[1]Of the Immortality of the Soul. l.1.c.3.
[1]Of the Immortality of the Soul. l.1.c.3.
[2]Lib.2.c.2.
[2]Lib.2.c.2.
MADAM,
If you desire my opinion concerning Witches, whereof your LearnedAuthorhath many Discourses and Stories:[1]I will tell you really, that in my sense and reason, I do not believe any, except it be the witch ofEndor, which the Scripture makes mention of; for though I believe that there is a Devil, as the Word of God and the Church inform me, yet I am not of the opinion, that God should suffer him to have such a familiar conjunction, and make such contracts with Man, as to impower him to do mischief and hurt to others, or to foretell things to come, and the like; for I believe that all things Immaterial, as Spirits, Angels, Devils, and the divine Soul of Man, are no parts of Nature, but Supernatural, Nature knowing of no Creature that belongs to her, but what is material; and since incorporeal Creatures are no parts of Nature, they neither have natural actions, nor are they concerned as co-partners or co-agents in the actions of Nature and natural Creatures; but as their substances, so their actions are supernatural, and beyond our conceivement. As for Faires, I will not say, but there may be such Creatures in Nature, and have airy bodies, and be of a humane shape, and have humane actions, as I have described in my Book of Poems; for there are many things, in Nature, whereof Man hath no knowledg at all, and it would be a great folly for any one to deny what he doth not see, or to ascribe all the unusual effects in Nature to Immaterial Spirits; for Nature is so full of variety, that she can and doth present sometimes such figures to our exterior senses, as are not familiar to us, so as we need not to take our refuge to Immaterial Spirits: nay, even those that are so much for Incorporeal Spirits, must confess, that they cannot be seen in their own natures, as being Invisible, and therefore have need to take vehicles of some grosser bodies to manifest themselves to men: and if Spirits cannot appear without bodies, the neerest way is to ascribe such unusual effects or apparitions, as happen sometimes, rather to matter that is already corporeal, and not to go so far as to draw Immaterial Spirits to Natural actions, and to make those Spirits take vehicles fit for their purposes: for Nature takes sometimes delight in unusual Varieties. Concerning those stories which yourAuthorrelates[2]of the strange effects of Food received into a mans body, how they did work upon the Imagination, and change and transform the humors of those that did feed upon them, those, I say, seem very probable to me. As for example; of aWench who being struck into an Epilepsy, upon the seeing of a Malefactors Head cut off, was advised to drink Cats-blood; which being done, she not long after degenerated into the nature and property of that Animal, cried and jump'd like a Cat, and hunted Mice with the same silence and watchfulness as they do. Then of a Man, being long fed with Swines-blood, which took a special pleasure in wallowing and tumbling himself in the mire. Also of a Girle, which being nourished up with Goats-milk, would skip like a Goat, and brouze on Trees as Goats use to do. And of a Man, who by eating the brains of a Bear, became of a Bear-like disposition.All these stories I believe to be true; for naturally the motions of a Man may sometimes Sympathize so much with the received food, as to make an alteration in his humour or disposition. But although it be natural, yet it is not regular, at least not usual, but proceeds from an irregular and unusual change of motions, like as the conception and generation of a Monster; For if it were ordinary, then those which drink much of the blood of beasts, would also degenerate into a beastly nature, the contrary whereof is sufficiently known: Likewise those that drink much of Cows-milk, would change into their humors and natures. But certainly, some kinds of meats do not onely cause sickness, but madness, and strange Imaginations; all which unnatural or unusual accidents are caused by Matter's irregular motions; Whereof I have declared my opinion in other places; and so I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful and constant
Friend, to serve you.
[1]Antid. lib.3.
[1]Antid. lib.3.
[2]In his discourse of Enthusiasm.
[2]In his discourse of Enthusiasm.
MADAM,
You will have my opinion of the Book that treats ofthe Pre-existence of Souls, and theKey that unlocks the Divine Providence; but I have told you heretofore, that there are so many different opinions concerning the Soul, as I do not know which to embrace, for the multiplicity confounds my choice: and the cause of these various opinions, in my simple judgment, is, that most men make no difference between the Divine, and Natural Soul. As for the Natural Soul, humane sense and reason may perceive, that it consists of Matter, as being Material; but as for the Divine Soul, being not material, no humane sense and reason is able naturally to conceive it; for there cannot possibly be so much as an Idea of a natural nothing, or an immaterial being, neither can sense and reason naturally conceive the Creation of an Immaterial substance; for as the Creation of material Creatures, as of this World, belongs to Faith, and not to Reason, so doth also the Creation of Immaterial substances, as Spirits; nay, it is more difficult to understand a Natural Nothing to be made out of nothing, then a Natural Something out of nothing. And as for theProgress of Immaterial Souls, which the sameAuthormentions, I cannot conceive how No-thing can make a Progress, and therefore I suppose, it is an Improper, or Metaphorical expression. The truth is, what is Immaterial, belongs not to a Natural knowledg or understanding, but is Supernatural, and goes beyond a natural reach or capacity. Concerningthe Key of Divine Providence, I believe God did never give or lend it to any man; for surely, God, who is infinitely Wise, would never intrust so frail and foolish a Creature as Man, with it, as to let him know his secret Counsels, Acts, and Decrees. But setting aside Pride and Presumption, Sense and Reason may easily perceive, that Man, though counted the best of Creatures, is not made with such infinite Excellence, as to pierce into the least secrets of God; Wherefore I am in a maze when I hear of such men, which pretend to know so much, as if they had plundered the Celestial Cabinet of the Omnipotent God; for certainly, had they done it, they could not pretend to more knowledg then they do. But I,Madam, confess my Ignorance, as having neither divine Inspirations, nor extraordinary Visions, nor any divine or humane learning, but what Nature has been pleased to bestow upon me; Yet in all this Ignorance, I know that I am, and ought to be,
Madam,
Your humble and
faithful Servant.
MADAM,
Since in my former Letters I have discoursed of Immaterial Spirits, and declared my meaning, that I do not believe them to be natural Creatures, or parts of Nature; you are of opinion, as if I did contradict my self, by reason that in the first Edition of my Book calledPhilosophical Opinions, I name the rational and sensitive Matter, rational and sensitive Spirits. To which I answer, first, That when I did write my first Conceptions in Natural Philosophy, I was not so experienced, nor had I those observations which I have had since; Neither did I give those first Conceptions time to digest, and come to a maturity or perfect growth, but forced them forth as soon as conceived, and this made the first publishing of them so full of Imperfections, which I am much sorry for; But since that time, I have not onely reviewed, but corrected and altered them in several places, so that the last Impression of myPhilosophical Opinions, you will find more perfect and exact then the former. Next, I pray you to take notice,Madam, that in the mentioned first Edition, by the word Spirits, I meant Material, not Immaterial Spirits; for observing, that Learned Men do discourse much of Animal Spirits, which are Material, and that also high extracts in Chymistry are called Spirits; I used that word purposely, thinking it most proper and convenient to express my sense and meaning of that degree of matter which I call rational and sensitive. But considering again, that my opinions, being new, would be subject to misapprehensions and mis-interpretations; to prevent those, I thought it fitter to leave out the wordSpiritsin the second, as also in the last Edition of my named Book ofPhilosophy, lest my Readers should think I meant Immaterial Spirits; for I confess really, that I never understood, nor cannot as yet apprehend Immaterial Spirits; for though I believe the Scripture, and the Church, that there are Spirits, and do not doubt the existency of them, yet I cannot conceive the nature of Immaterial Spirits, and what they are; Wherefore I do onely treat of natural material substances, and not of incorporeal; also my discourse is of the Infinite servant of the Infinite God, which servant is corporeal or material Nature: God is onely to be admired, adored, and worshipped; but not ungloriously to be discoursed of; Which Omnipotent God, I pray of his Infinite Mercy to give me Faith to believe in him, and not to let presumption prevail with me so, as to liken vain and idle conceptions to that Incomprehensible Deity. These,Madam, are my humble Prayers to God; and my request to you is, that I may continue the same in your love and affection, which I have been hitherto; so shall I live content, and rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
MADAM,
I have discharged my duty thus far, that in obedience to your commands, I have given you my answers to the opinions of three of those famous and learnedAuthorsyou sent me,viz. Hobbes, Des Cartes, andMore, and explained my own opinions by examining theirs; My onely task shall be now to proceed in the same manner with that famous Philosopher and Chymist,Van Helmont; But him I find more difficult to be understood then any of the forementioned, not onely by reason of the Art of Chymistry, which I confess myself not versed in, but especially, that he has such strange terms and unusual expressions as may puzle any body to apprehend the sense and meaning of them: Wherefore, if you receive not that full satisfaction you expect from me, in examining his opinions and arguments, I beg your pardon before-hand, and desire you to remember, that I sent you word in the beginning, I did undertake this work more out of desire to clear my own opinions, then a quarrelsome humor to contradict others; which if I do but obtain, I have my aim. And so to the business: When as yourAuthordiscourses of the causes and beginnings of Natural things, he is pleased to say,[1]ThatSouls and Lives, as they know no Degrees, so they know no Parts; which opinion is very different from mine: For although I confess, that there is but one kind of Life, and one kind of Soul in Nature, which is the sensitive Life, and the rational Soul, both consisting not onely of Matter, but of one kind of Matter, to wit, Animate; nevertheless they are of different degrees, the matter of the rational Soul being more agil, subtil and active, then the matter of the sensitive Life; which is the reason that the rational can act in its own substance or degree of matter, and make figures in it self, and its own parts; when as the sensitive, being of somewhat a grosser degree then the rational, and not so subtil and active, is confined to work with and upon the Inanimate matter. But mistake me not,Madam, for I make onely a difference of the degrees of Subtilty, Activity, Agility, Purity, betwixt rational and sensitive Matter; but as for the rational Matter it self, it has no degrees of Purity, Subtilty and Activity in its own Nature or Parts, but is always one and the same in its substance in all Creatures, and so is the sensitive. You will ask me, How comes then the difference of so many Parts and Creatures in Nature, if there be no degrees of Purity, Activity, and Subtilty in the substance of the rational, and in the substance of the sensitive Matter? As for example: if there were no such degrees of the Parts of rational Matter amongst themselves, as also of the Parts of the sensitive, there would be no difference betwixt Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, and Elements, but all Creatures would be alike without distinction, and have the same manner of sense and reason, life and knowledg. I answer, That although each sort or degree of animate Matter, rational as well as sensitive, has in it self or its own substance no degrees of purity, rarity, and subtilty, but is one and the same in its nature or essence; nevertheless, each has degrees of quantity, or parts, which degrees of quantity do make the onely difference betwixt the several creatures or parts of Nature, as well in their general, as particular kinds; for both the rational and sensitive matter being corporeal, and so dividable into parts, some creatures do partake more, some less of them, which makes them to have more or less, and so different sense and reason, each according to the nature of its kind: Nay this difference of the degrees of quantity or parts in the substance of the rational and sensitive Matter, makes also the difference betwixt particulars in every sort of Creatures, as for example, between several particular Men: But as I said, the nature or essence of the sensitive and rational Matter is the same in all; for the difference consists not in the Nature of Matter, but onely in the degrees of quantity, and parts of Matter, and in the various and different actions or motions of this same Matter. And thus Matter being dividable, there are numerous lives and souls in Nature, according to the variousness of her several Parts and Creatures. Next yourAuthor, mentioning theCauses and Principles of natural Bodies, assigns two first or chief beginnings and corporeal causes of every Creature, to wit, theElement of Water, and theFerment or Leaven; which Ferment he calls a formal created being; neither a substance, nor an accident, but a neutral thing. Truly,Madam, my reason is not able to conceive this neutral Being; for it must either be something or nothing in Nature: and if he makes it any thing betwixt both, it is a strange Monster; and will produce monstrous effects: and for Water, if he doth make it a Principle of Natural things, I see no reason why he excludes the rest of the Elements: But, in my opinion, Water, and the rest of the Elements, are but effects of Nature, as other Creatures are, and so cannot be prime causes. The like the Ferment, which, to my sense and reason, is nothing else, but a natural effect of natural matter. Concerning his opinion, ThatCauses and Beginningsare all one, or that there is but little difference betwixt them, I do readily subscribe unto it; but when he speaks of thosethings, which are produced without life, my reason cannot find out, what, or where they should be; for certainly, in Nature they are not, Nature being Life and Soul her self, and all her parts being enlivened and soulified, so that there can be no generation or natural production without Life. Neither is my sense and reason capable to understand his meaning, when he says, That theSeeds of things, and the Spirits, as the Dispensers thereof, are divided from the Material Cause: For I do see no difference betwixt the Seed, and the material Cause, but they are all one thing, it being undeniable, that the seed is the matter of that which is produced. But yourAuthorwas pleased to say heretofore, that there are but two beginnings or causes of natural things, and now he makes so many more; for, says he, OfEfficient and Seminal Causes, some are efficiently effecting, and others effectively effecting: which nice distinctions, in my opinion, do but make a confusion in natural knowledg, setting a mans brain on the rack; for who is able to conceive all thoseChymærasand Fancies of theArcheus, Ferment,variousIdeas, Blas, Gas,and many more, which are neither something nor no-thing in Nature, but betwixt both, except a man have the same Fancies, Visions and Dreams, yourAuthorhad? Nature is easie to be understood, and without any difficulty, so as we stand in no need to frame so many strange names, able to fright any body. Neither do natural bodies know many prime causes and beginnings, but there is but one onely chief and prime cause from which all effects and varieties proceed, which cause is corporeal Nature, or natural self-moving Matter, which forms and produces all natural things; and all the variety and difference of natural Creatures arises from her various actions, which are the various motions in Nature; some whereof are Regular, some Irregular: I mean Irregular, as to particular Creatures, not as to Nature her self, for Nature cannot be disturbed or discomposed, or else all would run into confusion; Wherefore Irregularities do onely concern particular Creatures, not Infinite Nature; and the Irregularities of some parts may cause the Irregularities of other Parts, as the Regularities of some parts do cause the Regularities of others: And thus according as Regularities and Irregularities have power, they cause either Peace or War, Sickness or Health, Delight and Pleasure, or Grief and Pain, Life or Death, to particular Creatures or parts of Nature; but all these various actions are but various Effects, and not prime Causes; which is well to be observed, lest we confound Causes with Effects. And so leaving this discourse for the present, I rest,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1]Van Helm,in his Book intituled, Physick Refined,ch.4.of the Causes and beginning of natural things.
[1]Van Helm,in his Book intituled, Physick Refined,ch.4.of the Causes and beginning of natural things.
MADAM,
It is no wonder, yourAuthorhas so many odd and strange opinions in Philosophy, since they do not onely proceed from strange Visions, Apparitions, and Dreams, but are built upon so strange grounds and principles asIdeas, Archeus, Gas, Blas, Ferment,and the like, the names of which sound so harsh and terrifying, as they might put any body easily into a fright, like so many Hobgoblins or Immaterial spirits; but the best is, they can do no great harm, except it be to trouble the brains of them, that love to maintain those opinions; for though they are thought to be powerful beings, yet being not corporeal substances, I cannot imagine wherein their power should consist; for Nothing can do nothing. But to mention each apart; first hisArcheushe calls[1]the Spirit of Life; a vital gas or Light; the Balsam preferring from Corruption; theVulcanor Smith of Generation; the stirrer up, and inward director of generation; an Air; a skiey or airy Spirit; cloathing himself presently with a bodily cloathing, in things soulified, walking through all the dens and retiring places of the seed, and transforming the matter according to the perfect act of its own Image, remaining the president and overseer or inward ruler of his bounds even till death; the Principle of Life: the Inn of Life, the onely immediate Witness, Executor, and Instrument of Life; the Prince and Center of Life; the Ruler of the Stern; the Keeper of Life, and promoter of Transmutations; the Porter of the Soul; a Fountainous being; a Flint.[2]These, and many more names yourAuthorattributes to hisArcheus, but what properly it is, and what its Nature and its peculiar office, I am not able to conceive. In the next place,GasandBlasare to yourAuthoralso true Principles of Natural things; for[3]Gas is the Vapour into which Water is dissolved by Cold, but yet it is a far more fine and subtil thing then Vapour; which he demonstrates by the Art of Chymistry. ThisGasin another place he calls[4]aWild Spirit, or Breath, unknown hitherto; which can neither be constrained by Vessels, nor reduced into a visible body; in some things it is nothing but Water, as for example in Salt, in Fruits, and the like.But[5]Blas proceeds from the local and alterative motion of the Stars, and is the general beginning of motion, producing heat and cold, and that especially with the changing of the Winds.There is also[6]Blas in all sublunary things; witness Amulets or preserving Pomanders, whereby they do constrain objects to obey them;Which Incorporeal Blas of Government acts without a Corporeal Efflux, even as the Moon makes the Sea to swell; but the fleshly generation[7]hath a Blas of its own, and it is twofold, one which existeth by a natural Motion, the other voluntary, which existeth as a mover to it self by an Internal Willing.There is also aBlas of the Heart, which isthe fuel of the Vital Spirit, and consequently of its heat.TheFerment[8]he describes to beA true Principle or Original beginning of things, to wit, a Formal Created beginning, which is neither a substance, nor an accident, but a Neutral being, framed from the beginning of the World in the places of its own Monarchy, in the manner of Light, Fire, the magnal or sheath of the Air, Forms, &c. that it may prepare, stir up, and go before the Seeds.Lastly, hisIdeasareCertain formal seminal Lights,[9]mutually piercing each other without the adultery of Union; For, says he,although at first, that, which is imagined, is nothing, but a meer being of reason, yet it doth not remain such; for truely the Fancy is a sealifying vertue, and in this respect is called Imaginative, because it forms the Images of Likenesses, or Ideas of things conceived, and doth characterize them in its own Vital Spirit, and therefore that Idea is made a spiritual or seminal powerful being, to perform things of great moment.And those Ideas he makes various and numerous; asArcheal Ideas, Ideas of Diseases, Sealifying Ideas, Piercing Ideas, Forreign and strange Ideas, Mad Ideas, Irrational and Incorrigible Ideas, Staggering Ideas,and a hundred others: the like ofGas, Blas,and the rest. Thus,Madam, I have made a rehearsal of yourAuthorsstrange, and hitherto unknown, Principles (as his Confession is) of Natural things, which, to my sense and reason, are so obscure, intricate and perplex, as is almost impossible exactly to conceive them; when as Principles ought to be easie, plain, and without any difficulty to be understood; Wherefore what with his Spirits, meer-beings,non-beings, and neutral-beings, he troubles Nature, and puzles the brains of his Readers so, that, I think, if all men were of his opinion, or did follow the way of his Philosophy, Nature would desire God she might be annihilated: Onely, of all other, she doth not fear his Non-beings, for they are the weakest of all, and can do her the least hurt, as not being able to obstruct real and corporeal actions of Nature; for Nature is a corporeal substance, and without a substance Motion cannot be, and without Motion opposition cannot be made, nor any action in Nature, whether Prints, Seals, Stamps, Productions, Generations, Thoughts, Conceptions, Imaginations, Passions, Appetites, or the like: and if motions cannot be without substance; then all Creatures, their properties, faculties, natures, &c., being made by corporeal motions, cannot beNon-beings, no nor anything else that is in Nature; fornon-beings are not in the number of Natural things, Nature containing nothing within her, but what is substantially, really, and corporeally existent. But your AuthorsIdeal Entity, (whereof he is speaking in another place of his Works,)[10]which performs all the Works of Nature, seems to me, as if it were the Jack of all Offices, or like the Jack in a Clock, that makes every Wheel move; for it hath an admirable power to put off and on Corporeality and Incorporeality, and to make it self Something and Nothing as often as it has occasion; but if thisProteushave such power, it may well be named the Magick of Nature. YourAuthorsaith, it is not the Devil, nor any effect thereof: but certainly, in my opinion, according to its description, and the effects laid to its performance, it must be more then the Devil; wherefore, in my Reason, I cannot conceive it, neither am I able to understand hisPhantastick Activity, Fancy of Forms, the Souls acting by an insensible way,and many more such like expressions. But I conceive that all these can be nothing else but the several motions of the sensitive and rational matter, which is the Active, Ingenious, Distinguishing, Knowing, Wise and Understanding part of Infinite corporeal Nature; and though Infinite Matter hath Infinite parts in general, yet there is a finiteness in every part considered by it self: not that I think a Part can really subsist single and by it self, but it is onely considered so in the manner of our Conception, by reason of the difference and variousness of natural Creatures: for these being different from each other in their figures, and not all alike, so that we can make a distinction betwixt them; this difference and distinction causes us to conceive every part of a different figure by it self: but properly and according to the Truth of Nature, there is no part by it self subsisting; for all parts are to be considered, not onely as parts of the whole, but as parts of other parts, all parts being joyned in Infinite Nature, and tied by an inseparable tie one way or other, although we do not altogether perceive it. But to return toIdeas: I had almost forgot to tell you,Madam, of another kind ofIdeas, by yourAuthornamed,BewitchingorInchanting Ideas,[11]which are for the most part found in Women, against which I cannot but take exception in the behalf of our Sex: For, says he,Women stamp Ideas on themselves, whereby they, no otherwise then Witches driven about with a malignant spirit of despair, are oftentimes governed or snatched away unto those things, which otherwise they would not, and do bewail unto us their own and unvoluntary Madness: These Ideas are hurtful to themselves, and do, as it were, Inchant, Infatuate, and weaken themselves; for so (asPlutarchwitnesses) a desire of death by hanging took hold of all the young Maids in the IslandChios. By this it appears, that yourAuthorhas never been in Love, or else he would have found, that Men have as well bewitchingIdeasas Women, and that they are as hurtful to Men, as to Women. Neither can I be perswaded to believe, that men should not have as well MadIdeasas Women; for to mention no other example, some, (I will not speak of yourAuthor) their Writings and strange Opinions in Philosophy do sufficiently witness it; but whence those Ideas do proceed, whether from the Bride-bed of the Soul, or the Splene, yourAuthordoth not declare. As for the young Maids inChios, I must confess, it is a very strange example; but I think there have been as many Men that have killed themselves, as Women, if not more: However, I hope, by the Grace of God, the young Maids in this Kingdom are better advised; for if they should do the like, it would be a sad fate for all young Men. To conclude,Madam, all these rehearsed opinions of yourAuthor, concerning the Grounds or Principles of Natural Philosophy, if you desire my Unfeigned Judgment, I can say no more, but that they shew more Fancy, then Reason and Truth, and so do many others; and, perhaps, my opinions may be as far from Truth as his, although their Ground is Sense and Reason; for there is no single Creature in Nature, that is able to know the perfectest Truth: but some opinions, to humane sense and reason, may have more probability then others, and every one thinks his to be most probable, according to his own fancy and imagination, and so I think of mine; nevertheless, I leave them to the censure of those, that are endued with solid judgment and reason, and know how to discern betwixt things of fancy and reason, and amongst the rest, I submit them to the censure of yourLadiship, whose solid and wise Judgment is the rule of all the actions of,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1]In hisch.calledThe Fiction of Elementary Complexions and Mixtures.
[1]In hisch.calledThe Fiction of Elementary Complexions and Mixtures.
[2]In thech. of the Birth and Original of Forms.In thech. Of the Ideas of Diseases.See hisch.calledThe Seat of Diseases in the Soul is confirmed. Ch. of Archeal Diseases. Ch.calledThe Subject of inhering of Diseases is in the point of Life, &c.
[2]In thech. of the Birth and Original of Forms.In thech. Of the Ideas of Diseases.See hisch.calledThe Seat of Diseases in the Soul is confirmed. Ch. of Archeal Diseases. Ch.calledThe Subject of inhering of Diseases is in the point of Life, &c.
[3]In thech. Of the Gas of the Water.
[3]In thech. Of the Gas of the Water.
[4]In thech. of the Fiction of Elementary Complexions and Mixtures.
[4]In thech. of the Fiction of Elementary Complexions and Mixtures.
[5]In thech. Of the Blas of Meteors.
[5]In thech. Of the Blas of Meteors.
[6]In thech. Of the unknown action of Government.
[6]In thech. Of the unknown action of Government.
[7]In thech. Of the Blas of Man.
[7]In thech. Of the Blas of Man.
[8]Of the Causes and beginnings of Natural things.
[8]Of the Causes and beginnings of Natural things.
[9]Of the Ideas of Diseases.
[9]Of the Ideas of Diseases.
[10]Of the Magnetick cure of Wounds.
[10]Of the Magnetick cure of Wounds.
[11]Of things Conceived, or Conceptions.
[11]Of things Conceived, or Conceptions.
MADAM,
YourAuthorrelating how he dissents from thefalse Doctrine, as he terms it,of the Schools, concerning the Elements, and their Mixtures, Qualities, Temperaments, Discords, &c. in order to Diseases, is pleased to say as follows:[1]I have sufficiently demonstrated, that there are not four Elements in Nature, and by consequence, if there are onely three, that four cannot go together, or encounter; and that the fruits which Antiquity hath believed to be mixt bodies, and those composed from a concurrence of four elements, are materially of one onely Element; also that those three Elements are naturally cold; nor that native heat is any where in things, except from Light, Life, Motion, and an altering Blas: In like manner, that all actual moisture is of Water, but all virtual moisture from the property of the seeds: Likewise, that dryness is by it self in the Air and Earth, but in Fruits by reason of the Seeds and Coagulations; and that there are not Contraries in Nature.To give you my opinion hereof, first I think it too great a presumption in any man, to feign himself so much above the rest, as to accuse all others of ignorance, and that none but he alone hath the true knowledg of all things as infallible and undeniable, and that so many Learned, Wise and Ingenious Men in so many ages have been blinded with errors; for certainly, no particular Creature in Nature can have any exact or perfect knowledg of Natural things, and therefore opinions cannot be infallible truths, although they may seem probable; for how is it possible that a single finite Creature should know the numberless varieties and hidden actions of Nature? Wherefore yourAuthorcannot say, that he hath demonstrated any thing, which could not be as much contradicted, and perhaps with more reason, then he hath brought proofs and demonstrations: And thus when he speaks of Elements, that there are not four in Nature, and that they cannot go together, or encounter, it may be his opinion; but others have brought as many reasons to the contrary, and I think with more probability; so as it is unnecessary to make a tedious discourse thereof, and therefore I'le refer you to those that have treated of it more learnedly and solidly then I can do. But I perceive yourAuthoris much for Art, and since he can make solid bodies liquid, and liquid bodies solid, he believes that all bodies are composed out of the Element of Water, and that Water therefore is the first Principle of all things; when as Water, in my opinion, is but an Effect, as all other natural Creatures, and therefore cannot be a cause or principle of them. Concerning theNatural coldness of Water, Air, and Earth,it may be, or not be so, for any thing yourAuthorcan truly know; but to my sense and reason, it seems probable that there are things naturally hot and moist, and hot and dry, as well as cold and moist, and cold and dry: But all these are but several effects produced by the several actions of Natural Matter, which Natural Matter is the onely Principle of all Natural Effects and Creatures whatever; and this Principle, I am confident yourAuthorcan no more prove to be Water, then he can prove that Heat, Light, Life, Motion, andBlas, are not material. Concerning what he saith, ThatNative Heat is no where in things, except from Light, Life, Motion, and an altering Blas: I believe that motion of life makes not onely heat, but all effects whatsoever; but this native heat is not produced onely from the motions of Particular lives in particular Creatures, but it is made by the motions of Natures life; which life, in all probability, is the self-moving Matter, which no doubt, can and doth make Light and Blas without Heat, and Heat without Light or Blas; Wherefore Light and Blas are not principles of native Heat, no more then native Heat is the principle of Light and Blas. Neither is Water the Principle of Actual moisture, nor the propriety of seeds the Principle of all Virtual moisture; but self-moving Matter is the Principle of all, and makes both actual and virtual moisture, and there is no question but there are many sorts of moistures. As forDryness, which he says,is by it self in the Air and Earth, and in Fruits by reason of the Seeds and Coagulations: I cannot conceive how any thing can be by it self in Nature, by reason there is nothing alone and single in Nature, but all are inseparable parts of one body: perchance, he means, it is naturally and essentially inherent in Air and Earth; but neither can that be in my reason, because all Creatures and Effects of Nature are Intermixt, and there is as much dryness in other Creatures, as in Air and Earth. Lastly, as for his opinion, Thatthere are no Contraries in Nature; I believe not in the essence or nature of Matter; but sense and reason inform us, that there are Contraries in Natures actions, which are Corporeal motions, which cause mixtures, qualities, degrees, discords, as also harmonious conjunctions and concords, compositions, divisions, and the like effects whatsoever. But though yourAuthorseems to be an enemy to the mixtures of Elements, yet he makes such a mixture of Divinity, and natural Philosophy, that all his Philosophy is nothing but a meer Hotch-potch, spoiling one with the other. And so I will leave it to those that delight in it, resting,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1]In his Treatise called, A passive deceiving of the Schools of the Humourists.
[1]In his Treatise called, A passive deceiving of the Schools of the Humourists.
MADAM,
Water, according to yourAuthorsopinion,[1]is frozen into Snow, Ice, or Hail, not by Cold, but by its own Gas.But since I am not able to conceive what his Gas is, being a term invented by him self, I will briefly declare my own opinion, which is, That Snow, Ice, and Hail, in my judgment, are made in the like manner, as Passions or Colours are made and raised in Man; for a sad discourse, or a cruel object will make a Man pale and cold, and a fearful object, will make him tremble; whereas a wanton and obscene discourse will make some red and hot. But yet these discourses and objects are onely external, occasional, and not immediate efficient causes of such alterations. Also when a Man eats or drinks any thing that is actually hot or cold, or enters into a cold or hot room, bath, or air, he becomes hot or cold by the actions of those external agents that work upon him, or rather whose motions the sensitive motions of his body do pattern out. The like for diseases; for they may be caused either by hearing ill reports, or by taking either hurtful or superfluous food into the Body, or by Infections inwardly or outwardly, and many other ways. Likewise may Colours be made different ways; And so may Snow, Ice, and Hail; for all loose, rare, and porous Bodies are more apt to alter and change then close, solid, and dense bodies; and not onely to change from what they are, but to rechange to what they were. But,Madam, many studious persons study Nature more in her own substance, then in her various actions, which is the cause they arrive to no knowledg of Natures Works; for the same parts of Matter may act or work several ways: Like as a Man, or other animal creature, may put one part of his body into various and several postures, and move it many different ways. YourAuthormay say, that although several Creatures may be changed to our sight or perception, yet they are not really changed in Nature. I answer, Their Principle, which is a natural matter, of which all Creatures are made, cannot be changed, because it is one, simple, and unalterable in its Nature; but the figures of several Creatures are changed continually by the various motions of this matter; not from being matter, but onely from such or such a figure into another; and those figures which do change, in their room are others produced to keep up the certain kinds of Creatures by a continual successive alteration. And as there are changes of parts, so there are also mixtures of several parts, figures and motions in one and the same Matter; for there are not different kinds in the nature of Matter: But, although Matter is of several degrees, as partly animate and partly inanimate, and the animate Matter is partly rational, and partly sensitive; Nevertheless, in all those degrees it remains the same onely or meer Matter; that is, it is nothing else but Matter, and the onely ground in which all changes are made. And therefore I cannot perceive it to be impossible in Nature, as to yourAuthorit seems, ThatWater should not be transchangeable into Air; for, that he says,The Air would have increased into a huge bulk, and all Water would have long since failed: It is no consequence, because there is a Mutual transmutation of all figures and parts of Nature, as I declared above; and when one part is transchanged into another, that part is supplied again by the change of another, so that there can be no total mutation of kinds or sorts of figures, but onely a mutual change of the particulars. Neither is it of any consequence, when yourAuthorsays, Thatif Water should once be turned into Air, it would always remain Air, because a returning agent is wanting, which may turn Air again into Water.For he might as well say, a Man cannot go or turn backward, being once gone forward. And although he brings a General Rule, Thatevery thing, as much as in it lies, doth desire to remain in it self; Yet it is impossible to be done, by reason there is no rest in Nature, she being in a perpetual motion, either working to the consistance of a figure, or to the uniting of several parts, or to the dissolving or dividing of several parts, or any other ways. By dissolving, I do not mean annihilating, but such a dissolving of parts as is proper for the altering of such a figure into one or many other figures. But rather then your Author will consent to the transchanging of Water into Air, he will feign several grounds, soils or pavements in the Air, which he callsPeroledes, and so many Flood-gates and Folding-dores, and make the Planets their Key-keepers; which are pretty Fancies, but not able to prove any thing in Natural Philosophy. And so leaving them to their Author, I rest,
Madam,
Your humble and
faithful Servant.
[1]Ch.Of the Gas of Water.
[1]Ch.Of the Gas of Water.
MADAM,
I cannot in reason give my consent to yourAuthorsopinion,[1]ThatFishes do by the force or vertue of an inbred Seed transchange simple water into fat, bones, and their own flesh, and that materially they are nothing but water transchanged, and that they return into water by art.For though my opinion is, that bodies change and alter from one figure into another, yet they do not all change into water, neither is water changed into all other figures; and certainly Fishes do not live nor subsist meerly by Water, but by several other meats, as other animals do; either by feeding upon other Fishes, the stronger devouring the weaker, or upon Mud, and Grass, and Weeds, in the bottom of Seas, Rivers and Ponds, and the like: As for example, put Fish into a Pool or Sluce, wherein there is not any thing but clear, pure water, and in a short time they will be starved to death for want of Food; and as they cannot live onely by water, so neither can they breed by the power of water, but by the power of their food, as a more solid substance: And if all Creatures be nourished by those things whereof they consist, then Fishes do not consist of water, being not nourished by water; for it is not the transchanging of water, by which Fishes live, and by which they produce; but it is the transchange of food, proceeding from other Creatures, as I mentioned above. 'Tis true, Water is a proper element for them to live in, but not to live on; and though I have neither learning, nor experience inChymistry, yet I believe, that yourAuthor, with all the subtilest Art he had, could not turn or convert all Creatures into pure and simple water, but there would have been dregs and several mixtures left: I will not say, that the Furnace may not rarifie bodies extreamly, but not convert them into such a substance or form as Nature can. And although he thinks Gold is made of Water, yet I do not believe he could convert it into Water by the help of Fire; he might make it soluble, fluid and rare, but all things that are supple, soluble, flowing and liquid, are not Water; I am confident noGasorBlaswill, or can transform it, nor no Art whatsoever; what Nature may do, I know not. But since yourAuthorsopinion is, that Air is also a Primigenial Element, and in its nature a substance, Why doth he not make it a Principle of natural bodies, as well as Water? I think it had not been so improper to liken Juices to Water; but to make the onely Principle of the composition and dissolution of all Creatures to be Water, seems to me very improbable. Neither can I admit in reason that the Elements should be called, first, pure, and simple beings; we might as well call all other creatures, first, pure, and simple beings: for although the word Element sounds as much as Principle, yet they are in my reason no more Principles of Nature, then other Creatures are, there being but one Principle in Nature, out of which all things are composed,viz.the onely matter, which is a pure and simple corporeal substance; and what Man names impure dregs and filths, these are onely irregular and cross motions of that matter, in respect to the nature of such or such a figure; or such motions as are not agreeable and sympathetical to our Passions, Humors, Appetites, and the like. Concerning the Contrarieties, Differences and Wars in Nature, which yourAuthordenies, I have spoken thereof already, and though he endeavours in a long discourse to prove, that there is no War in nature; yet, in my opinion, it is to little purpose, and it makes but a war in the thoughts of the Reader; I know not what it did in his own. But I observe he appeals often to Divinity to bear him up in Natural Philosophy; but how the Church doth approve his Interpretations of the Scripture, I know not: Wherefore I will not meddle with them, lest I offend the Truth of the Divine Scripture, wherein I desire to submit to the Judgment of the Church, which is much wiser then I, or any single Person can be. However, for all what yourAuthorsays, I do nevertheless verily believe, there is a war between Natural motions: For example; between the Regular motions of Health, and the Irregular motions of Sickness; and that things applied do oftentimes give assistance to one side or other, but many times in the conflict, the applied remedies are destroyed, and sometimes they are forced to be Neutrals: Wherefore though the nature of Infinite Matter is simple, and knows of no discord, yet her actions may be cross and opposite: the truth is, Nature could never make such variety, did her actions never oppose each other, but live in a constant Peace and Unity. And thus leaving them to agree, I am confident yourLadishipand I shall never disagree; for as long as my life doth last, I shall always prove,
Madam,
Your constant Friend,
and faithful Servant.