Directers; The Motions are but their | |
Instruments, the Spirits are the Cause, Motion but an Effect therefrom: For | |
that thin Matter which is Spirits, can alter the Motion, but Motion cannot | |
alter the Matter, or Nature of those Essences, or Spirits; so as the same | |
Spirits may be in a Body, but not one and the same Knowledge, because not the | |
same Motion, that made that Knowledge. As for Example; How many several | |
Touches belong to the Body? for every part of the Body hath a several Touch, | |
which is a several Knowledge belonging to every several part; for every | |
several part doth not know, and feel every several Touch. For when the head | |
aches, the heel feels it not, but only the Rational Spirits which are free | |
from the Encumbrance of dull Matter, they are agile, and quick to take notice | |
of every particular Touch, in, or on every part of the Figure. The like motions | |
of a pain in the Body. The like motion of the Rational Spirits, we call a | |
grief in the Mind; for Touch in the Body, is a thought in the Mind; and to | |
prove it is the like motion of the Rational Spirits to the Sensitive, which | |
makes the knowledge of it, is, that when the Rational Spirits are busily moved | |
with some Fantasmes, if any thing touches the Body, it is not known to the | |
Rational Spirits, because the Rational Spirits move not in such a Motion, as | |
to make a Thought in the Head, of the touch in the heel, which makes the | |
thoughts to be as senseless of that touch, as any other part of the Body, that | |
hath not such pains made by such Motions. And shall we say, there is no sense | |
in the heel, because no knowledge of it in the Head? we may as well say, that | |
when an Object stands just before an eye that is blind, either by a contrary | |
motion of the thoughts inward, by some deep Contemplation, or otherwise: we may | |
as well say there is no outward Object, because the Rational Spirits take no | |
notice of that Object; tis not, that the stronger motion stops the less, or | |
the swifter, the flower; for then the motions of the Planets would stop one | |
another course. | |
Some will say, what sense hath man, or any other Animal when they are dead? | |
It may be answered, that the Figure, which is a Body, may have sense, but not | |
the Animal; for that we call an Animal, is such a tempered Matter joined in | |
such a Figure, moving with such kind of Motions; but when those motions do | |
generally alter, that are proper to an Animal, although the Matter, and Figure | |
remain, yet it is no longer an Animal, because those motions that help it to | |
make an Animal are ceased: So as the Animal can have no more knowledge of | |
what kind of sense the Figure hath, (because it is no more an Animal) then an | |
Animal, what sense dust hath. And that is the reason, that when any part is | |
dead in an Animal, if that those motions that belonged to the Animal, are | |
ceased in that part, which alter it from being a part of the Animal, and | |
knows no more what sense it hath, then if a living man should carry a dead man | |
upon his shoulders, what sense the dead man feels, whether any, or no. | |
Of Matter, Motion, and Knowledge or Understanding. | |
WHatsoever hath an innate motion, hath Knowledge; and what matter soever hath | |
this innate motion, is knowing: But according to the several motions, are | |
several knowledges made; for Knowledge lives in motion, as motion lives in | |
matter: for though the kind of matter never alters, yet the manner of motions | |
alters in that matter: and as motions alter, so Knowledge differs, which makes | |
the several motions in several Figures, to give several knowledge. And where | |
there is a likeness of motion, there is a likeness of Knowledge: As the | |
Appetite of Sensitive spirits, and the desire of rational spirits are alike | |
motions in several degrees of matter. And the Touch in the heel, or any part | |
of the body else, is the like motion, as the Thought thereof in the head; the | |
one is the motion of the sensitive spirits, the other in the rational spirits, | |
as touch from the sensitive spirits: for thought is only a strong touch, touch | |
a weak thought. So Sense is a weak knowledge, and knowledge a strong sense, | |
made by the degrees of the Spirits: for Animal spirits are stronger (as I said | |
before) being of an higher extract (as I may say) in the Chemistry of Nature, | |
which makes the different degrees in knowledge, by the difference in strengths | |
and fineness, or subtlety of matter. | |
Of the Animal Figure. | |
WHatsoever hath motion hath sensitive spirits; and what is there on Earth that | |
is not wrought, or made into Figures, and then undone again by these Spirits? | |
So that all matter is moving, or moved, by the movers; if so, all things have | |
sense, because all things have of these Spirits in them; and if Sensitive | |
spirits, why not rational spirits? For there is as much infinite of every | |
several degree of matter, as if there were but one matter: for there is no | |
quantity in infinite; for infinite is a continued thing. If so, who knows, but | |
Vegetables and Minerals may have some of those rational spirits, which is a | |
mind or soul in them, as well as Man? Only they want that Figure (with such | |
kind of motion proper thereunto) to express Knowledge that way. For had | |
Vegetables and Minerals the same shape, made by such motions, as the sensitive | |
spirits create; then there might be Wooden men, and Iron Beasts; for though | |
marks do not come in the same way, yet the same marks may come in, and be made | |
by the same motion; for the Spirits are so subtle, as they can pass and | |
repast through the solidest matter. Thus there may be as many several and | |
various motions in Vegetables and Minerals, as in Animals; and as many | |
internal figures made by the rational spirits; only they want the Animal, | |
to express it the Animal way. And if their Knowledge be not the same | |
knowledge, but different from the Knowledge of Animals, by reason of their | |
different Figures, made by other kind of motion on other tempered matter, yet | |
it is Knowledge. For shall we say, A man doth not know, because he doth not | |
know what another man knows, or some higher Power? | |
What an Animal is. | |
AN Animal is that which we call Sensitive spirit; that is, a Figure that | |
hath local motion; that is, such a kind of Figure with such kind of motions | |
proper thereunto. But when there is a general alteration of those motions in | |
it, then it is no more That we call Animal; because the Local motion is | |
altered; yet we cannot knowingly say, it is not a sensitive Creature, so long | |
as the Figure lasts: besides when the Figure is dissolved, yet every scattered | |
part may have sense, as long as any kind of motion is in it; and whatsoever | |
hath an innate motion, hath sense, either increasing or decreasing motion; but | |
the sense is as different as the motions therein, because those properties | |
belonging to such a Figure are altered by other motions. | |
Of Sense and Reason exercised in their different shapes. | |
IF every thing hath sense and reason, then | |
There might be Beasts, and Birds, and Fish, and Men: | |
As Vegetables and Minerals, had they | |
The Animal shape to express that way; | |
And Vegetables Minerals may know, | |
As Man, though like to Trees and stones they grow. | |
Then Coral Trouts may through the water glide, | |
And pearled menows swim on either side; | |
And Mermayds, which in the Sea delight, | |
Might all be made of watery Lillies white; | |
Set on salt watery Billows as they flow, | |
Which like green banks appear thereon to grow. | |
And Mariners in the midst their Ship might stand, | |
In stead of Mast, hold sails in either hand. | |
On Mountain tops the Golden Fleece might feed, | |
Some hundred years their Ewes bring forth their breed. | |
Large Dear of Oak might through the Forest run, | |
Leaves on their heads might keep them from the Sun; | |
In stead of shedding Horns, their Leaves might fall, | |
And Acornes to increase a Wood of Fawns withal. | |
Then might a Squerrill for a Nut be cracked, | |
If Nature had that Matter so compact: | |
And the small Sprouts which on the Husk do grow, | |
Might be the Tail, and make a brushing show. | |
Then might the Diamonds which on Rocks oft lye, | |
Be all like to some little sparkling Fly. | |
Then might a leaden Hare, if swiftly run, | |
Melt from that shape, and so a A Pig of Lead. | |
Pig become. | |
And Dogs of Copper-mouths sound like a Bell; | |
So when they kill a Hare, ring out his Knell. | |
Hard Iron men shall have no cause to fear | |
To catch a fall, when they a hunting were. | |
Nor in the Wars should have no use of Arms, | |
Nor feared to fight; they could receive no harms. | |
For if a Bullet on their Breasts should hit, | |
Fall on their back, but strait-waies up may get. | |
Or if a Bullet on their head do light. | |
May make them totter, but not kill them quite. | |
And Stars be like the Birds with twinkling Wing, | |
When in the Air they fly, like Larks might sing. | |
And as they fly, like wandering Planets show, | |
Their tails may like to blazing Comets grow. | |
When they on Trees do rest themselves from flight, | |
Appear like fixed Stars in Clouds of night. | |
Thus may the Sun be like a Woman fair, | |
And the bright Beams be as her flowing Hair. | |
And from her Eyes may cast a silver light, | |
And when she sleeps, the World be as dark night. | |
Or Women may of Alabaster be, | |
And so as smooth as polished Ivory. | |
Or, as clear Crystal, where hearts may be shown, | |
And all their Falsehoods to the World be known. | |
Or else be made of Rose, and Lillies white, | |
Both fair, and sweet, to give the Soul delight. | |
Or else be made like Tulips fresh in May, | |
By Nature dressed, clothed several Colours gay. | |
Thus every year there may young Virgins spring, | |
But wither, and decay, as soon again. | |
While they are fresh, upon their Breast might set | |
Great swarms of Bees, from thence sweet Honey get. | |
Or, on their Lips, for Gilly-flowers, Flies | |
Drawing delicious sweet that therein lies. | |
Thus every Maid, like several Flowers show, | |
Not in their shape, but like in substance grow. | |
Then tears which from oppressed hearts do rise, | |
May gather into Clouds within the eyes: | |
From whence those tears, like showers of Rain may flow | |
Upon the Banks of Cheeks, where Roses grow. | |
After those showers of Rain, so sweet may smell, | |
Perfuming all the Air, that near them dwell. | |
But when the Sun of Joy, and Mirth doth rise, | |
Darting forth pleasing Beams from loving Eyes. | |
Then may the buds of Modesty unfold, | |
With full blown Confidence the Sun behold. | |
But Grief as frost them nips, and withering dye, | |
In their own The Husk. | |
Podds entombed lye. | |
Thus Virgin Cherry Trees, where Blossoms blow, | |
So red ripe Cherries on their Lips may grow. | |
Or Women Plumtrees at each fingers end, | |
May ripe Plummes hang, and make their Joints to bend. | |
Men Sicomores, which on their Breast may write | |
Their Amorous Verses, which their Thoughts indite. | |
Men's stretched Arms may be like spreading Vines, | |
Where Grapes may grow, so drink of their own Wine. | |
To plant large Orchards, need no pains nor care, | |
For every one their sweet fresh Fruit may bear. | |
Then silver Grass may in the Meadows grow, | |
Which nothing but a Sith of fire can mow. | |
The Wind, which from the North a journey takes, | |
May strike those silver strings, and Music make. | |
Thus may another World, though matter still the same, | |
By changing shapes, change humours, properties, and Name. | |
Thus Colossus, a statue wondrous great, | |
When it did fall, might strait get on his feet. | |
Where Ships, which through his legs did swim, he might | |
Have blowed their Sails, or else have drowned them quite. | |
The Golden Calfe that Israel joyed to see, | |
Might run away from their Idolatry. | |
The Basan Bull of Brass might be, when roar, | |
His mettled Throat might make his voice sownd more. | |
The Hill, which Mahomet did call, might come | |
At the first word, or else away might run. | |
Thus Pompey's Statue might rejoice to see, | |
When killed was Caesar, his great Enemy. | |
The Wooden-horse that did great Troy betray, | |
Have told what's in him, and then run away. | |
Achilles Arms against Ulisses plead, | |
And not let Wit against true Valour speed. | |
Of the dispersing of the Rational Spirits. | |
SOme think, that the Rational Spirits fly out of Animals, (or that Animal | |
we call Man) like a swarm of Bees, when they like not their Hives, finding some | |
inconvenience, seek about for another Habitation: Or leave the Body, like Rats, | |
when they find the house rotten, and ready to fall; Or scared away like Birds | |
from their Nest. But where should this Swarm, or Troop, or Flight, or Essences | |
go, unless they think this thin matter is an Essence, evaporates to nothing? | |
As I have said before, the difference of Rational Spirits, and sensitive | |
Spirits, is, that the sensitive Spirits make Figures out of dull Matter: The | |
Rational Spirits put themselves into Figure, placing themselves with Number, | |
and Measure; this is the reason when Animals dye, the External Form of that | |
Animal may be perfect, and the Internal Motion of the Spirits quite altered; | |
yet not absent, nor dispersed, until the Annihilating of the External Figure: | |
thus it is not the Matter that alters, but the Motion and Form. | |
Some Figures are stronger built then others, which makes them last longer: For | |
some, their building is so weak, as they fall as soon as finished; like houses | |
that are built with Stone, or Timber, although it might be a Stone-house, or | |
Timber-house, yet it may be built not of such a sort of Stone, or such a sort | |
of Timber. | |
Of the Senses. | |
THE Pores of the Skin receive touch, as the Eye light, the Ear sound, the | |
Nose scent, the Tongue taste. Thus the Spirits pass, and repast by the holes, | |
they pierce through the dull Matter, carrying their several Burdens out, in, | |
yet it is neither the Burden, nor the Passage that makes the different Sense, | |
but the different Motion; To prove that it is the several Motion, is, that we | |
shall have the same sense in our sleep, either to move Pleasure, or feel | |
Pain. | |
for if the Motion that comes through the Pores of the Skin, were as the | |
Motions that come from the Eye, Ear, Nose, Mouth, then the Body might receive | |
Sound, Light, Scent, Taste, all over as it doth Touch. | |
Of Motion that makes Light. | |
IF the same Motion that is made in the Head did move in the Heel, there would | |
appear a Light to the Sense of that part of the Figure; unless they will make | |
such Matter as the Brain to be infinite, and only in the head of an Animal. | |
Optics. | |
THere may be such Motion in the Brain, as to make Light, although the Sun | |
never came there to give the first Motion: for two opposite Motions may give a | |
Light by Reflection, unless the Sun, and the Eye have a particular Motion from | |
all Eternity: As we say an Eternal Monopoler of such a kind of Motion as makes | |
Light. | |
Of the flowing of the Spirits. | |
THE Spirit's like to Ants, in heaps they lye, | |
The hill they make, is the round Ball, the Eye. | |
From thence they run to fetch each Object in, | |
The Brain receives, and stores up all they bring. | |
And in the Ears, like Hives, as Bees they swarm, | |
Buzzing, and humming, as in Summers warm. | |
And when they fly abroad, they take much pain, | |
To bring in fine Conceits into the Brain. | |
Of which, as Wax, they make their several Cells, | |
In works of Poetry, which Wit still fills: | |
And on the Tongue, they sit as Flowers sweet, | |
Sucking their Honey from delicious meat. | |
Then to the Nose, like Birds they fly, there pick | |
Up sweet Perfumes, in stead of Spices stick. | |
Of which within the Brain they build a Nest, | |
To which delight, or else to take their rest. | |
But in the Porous skin, they spread as Sheep, | |
And feeding Cattle which in Meadows keep. | |
Of Motion, and Matter. | |
WHY may not Vegetables have Light, Sound, Taste, Touch, as well as Animals, if | |
the same kind of motion moves the same kind of matter in them? For who knows, | |
but the Sap in Vegetables may be of the same substance, and degree of the | |
Brain: And why may not all the Senses be inherent in a Figure, if the same | |
Motion moves the same Matter within the Figure, as such Motion without the | |
Figure? | |
Of the Brain. | |
THe Brain in Animals is like Clouds, which are sometimes swelled full with | |
Vapour, and sometimes rarefied with Heat, and moved by the Sensitive Spirits to | |
several Objects, as the Clouds are moved by the Wind to several places. | |
The Winds seem to be all Spirits, because they are so agile, and quick. | |
Of Darkness. | |
TO prove that Darkness hath particular Motions which make it, as well as | |
Motion makes Light, is, that when some have used to have a light by them while | |
they sleep, will, as soon as the light goes out, awake; for it Darkness had | |
no motion, it would not strike upon the Optic Nerve. But as an equal motion | |
makes light, and a perturbed motion makes colour, which is between Light, | |
Darkness: So Darkness is an Opposite Motion to those Motions that make light; | |
for though Light is an equal Motion, yet it is such a kind, or sort of Motion. | |
Of the Sun. | |
WHY may not the Sun be of an higher Extract then the rational Spirits, and be | |
like Glass, which is a high Extract in Chemistry, and so become a Like Glass. | |
shining Body? If so, sure it hath a great Knowledge; for the Sun seems to be | |
composed of purer Spirits, without the mixture of dull Matter; for the Motion | |
is quick, and subtle, as we may find by the effect of the light, and heat. | |
Of the Clouds. | |
THE Clouds seem to be of such spungy, and porous Matter, as the Rain, and | |
Air, like the Sensitive Spirits that form, and move it, and the Sun the | |
Rational Spirit to give them Knowledge: And as moist Vapours from the Stomach | |
rise, and gathering in the Brain, flow through the Eyes; so do the Clouds send | |
forth, as from the Brain, the Vapours which do rise in showers. | |
Of the Motion of the Planets. | |
THE Earth, Sun, Moon, the rest of Planets all | |
Are moved by that, we Vital Spirits call. | |
And like to Animals, some move more slow, | |
And other some by quicker Motion go. | |
And as some Creatures by their shapes do fly, | |
Some swim, some run, some creep, some rises high. | |
So Planets by their shapes about do wind, | |
All being made, like Circles, round we find. | |
The Motion of the Sea. | |
THE Sea's more quick, then fresher Waters are, | |
The reason is, more Vital Spirits are there. | |
And as the Planets move still round about, | |
So Seas do ebb, flow, both in, out. | |
As Arrows fly up, far as strength them lend, | |
And then for want of strength do back descend. | |
So do the Seas in ebbes-run back again, | |
For want of strength, their length for to maintain. | |
But why they ebb, and flow, at certain times, | |
Is like the Lungs that draw, and breath out wind. | |
Just so do Seas draw back, and then do flow, | |
As constant as the Lungs do to and fro: | |
Always in motion, never lying still, | |
The empty place they leave, turn back to fill. | |
We may as well inquire of Nature, why Animals breath in such a space of Time, | |
as the Seas ebb, and flow in such a space of Time. | |
I Could have enlarged my Book with the Fancies of the several Motions, which | |
makes the several Effects of the Sun, Planets, or the Suns (I may say) as the | |
fixed Stars: And whether they have not cast Knowledge, and understanding by | |
their various, and quick, and subtle Motions; and whether they do not order | |
and dispose other Creatures, by the power of their supreamer Motions. | |
What Motions make Civil Wars, and whether the Air causes it, or not? Whether | |
the Stars, and Planets work not upon the Disposition of several Creatures, and | |
of several Effects, joining as one way? | |
What Motion makes the Air pestilent, and how it comes to change into several | |
Diseases? | |
And whether Diseases are just alike, and whether they differ as the Faces of | |
Men do? | |
Why some Figures are apt to some Diseases, and others not? And why some kind | |
of Drugs, or Cordials, will work on some Diseases, and not on others? And why | |
some Drugs have strong effects upon some Humours, and not upon others? | |
And why Physic should purge, and how some Cordials will rectify the | |
disorderly Motion in a distempered Figure? | |
Why some Ground will bear some sorts of Seeds, and not others? | |
Why same Food will nourish some Figures, and destroy others? | |
How Natural Affection is bred in the Womb. | |
What makes a Natural Aversion from some Creatures to others, and what causes | |
an unnaturalnsse to their own kind and Breed? | |
What Motion makes Thunder, Lightning, Wind, Earthquakes, Cold, Ice, Snow, | |
Hail, Rain, what Motions makes drought, Heat. | |
Why the Sun should give light, and not the other Planets. | |
What Motions make Fire, Air, Water, Earth. | |
What manner of Motions make Sense. | |
Why some have Hair, some Wool, some Feathers, some Scales, and some only | |
Skin. | |
And why some Vegetables bear some Leaves, some none, some Fruit, some none. | |
And what Motion makes particular Taste, Scent, Colour, Touch; and why all do | |
touch, not taste alike: and whether they be inherent, or not; and how they may | |
be inherent in every Figure proper thereto, and yet another Figure receive them | |
in another Sense: and how it comes, that some Figures have more of some sense, | |
then others, and what makes the Society of every kind of Figure, and what | |
makes the War with others, and amongst themselves: And how such degrees of | |
Matter with such kind of Motions, make the difference in Vegetables, Minerals, | |
and Animals; And why such Shapes must of necessity have such Properties, and | |
why some Shapes have power over other Shapes; and why some Shapes have power | |
over some Motions, and some Motions over some Shapes, and some Motions over | |
other Motions, and what the several effects are of several Shapes, and | |
several Motions. | |
What makes that which is fulsome, and nauseous, pleasant, and savory; whether | |
they are inherent, or not, whether they are in the Contained, or the | |
Containing; or whether a Sympathy or likeness from both, and so of all the | |
Senses; whether the outward Motition cause the Sense, or the inward Motion; or | |
whether the inward Motion moves to the inward Matter, or with the outward | |
Matter, and inward Matter, agreeing in the like Motions. | |
And what the reason may be, to make some Creatures agree in some Element, and | |
not in others: As what's the reason a Beast, or a Man, or Fowls, cannot live | |
in the Water, or Fish live long out of the Water. | |
And whether there may not be a Sympathy naturally betwixt some Beasts, to | |
other, although of a different Figure, more then to others, by some secret, and | |
obscure Motions; and whether the several Dispositions of Men, may not have a | |
natural likeuesse, or Sympathy to the several dispositions, and natures of | |
Beasts. | |
What causes the several sorts of Creatures to keep in particular Societies, | |
as in Common - Wealths, Flocks, Herds, Droves, Flights, Covies, Broods, Eyes, | |
Swarms, Shoal, and of their particular enmity from some sorts to others, and | |
their affections, love to others, their Factions, side-takings, and | |
disagreeings in their own Society, their craft and policies of selfe-love, and | |
preservation, and their tender love and assistance to their Young. What makes | |
Superstition: And many more. But Fancy, which is the effect of Motion, is as | |
infinite as Motion; which made me despair of a final Conclusion of my Book; | |
which makes my Book imperfect, and my Fancies unsettled: But that which I have | |
writ, will give my Readers so much Light, as to guess what my Fancies would | |
have been at. | |
A Dialogue between the Body, and the Mind. | |
I Write, and write, and't may be never read; | |
My Books, and I, all in a Grave lye dead. | |
No Memory will build a Monument, | |
Nor offer Praise unto the Souls content. | |
But howsoever, Soul, lye still at rest, | |
To make thy Fame to live, have done the best. | |
For all the Wit that Nature to me gave, | |
I set it forth, for to adorn thy Grave. | |
But if the Ruins of Oblivion come, | |
Tis not my fault, for what I can, is done. | |
For all the Life that Nature to me lends | |
About thy work, and in thy Service spends. | |
But if thou think, I take not pains, pray speak, | |
Before we part, my Body is but weak. | |
Soul. Brain thou hast done thy best, yet thou might go | |
To the Grave Learned, their subtle tricks to know: | |
And ask them, how such Fame they do beget, | |
When they do write, but of another Wit. | |
For they have little of their own, but what | |
They have from others Brains, and Fancies got. | |
Body. O Soul! I shall not need to take such pains, | |
The labour will be more then all the gains: | |
For why! the World doth cousin and so cheat, | |
By railing at those Authors Wits they get; | |
Muffling hiding of their Authors face, | |
By some strange Language, or by some disgrace. | |
Their Wit into an Anagram they make, | |
That Anagram for their own Wit they take. | |
And here, there they do a Fancy steal, | |
And so of Strangers make a Commonweal. | |
Tell to the World they are true Natives bred, | |
When they were borne all in another Head. | |
And with translating Wit they march along, | |
With understanding praise they grow so strong, | |
That they do rule, by conquering Fames great Court: | |
From whence they send out all their false report. | |
This is the way my Soul that they do use, | |
By different Language do the World abuse. | |
Therefore lye still thou troubled restless Spirit, | |
Seek not for Fame, unless thou hast a Merit. | |
Soul. Body, when thou art gone, then I dye too, | |
Unless some great Act in thy life thou do: | |
But prithee be not thou so wondrous nice, | |
To set my Fame at a great Merits price. | |
Body. Alas, what can I do to make thee live, | |
Unless some wise Instructions thou can give? | |
Can you direct me to some Noble Act, | |
Wherein Vain-glory makes no false Compact? | |
Can you direct me which way I shall take, | |
Those that are in distress, happy to make? | |
Soul. No, that's unpossible, unless all hearts | |
Could be divided into equal parts. | |
Body. Then prithee be content, seek thou no more; | |
Tis Fortune makes the World to worship, and adore. | |
A Request to my Friends. | |
WHen I am dead, and buried lye | |
Within a Grave; if Friends pass by, | |
Let them not turn away their sight, | |
Because they would forget me quite: | |
But on my Grave a tear let fall, | |
And me unto remembrance call. | |
Then may my Ashes rise, that Tear to meet, | |
Receive it in my urn like Balsam sweet. | |
O you that are my dearest Friends, do not, | |
When I am dead, lye in the Grave forgot, | |
But let me in your Mind, as one Thought be; | |
So shall I live still in your Memory. | |
If you had dyed, my Heart still should have been | |
A Room to keep, and hang your Picture in. | |
My Thoughts should Copies pencil every day, | |
Tears be the Oil, for Colours on to lay. | |
My Lips shall mix thy several coloured praise, | |
By words compounded, various several ways. | |
Innocent white, and azure truth agree, | |
With modest red, Purple in grain to be. | |
And many more, which Rhetoric still can place, | |
Shadows of grief, to give a lively grace. | |
AN ELEGY. | |
HER Corps was borne to Church on gray Goose wing, | |
Her Sheet was Paper white to lap her in. | |
And Cotton dyed with Ink, her covering black, | |
With Letters for her Scutcheons print in that. | |
Fancies bound up with Verse, a Garland made, | |
And at the head, upon her Hearse was laid. | |
And Numbers ten did bear her to the Grave, | |
The Muses nine a Monument her gave. | |
I Hear that my First Book was thought to be none of mine own Fancies; | |
only, I own it with my Name. If any think my Book so well writ, as that I | |
had not the Wit to do it, truly I am glad, for my Wits sake, if I have any | |
that is thought so well of; although Mistrust lies betwixt me, and it; and if | |
it be so little Wit in it, as they mistrust it was not mine; I am glad they | |
think me to have so much, as I could not write so foolish. And truly sor any | |
Friend of mine, as I have none so cowardly, that dare not defend their Honour, | |
so I have none so foolish, as to be afeared, or ashamed to own their own | |
Writings. And truly I am so honest, as not to steal another Work, and give | |
it my own Name: nor so vaine-glorious, as to strain to build up a Fame upon | |
the ground of another mans Wit. | |
But be it bad, or good, it is my own, | |
Unless in Printing tis a Changeling grown. | |
Which sure I have no reason for to doubt, | |
It hath the same mark, when I put it out. | |
But be it fair, or brown, or black, or wild, | |
I still must own it, because it is my Child. | |
And should my Neighbours say, tis a dull block, | |
Tis honestly begot, of harmless Stock. | |
By Motion in my Brain twas formed, and bred, | |
By my industrious Study it was fed. | |
And by my busy Pen was cloathd, though plain | |
The Garments be, yet are they without stain. | |
But be it ne'er so plain, not rich, and gay, | |
Fantastical tis dressed, the World will say. | |
The World thinks all is fine, that's in the Fashion, | |
Though it be old, if fashioned with Translation. | |
They ne'er consider what becomes them best, | |
But think all Fools, that are not Courtly dressed. | |
O Nature, Nature, why dost thou create | |
So many Fools, and so few wife did make? | |
Good Nature, move their brain another way, | |
And then as Beasts as Beasts, perchance they may. | |
LOrd how the World delight to tell a Lye! | |
As if they thought they saved a Soul thereby. | |
More lies they tell, then they will Prayers say, | |
And run about to vent them every way. Some bragging lies, and then he tells | |
how free | |
The Ladies were, when he's in Company. | |
Or else what such a Lord did say to him, | |
And so what answer he returned to them. | |
Or any Action which great Fame hath won, | |
Then he says straight, twas by his counsel done. | |
When any Wit, that comes abroad in print, | |
Then he says strait he had a finger in it: | |
How he did rectify, and mend the same, | |
Or else he wrote it all, or gav't a Name. | |
Thus in the World thousands of lies are told, | |
Which none, but Fools, their words for truth will hold. | |
But in the World there are more Fools then wise, | |
Which makes them pass for Truth, when all are Lies. | |
J Begun a Book about three years since, which I intend to name the Worlds | |
Ollio, and when I come into Flaunders where those Papers are, I will, if God | |
give me live, and health, finish it, and send it forth in Print. I imagine all | |
those that have read my former Books, will say, that I have writ enough, unless | |
they were better: but say what you will, it pleases me, and since my Delights | |
are harmless, I will satisfy my Humour. | |
For had my Brain as many Fancies in it, | |
To fill the World, would put them all in Print. | |
No matter whether they be well expressed, | |
My will is done, and that please Woman best. | |
A Farewell to the MUSES. | |
FArewell my Muse, thou gentle harmless Spirit, | |
That used to haunt me in the dead of Night. | |
And on my Pillow, where my head I laid, | |
Thou sit close by, and with my Fancies played: | |
Sometimes upon my Eyes you dancing skip, | |
Making a vision of some fine Land-skip. | |
Thus with your sportings, kept me oft awake, | |
Not with your noise, for ne'er a word you spake: | |
But with your Faiery dancing, circling wind, | |
Upon a hill of thoughts within my mind. | |
When twas your sport to blow out every light, | |
Then I did rest, and sleep out all the night. | |
GReat God, from Thee all Infinites do flow, | |
And by thy power from thence effects do grow. | |
Thou order'dst all degrees of Matter, just, | |
As tis thy will, and pleasure, move it must. | |
And by thy Knowledge orderd'st all the Best; | |
For in thy Knowledge doth thy Wisdom rest. | |
And wisdom cannot order things amiss, | |
For where disorder is, no wisdom is. | |
Besides, great God, thy will is just, for why, | |
Thy will still on thy wisdom doth rely. | |
O pardon Lord, for what I here now speak, | |
Upon a guess, my knowledge is but weak, | |
But thou hast made such Creatures, as Man-kind, | |
And give them something, which we call a Mind; | |
Always in Motion, never quiet lies, | |
Until the Figure of his body dies. | |
His several thoughts, which several Motions are, | |
Do raise up love, hopes, joys, doubts, and fear. | |
As love doth raise up hope, so fear doth doubt, | |
Which makes him seek to find the great God out. | |
Selfe-love doth make him seek to find, if he | |
Came from, or shaell last to eternity. | |
But Motion being slow, makes knowledge weak, | |
And then his thoughts against Ignorance doth beat. | |
As fluid waters against hard Rocks do flow, | |
Break their soft streams, and so they backward go. | |
Just so do thoughts, and then they backward slide | |
Unto the place where first they did abide. | |
And there in gentle murmurs do complain, | |
That all their care, and labour is in vain. | |
But since none knows the great Creator, must | |
Man seek no more, but in his goodness trust. | |
FINIS. | |