Part 22

The Art of Fire, as I perceive, is in greater esteem and respect with your _Author_, then Nature her self: For he says,[1] That _some things can be done by Art, which Nature cannot do_; nay he calls[2] _Art_ The _Mistress of Nature, and subjects whole Nature unto Chymical speculation_; For, _nothing_, says he,[3] _doth more fully bring a Man, that is greedy of knowing, to the knowledg of all things knowable, then the Fire; for the root or radical knowledg of natural things consists in the Fire:_[4] _It pierces the secrets of Nature, and causes a further searching out in Nature, then all other Sciences, being put together; and pierces even into the utmost depths of real truth:_[5] _It creates things which never were before._ These, and many more the like expressions, he has in the praise of Chymistry. And truly, _Madam_, I cannot blame your _Author_, for commending this Art, because it was his own profession, and no man will be so unwise as to dispraise his own Art which he professes; but whether those praises and commendations do not exceed truth, and express more then the Art of Fire can perform, I will let those judg, that have more knowledg therein then I: But this I may say, That what Art or Science soever is in Nature, let it be the chief of all, yet it can never be call'd the Mistress of Nature, nor be said to perform more then Nature doth, except it be by a divine and supernatural Power; much less to create things which never were before, for this is an action which onely belongs to God: The truth is, Art is but a Particular effect of Nature, and as it were, Nature's Mimick or Fool, in whose playing actions she sometimes takes delight; nay, your _Author_ confesses it himself, when he calls[6] the _Art_ of _Chymistry, Nature's emulating Ape_, and _her Chamber-maid_, and yet he says, _she is now and then the Mistress of Nature_; which in my opinion doth not agree: for I cannot conceive how it is possible to be a Chambermaid, and yet to be the Mistress too; I suppose your _Author_ believes, they justle sometimes each other out, or take by turns one anothers place. But whatever his opinion be, I am sure, that the Art of Fire cannot create and produce so, as Nature doth, nor dissolve substances so, as she doth, nor transform and transchange, as she doth, nor do any effect like Nature: And therefore I cannot so much admire this Art as others do, for it appears to me, rather to be a troubler, then an assistant to Nature, producing more Monsters then perfect Creatures; nay, it rather doth shut the Gates of Truth, then unlock the Gates of Nature: For how can Art inform us of Nature, when as it is but an effect of Nature? You may say, The cause cannot be better known then by its effect; for the knowledg of the effect, leads us to the knowledg of the cause. I answer, 'Tis true: but you will consider, that Nature is an Infinite cause, and has Infinite effects; and if you knew all the Infinite effects in nature, then perhaps you might come to some knowledg of the cause; but to know nature by one single effect, as art is, is impossible; nay, no man knows this particular effect as yet perfectly; For who is he, that has studied the art of fire so, as to produce all that this art may be able to afford? witness the Philosophers-stone. Besides, how is it possible to find out the onely cause by so numerous variations of the effects? Wherefore it is more easie, in my opinion, to know the various effects in Nature by studying the Prime cause, then by the uncertain study of the inconstant effects to arrive to the true knowledg of the prime cause; truly it is much easier to walk in a Labyrinth without a Guide, then to gain a certain knowledg in any one art or natural effect, without Nature her self be the guide, for Nature is the onely Mistress and cause of all, which, as she has made all other effects, so she has also made arts for varieties sake; but most men study Chymistry more for imployment, then for profit; not but that I believe, there may be some excellent Medicines found out and made by that art, but the expence and labour is more then the benefit; neither are all those Medicines sure and certain, nor in all diseases safe; neither can this art produce so many medicines as there are several diseases in Nature, and for the Universal Medicine, and the Philosophers-stone or Elixir, which Chymists brag of so much; it consists rather in hope and expectation, then in assurance; for could Chymists find it out, they would not be so poor, as most commonly they are, but richer then _Solomon_ was, or any Prince in the World, and might have done many famous acts with the supply of their vast Golden Treasures, to the eternal and immortal fame of their Art; nay, Gold being the Idol of this world, they would be worshipped as well for the sake of Gold, as for their splendorous Art; but how many have endeavored and laboured in vain and without any effect? _Gold is easier to be made, then to be destroyed_, says your _Author,_[7] but I believe one is as difficult or impossible, nay more, then the other; for there is more probability of dissolving or destroying a natural effect by Art, then of generating or producing one; for Art cannot go beyond her sphere of activity, she can but produce an artificial effect, and Gold is a natural Creature; neither were it Justice, that a particular creature of Nature should have as much power to act or work as Nature her self; but because neither Reason, nor Art has found out as yet such a powerful opposite to Gold, as can alter its nature; men therefore conclude that it cannot be done. Your _Author_ relates[8] to have seen the Gold-making stone, which he says, was of colour such, as Saffron is in its powder, but weighty and shining like unto powder'd Glass; one fourth part of one grain thereof, (a grain he reckons the six hundredth part of one ounce) being projected upon eight ounces of Quicksilver made hot in a Crucible, and straight way there were found eight ounces, and a little less then eleven grains of the purest Gold; therefore one onely grain of that powder had transchanged 19186 parts of Quicksilver, equal to it self, into the best Gold. Truly, _Madam_, I wish with all my heart, the poor Royalists had had some quantity of that powder; and I assure you, that if it were so, I my self would turn a Chymist to gain so much as to repair my Noble Husbands losses, that his noble family might flourish the better. But leaving Gold, since it is but a vain wish, I do verily believe, that some of the Chymical medicines do, in some desperate cases, many times produce more powerful and sudden effects then the medicines of Galenists, and therefore I do not absolutely condemn the art of Fire, as if I were an enemy to it; but I am of an opinion, that my Opinions in _Philosophy_, if well understood, will rather give a light to that art, then obscure its worth; for if Chymists did but study well the corporeal motions or actions of Natures substantial body; they would, by their observations, understand Nature better, then they do by the observation of the actions of their Art; and out of this consideration and respect, I should almost have an ambition, to become an Artist in Chymistry, were I not too lazie and tender for that imployment; but should I quit the one, and venture the other, I am so vain as to perswade my self, I might perform things worthy my labour upon the ground of my own Philosophy, which is substantial Life, Sense, and Reason; for I would not study Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, but the Natural motions of every Creature, and observe the variety of Natures actions. But, perchance, you will smile at my vain conceit, and, it may be, I my self, should repent of my pains unsuccessfully bestowed, my time vainly spent, my health rashly endangered, and my Noble Lords Estate unprofitably wasted, in fruitless tryals and experiments; Wherefore you may be sure, that I will consider well before I act; for I would not lose Health, Wealth, and Fame, and do no more then others have done, which truly is not much, their effects being of less weight then their words. But in the mean time, my study shall be bent to your service, and how to express my self worthily,

MADAM,

_Your Ladiships_

_humble and faithful Servant._

[1] Ch. _called_, The Essay of a Meteor.

[2] _Ch._ Heat doth not digest efficiently, but excitingly.

[3] _Ch._ The ignorant natural Philosophy of _Aristotle_ and _Galen_.

[4] _Ch._ A modern Pharmacopoly and dispensatory.

[5] _Ch._ Of the Power of Medicines.

[6] _Ch._ Heat doth not digest efficiently, but excitingly.

[7] _Ch._ The first Principles of the Chymists, not the Essences of the same are of the Army of Diseases.

[8] In the _Ch._ Of Life Eternal, and in the _Ch._ Of the Tree of Life.

XIV.

_MADAM,_

I have read your _Authors_ discourse concerning _Sensation_,[1] but it was as difficult to me to understand it, ash was tedious to read it; Truly, all the business, might have been easily declared in a short Chapter, and with more clearness and perspicuity: For Sensation, is nothing else but the action of sense proceeding from the corporeal sensitive motions, which are in all Creatures or parts of Nature, and so all have sense and sensation, although not alike after one and the same manner, but some more, some less, each according to the nature and propriety of its figure. But your _Author_ speaks of _Motion without Sense, and Sense without Motion_, which is a meer impossibility; for there is not, nor cannot be any Motion in Nature without Sense, nor any Sense without Motion; there being no Creature without self-motion, although not always perceptible by us, or our external senses; for all motion is not exteriously local, and visible. Wherefore, not any part of Nature, according to my opinion, wants Sense and Reason, Life and Knowledg; but not such a substanceless Life as your _Author_ describes, but a substantial, that is a corporeal Life. Neither is Light the principle of Motion, but Motion, is the principle of Light: Neither is Heat the principle of Motion, but its effect as well as Cold is; for I cannot perceive that Heat should be more active then Cold. Neither is there any such thing as Unsensibleness in Nature, except it be in respect of some particular Sensation in some particular Figure: As for example, when an Animal dies, or its Figure is dissolved from the Figure of an Animal; we may say it hath not animal sense or motion, but we cannot say, it hath no sense or motion at all; for as long as Matter is in Nature, Sense and Motion will be; so that it is absurd and impossible to believe, or at least to think, that Matter, as a body, can be totally deprived of Life, Sense, and Motion, or that Life can perish and be corrupted, be it the smallest part of Matter conceivable, and the same turned or changed into millions of Figures; for the Life and Soul of Nature is self-moving Matter, which by Gods Power, and leave, is the onely Framer and Maker, as also the Dissolver and Transformer of all Creatures in Nature, making as well Light, Heat, and Cold, Gas, Blas, and Ferments, as all other natural Creatures beside, as also Passions, Appetites, Digestions, Nourishments, Inclination, Aversion, Sickness and Health; nay, all Particular Ideas, Thoughts, Fancies, Conceptions, Arts, Sciences, &c. In brief, it makes all that is to be made in Nature. But many great Philosophers conceive Nature to be fuller of Intricacy, Difficulty, and Obscurity, then she is, puzling themselves about her ordinary actions, which yet are easie and free, and making their arguments hard, constrained, and mystical, many of them containing neither sense nor reason; when as, in my opinion, there is nothing else to be studied in Nature, but her substance and her actions. But I will leave them to their own Fancies and Humors, and say no more, but rest,

Madam,

_Your humble and_

_faithful Servant._

[1] Of the Disease of the Stone. _Ch._ 9.

XV.

_MADAM,_