Part 18

If you desire my opinion concerning Witches, whereof your Learned _Author_ hath 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 of _Endor_, 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 your _Author_ relates[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 a _Wench 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.

[2] _In his discourse of Enthusiasm._

XXXIII.

_MADAM,_

You will have my opinion of the Book that treats of _the Pre-existence of Souls_, and the _Key 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 the _Progress of Immaterial Souls_, which the same _Author_ mentions, 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. Concerning _the 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._

XXXIV.

_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 called _Philosophical 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 my _Philosophical 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 word _Spirits_ in the second, as also in the last Edition of my named Book of _Philosophy_, 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._

SECT. III.

I.

_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 learned _Authors_ you sent me, _viz. Hobbes, Des Cartes_, and _More_, 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 your _Author_ discourses of the causes and beginnings of Natural things, he is pleased to say,[1] That _Souls 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 your _Author_, mentioning the _Causes and Principles of natural Bodies_, assigns two first or chief beginnings and corporeal causes of every Creature, to wit, the _Element of Water_, and the _Ferment 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, That _Causes and Beginnings_ are all one, or that there is but little difference betwixt them, I do readily subscribe unto it; but when he speaks of those _things, 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 the _Seeds 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 your _Author_ was 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, Of _Efficient 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 those _Chymæras_ and Fancies of the _Archeus, Ferment,_ various _Ideas, 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, your _Author_ had? 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._

II.

_MADAM,_