Part 12
CHAP. XXX. Of the Exterior Motions of the Planets.
By the _Exterior Motions of the Planets_, we may believe their Exterior Shape is Spherical: for, it is to be observed, That all Exterior Actions are according to their Exterior Shape: but, by reason Vegetables and Minerals have not such sorts of Exterior Motions or Actions, as Animals; some Men are of opinion, they have not Sensitive Life; which opinion proceeds from a shallow consideration: neither do they believe the Elements are sensible, although they visibly perceive their Progressive Motions; and yet believe all sorts of Animals to have sense, only because they have Progressive Motions.
CHAP. XXXI. Of the Sun, and Planets, and Seasons.
The Sun, Moon, Planets, and all those glittering Starrs we see, are several sorts of that Man names _Elemental Creatures_: but Man, having not an infinite Perception, cannot have an infinite perceptive knowledg: for, though the Rational Perception is more subtil than the Sensitive; yet, the particular Parts cannot perceive much further than the Exterior Parts of Objects: but, Human Sense and Reason cannot perceive what the Sun, Moon, and Starrs are; as, whether solid, or rare; or, whether the Sun be a Body of Fire; or the Moon, a Body of Water, or Earth; or, whether the Fixed Starrs be all several Suns; or, whether they be other kinds or sorts of Worlds. But certainly, all Creatures do subsist by each other, because Nature seems to be an Infinite united Body, without _Vacuum_. As for the several Seasons of the Year, they are divided into Four Parts: but the several Changes and Tempers of the Four Seasons, are so various, altering every moment, as it would be an endless work, nay, impossible, for one Creature to perform: for, though the _Almanack-makers_ pretend to foreknow all the variations of the Elements; yet, they can tell no more than just what is the constant and set-motions; but not the variations of every Hour, or Minute; neither can they tell any thing, more than their Exterior Motions.
CHAP. XXXII. Of Air corrupting Dead Bodies.
Some are of opinion, _That Air is a Corrupter, and so a Dissolver of all dead Creatures, and yet is the Preserver of all living Creatures._ If so, Air hath an Infinite Power: but, all the reason I can perceive for this Opinion, is, That Man perceives, that when any Raw (or that we name _Dead_) _Flesh_, is kept from the air, it will not stink, or corrupt, so soon as when it is in the air: but yet it is well known, that extream cold air will keep Flesh from corrupting.
Another Reason is, That a Flye entomb'd in _Amber_, being kept from air, the Flye remains in her Exterior Shape as perfectly as if she were alive.
I answer, The cause of that may be, that the Figurative Motions of _Amber_, may sympathize with the Exterior consistent Motions of the Fly, which may cause the Exterior Shape of the Flye to continue, although the Innate Nature be altered. But Air is, as all other Creatures are, both Beneficial, and Hurtful to each other; for Nature is poysed with Opposites: for we may perceive, that several Creatures are both Beneficial and Hurtful to each other: as for example, A Bear kills a Man; and, on the other side, a Bear's
Skin will cure a Man of some Disease. Also, a _Wild-Boar_ will kill a Man; and the _Boar_'s Flesh will nourish a Man. Fire will burn a Man, and preserve a Man; and Millions of such Examples may be proposed. The same may be said of Air, which may occasion Good or Evil to other Creatures; as, the _Amber_ may occasion the death of a Fly; and, on the other side, may occasion the Preservation, or Continuation of the Fly's Exterior Figure, or Form: but, Nature being without _Vacuum_, all her Parts must be be joined; and her Actions being poysed, there must be both Sympathetical, and Antipathetical actions, amongst all Creatures.
The Thirteenth Part.
CHAP. I. Of the Innate Figurative Motions of Metals.
All sorts of _Metals_, in my opinion, are of some sorts of Circular Motions; but not like that sort, that is Water: for, the Water-Circle doth extend outward, from the Center; whereas, in my opinion, the Circular Motion of Metal, draws inward, from the Circumference. Also, in my opinion, the Circular Motions are dense, flat, edged, even, and smooth; for, all Bright and Glassie Bodies are smooth: and, though Edges are wounding Figures; yet, Edges are rather of the Nature of a Line, than of a Point. Again, all Motions that tend to a Center, are more fixt than those that extend to a Circumference: but, it is according to the degree of their Extensions, that those Creatures are more or less fixt; which is the cause that some sorts of Metals are more fixt than others; and that causes Gold to be the most fixt of all other sorts of Metals; and seems to be too strong for the Effects of Fire. But this is to be noted, That some Metals are more near related to some sort, than other: as for example, There is no Lead, without some Silver; so that Silver seems to be but a well-digested Lead. And certainly, Copper hath some near relation to Gold, although not so near related, as Lead is to Silver.
CHAP. II. Of the Melting of Metals.
_Metals_ may be occasioned, by Fire, to slack their Retentive Motions, by which they become fluid; and as soon as they are quit of their Enemy, _Fire_, the Figurative Motions of Metal return to their proper Order: and this is the reason that occasions Metal to melt, which is, to flow: but yet, the Flowing Motion is but like the Exterior, and not the Innate actions of: for, the Melting actions do not alter the Innate actions; that is, they do not alter from the Nature of being Metal: but, if the Exterior Nature be occasioned, by the Excess of those Exterior actions, to alter their Retentive actions, then Metal turns to that we name _Dross_; and as much as Metal loses of its weight, so much of the Metal dissolves; that is, so much of those Innate motions are quite altered: but, Gold hath such an Innate Retentiveness, that though Fire may cause an extream alteration of the Exterior actions; yet, it cannot alter the Interior motions. The like is of Quick-silver. And yet Gold is not a God, to be Unalterable, though man knows not the way, and Fire has not the power to alter the Innate Nature of Gold.
CHAP. III. Of Burning, Melting, Boyling, and Evaporating.
_Burning, Melting, Boyling_, and _Evaporating_, are, for the most part, occasioned by Fire, or somewhat that is, in effect, Hot: I say, _occasioned_, by reason they are not the actions of Fire, but the actions of those Bodies that melts, boyls, evaporates, or burns; which being near, or joyned to Fire, are occasioned so to do: as for example, Put several sorts of Creatures, or Things, into a Fire, and they shall not burn alike: for, Leather and Metal do not burn alike; for Metal flows, and Leather shrinks up, and Water evaporates, and Wood converts it self, as it were, into Fire; which other things do not; which proves, That all Parts act their own actions. For, though some Corporeal motions may occasion other Corporeal motions to act after such or such a manner; yet, one Part cannot have another Part's motion, because Matter can neither give nor take motion.
CHAP. IV. Of STONE.
All Minerals seem to be some kinds of Dense and Retentive motions: but yet, those kinds of Dense and Retentive motions, seem to be of several sorts; which is the cause of several sorts of Minerals, and of several sorts of Stones and Metals. Also, every several sort, hath several sorts of Properties: but, in my opinion, some sorts are caused by Hot Contractions and Retentions; others, by Cold Contractions and Retentions; as also, by Hot or Cold Densations: and the reason why I believe so, is, That I observe that many Artificial Stones are produced by Heat: but Ice, which is but in the first Degree of a Cold Density, seems somewhat like transparent Stones; so that several sorts of Stones, are produced by several sorts of Cold and Hot Contractions and Densations.
CHAP. V. Of the LOADSTONE.
As for the _Loadstone_, it is not more wonderful in attracting Iron, than Beauty, which admirably attracts the Optick Perception of Human Creatures: and who knows, but the North and South Air may be the most proper Air for the Respiration of the _Loadstone_; and, that Iron may be the most proper Food for it. But, by reason there hath been so many Learned Men puzled in their Opinions concerning the several Effects of the _Loadstone_, I dare not venture to treat of the Nature, and Natural Effects of that Mineral; neither have I had much experience of it: but I observe, That Iron, and some sorts of Stone, are nearly allied; for, there is not any Iron, but what is growing, or is intermixt and united in some sorts of Stone, as that which we call _Iron-stone_. Wherefore, it is no wonder if the _Loadstone_, and Iron, should be apt to embrace one another.
CHAP. VI. Of Bodies, apt to ascend or descend.
There are so many several Causes that occasion some sorts of Creatures to be apt to _ascend_, and others to _descend_, as they are neither known, or can be conceived by one finite Creature: for, it is not Rarity or Density, that causes Levity and Gravity; but, the Frame or Form of a Creature's Exterior Shape, or Parts. As for example: A Flake of Snow is as Rare as a Downy Feather; yet, the Feather is apt to ascend, and the Flake of Snow to descend. Also Dust, that is hard and dense, is apt to ascend; and Water, that is soft and rare, is more apt to descend. Again, a Bird, that is both a bigger, and a more dense Creature by much, than a small Worm; yet, a Bird can flye up into the air, when as a leight Worm cannot ascend, or flye, having not such a sort of Shape. Also, a great heavy Ship, as big as an ordinary House, fraughted with Iron, will swim upon the face of the Water; when as a small Bullet, no bigger than a _Hasle-Nut_, will sink to the bottom of the Sea. A great Bodied Bird will flye up into the air; when as a small Worm lies on the earth, with a slow kind of crawling, and cannot ascend. All which is caused by the manner of their Shapes, and not the matter of Gravity and Levity.
CHAP. VII. Why Heavy Bodies descend more forcibly than Leight Bodies ascend.
Although the manner of the Shape of several Creatures, is the chief cause of their _Ascent_, and _Descent_; yet, Gravity and Levity, doth occasion more or less Agility: for, a Heavy Body shall descend with more force, than a Leight Body ascend: and the reason is, not only that there may be more Parts in a Heavy Body, than a Leight; but, that in a Descent, every Corporeal Motion seems to press upon each other; which doubles and trebles the Strength, Weight, and Force, as we may perceive in the Ascending and Descending of the Flight of Birds, especially of Hawks; of which, the weight of the Body is some hindrance to the Ascent, but an advantage to the Descent: but yet, the Shape of the Bird hath some advantage by the Weight, in such sort, that the Weight doth not so much hinder the Ascent, as it doth assist the Descent.
CHAP. VIII. Of several sorts of Densities and Rarities, Gravities and Levities.
There are different sorts of Densities and Rarities, Softness and Hardness, Levities and Gravities: as for example, The density of Earth is not like the density of Stone; nor the density of Stone, like the density of Metal: nor are all the Parts of the Earth dense alike; nor all Stones, nor all Metals; as we may perceive in Clay, Sand, Chalk, and Lime-Grounds. Also, we may perceive difference between Lead, Tynne, Copper, Iron, Silver, and Gold; and between Marble, Alablaster, Walling-Stone, Diamonds, Crystals, and the like: and so much difference there is between one and the same kind, that some particulars of one sort, shall more resemble another kind, than their own: as for example, Gold and Diamonds resemble each other's Nature, more than Lead doth Gold; or Diamonds, Crystal; I say, in their Densities. Also, there is a great difference of the Rarity, Gravity, and Levity of several sorts of Waters, and of several sorts of Air.
CHAP. IX. Of VEGETABLES.
_Vegetables_ are of numerous sorts, and every sort of very different Natures: as for example, Some are Reviving Cordials; others, Deadly Poyson; some are Purgers, others are Nourishers: some have Hot Effects, some Cold; some Dry, some Moist; some bear Fruit, some bears no Fruit; some appear all the year Young; others appear but part of the year Young, and part Old; some are many years a producing; others are produced in few hours; some will last many hundred years; others will decay in the compass of few hours: some seem to dye one part of the year, and revive again in another part of the year: some rot and consume in the Earth, after such a time; and will continue in perfection, if parted from the Earth. Others will wither and decay, as soon as parted from the Earth. Some are of a dense Nature, some of a rare Nature; some grow deep into the Earth; others grow high out of the Earth; some will only produce in dry Soyls, some in moist: some will produce only in Water, as we may perceive by some Ponds; others on Houses of Brick or Stone. Also, some grow out of Stone; as, many Stones will have a green Moss: some are produced by sowing their Seed into the Earth; others, by setting their Roots, or Slips, into the Earth: others again, by joyning or engrafting one Plant into another: so that there is much variety of Vegetables, and those of such different Natures, that they are not only different Sorts, but are variety of Effects of one and the same sort; and it requires not only the study of one Human Creature, or many Human Creatures; but, of all the Human Creatures in all Nations and Ages, to know them; which is the reason, that those that have writ of the Natures of Herbs, Flowers, Roots, and Fruits, may be much mistaken. But I, living more constantly in my Study, than in my Garden, shall not venture to treat much of the particular Natures, and Natural Effects of Vegetables.
CHAP. X. Of the Production of Vegetables.
Tis no wonder, that some sorts of _Vegetables_ are produced out of Stone or Brick, (as some that will grow on the top of Houses) by reason that Brick is made of Earth, and Stone is generated in the Bowels of the Earth; which shows they are of an Earthly Nature or Substance. Neither is it a wonder that Vegetables will grow upon some sorts of Water, by reason some sorts of Waters may be mixt with some Parts of Earth. But, I have been credibly informed, That a Man whose Legg had been cut, and
a Seed of an Oat being gotten into the Wound by chance, the Oat did sprout out into a green Blade of Grass: which proves, that Vegetables may be produced in several Soyls. But 'tis probable, that though many sorts of Vegetables may sprout, as Barly in Water; yet, they cannot produce any of the off-spring of the same Sort or Kind.
But, my Thoughts are, at this present, in some dispute; as, Whether the Earth is a Part of the Production of Vegetables, as being the Breeder? or, whether the Earth is only Parts of Respiration, and not Parts of Production; and so, rather Breathing-Parts, than Breeding-Parts, as Water to Fishes?
But, if so, then every particular Seed must encrease, not only by a bare Transformation of their Parts into the first Form of Production; but, by division of their united Parts, must produce many other Societies of the same sort; as Religious Orders, where one Convent divides into many Convents of the same Order; which occasions a numerous Encrease. So the several Parts of one Seed, may divide into many Seeds of the same sort, as being of the same _Species_; but then, every Part of that Seed, must be encreased by additional Parts; which must be, by Nourishing Parts: which Nourishing Parts are, in all probability, Earthy Parts; or, at least, partly of Earthy Parts; and partly, of some of the other Elemental Parts: but, as I have often said, all Creatures in Nature are Assisted, and do Subsist, by each other.
CHAP. XI. Of Replanting Vegetables.
_Replanting of Vegetables_, many times, occasions great Alterations; in so much as a Vegetable, by often Replanting, will be so altered, as to appear of another sort of Vegetable: the reason is, that several sorts, or parts of Soyls, may occasion other sorts of Actions, and Orders, in one and the same Society. But this is to be noted in the Lives of many Animals, That several sorts of Food, make great alterations in their Temper and Shape; though not to alter their Species, yet so as to cause them to appear worse or better: but, this is most visible amongst Human Creatures, whom some sorts of Food will make weak, sick, faint, lean, pale, old, and withered: other sorts of Food will make them strong, and healthy, fat, fair, smooth, and ruddy. So some sorts of Soyls will cause some Vegetables to be larger, brighter, smoother, sweeter, and of more various and glorious Colours.
CHAP. XII. Of Artificial Things.
_Artificial Things_, are Natural Corporeal Figurative Motions: for, all Artificial Things are produced by several produced Creatures. But, the differences of those Productions we name _Natural_ and _Artificial_, are, That the Natural are produced from the Producer's own Parts; whereas the Artificial are produced by composing, or joyning, or mixing several Forrein Parts; and not any of the particular Parts of their composed Society: for, Artificial things are not produced as Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, or the like: but only, they are certain seral Mixtures of some of the divided, or dead Parts, as I may say, of Minerals, Vegetables, Elements, and the like. But this is to be noted, That all, or at least, most, are but Copied, and not Originals.
But some may ask, _Whether Artificial Productions have Sense, Reason, and Perception?_
I answer: That if all the Rational and Sensitive Parts of Nature, are Perceptive, and that no part is without Perception; then all Artificial Productions are Perceptive.
CHAP. XIII. Of several Kinds and Sorts of Species.
According to my Opinion, though the _Species_ of this World, and all the several Kinds and Sorts of _Species_ in this World, do always continue; yet, the particular Parts of one and the same Kind or sort of _Species_, do not continue: for, the particular Parts are perpetually altering their Figurative Actions. But, by reason some Parts compose or unite, as well as some Parts dissolve or disunite; all kinds and sorts of _Species_, will, and must last so long as Nature lasts. But mistake me not, I mean such kinds and sorts of _Species_ as we name Natural, that is, the Fundamental Species; but not such _Species_, as we name Artificial.
CHAP. XIV. Of Different WORLDS.
Tis probable if Nature be Infinite, there are several kinds and sorts of those Species, Societies, or Creatures, we name _Worlds_; which may be so different from the Frame, Form, Species, and Properties of this World, and the Creatures of this World, as not to be any ways like this World, or the Creatures in this World. But mistake me not, I do not mean, not like this World, as it is Material and Self-moving; but, not of the same Species, or Properties: as for example, That they have not such kind of Creatures, or their Properties, as Light, Darkness, Heat, Cold, Dry, Wet, Soft, Hard, Leight, Heavy, and the like.
But some may say, _That is impossible: for, there can be no World, but must be either Light or Dark, Hot or Cold, Dry or Wet, Soft or Hard, Heavy or Leight; and the like_.
I answer, That though those Effects may be generally beneficial to most of the Creatures in this World; yet, not to all the Parts of the World: as for example, Though Light is beneficial to the Eyes of Animals; yet, to no other Part of an Animal Creature. And, though Darkness is obstructive to the Eyes of Animals; yet, to no other Parts of an Animal Creature. Also, Air is no proper Object for any of the Human Parts, but Respiration. So Cold and Heat, are no proper Objects for any Part of a Human Creature, but only the Pores, which are the Organs of Touch. The like may be said for Hard and Soft, Dry and Wet: and since they are not Fundamental actions of Nature, but Particular, I cannot believe, but that there may be such Worlds, or Creatures, as may have no use of Light, Darkness, and the like: for, if some Parts of this World need them not, nor are any ways beneficial to them, (as I formerly proved) surely a whole World may be, and subsist without them: for these Properties, though they may be proper for the Form or Species of this World; yet, they may be no ways proper for the Species of another kind or sort of World: as for example, The Properties of a Human Creature are quite different from other kinds of Creatures; the like may be of different Worlds: but, in all Material Worlds, there are Self-moving Parts, which is the cause there is self-joyning, uniting, and composing; self dividing, or dissolving; self-regularities, and self-irregularities: also, there is Perception amongst the Parts or Creatures of Nature; and what Worlds or Creatures soever are in Nature, they have Sense and Reason, Life and Knowledg: but, for Light and Darkness, Hot and Cold, Soft and Hard, Leight and Heavy, Dry and Wet, and the like; they are all but particular actions of particular Corporeal Species, or Creatures, which are finite, and not infinite: and certainly, there may be, in Nature, other Worlds as full of varieties, and as glorious and beautiful as this World; and are, and may be more glorious or beautiful, as also, more full of variety than this World, and yet be quite different in all kinds and sorts, from this World: for, this is to be noted, That the different kinds and sorts of Species, or Creatures, do not make Particulars more or less perfect, but according to their kind. And one thing I desire, That my _Readers_ would not mistake my meaning, when I say, _The Parts dissolve_: for, I do not mean, that Matter dissolves; but, that their particular Societies dissolve.
APPENDIX TO THE GROUNDS OF Natural Philosophy.
The FIRST PART.
CHAP. I. Whether there can be a Substance, that is not a Body.
What a _Substance_, that is not _Body_, can be, (as I writ in the First Chapter of this Book) I cannot imagine; nor, that there is any thing between _Something_ and _Nothing_.
But, some may say, _That Spiritual Substances are so_. I answer: That Spirits must be either Material, or Immaterial: for, it is impossible for a thing to be between Body and no Body.
Others may say, _There may be a Substance, that is not a Natural Substance; but, some sort of Substance that is far more pure than the purest Natural Substance_.