Part 6

Passing by those Chapters of your _Authors_, that treat of _Power and Act, Identy and Difference, Analogisme, Angle and Figure, Figures deficient, dimension of Circles_, and several others, most of which belong to art, as to Geometry, and the like; I am come to that wherein he discourses of _Sense_ and _Animal Motion_, saying,[1] _That some Natural bodies have in themselves the patterns almost of all things, and others of none at all_; Whereof my opinion is, that the sensitive and rational parts of Matter are the living and knowing parts of Nature, and no part of nature can challenge them onely to it self, nor no creature can be sure, that sense is onely in Animal-kind, and reason in Man-kind; for can any one think or believe that Nature is ignorant and dead in all her other parts besides Animals? Truly this is a very unreasonable opinion; for no man, as wise as he thinks himself, nay were all Man-kind joyned into one body, yet they are not able to know it, unless there were no variety of parts in nature, but onely one whole and individeable body, for other Creatures may know and perceive as much as Animals, although they have not the same Sensitive Organs, nor the same manner or way of Perception. Next your _Author_ says,[2] _The cause of Sense or Perception consists herein, that the first organ of sense is touched and pressed; For when the uttermost part of the organ is pressed, it no sooner yields, but the part next within it is pressed also, and in this manner the pressure or motion is propagated through all the parts of the organ to the innermost. And thus also the pressure of the uttermost part proceeds from the pressure of some more remote body, and so continually, till we come to that, from which, as from its fountain, we derive the Phantasme or Idea, that is made in us by our sense: And this, whatsoever it be, is that we commonly call the object; Sense therefore is some Internal motion in the Sentient, generated by some Internal motion of the Parts of the object, and propagated through all the media to the innermost part of the organ. Moreover there being a resistance or reaction in the organ, by reason of its internal motion against the motion propagated from the object, there is also an endeavour in the organ opposite to the endeavour proceeding from the object, and when that endeavour inwards is the last action in the act of sense, then from the reaction a Phantasme or Idea has its being._ This is your _Authors_ opinion, which if it were so, perception could not be effected so suddenly, nay I think the sentient by so many pressures in so many perceptions, would at last be pressed to death, besides the organs would take a great deal of hurt, nay totally be removed out of their places, so as the eye would in time be prest into the centre of the brain; And if there were any Resistance, Reaction or Indeavour in the organ, opposite to the Endeavour of the object, there would, in my opinion, be always a war between the animal senses and the objects, the endeavour of the objects pressing one way, and the senses pressing the other way, and if equal in their strengths, they would make a stop, and the sensitive organs would be very much pained. Truly, _Madam_, in my opinion, it would be like that Custom which formerly hath been used at _Newcastle_, when a man was married, the guests divided themselves, behind and before the Bridegroom, the one party driving him back, the other forwards, so that one time a Bridegroom was killed in this fashion; But certainly Nature hath a more quick and easie way of giving intelligence and knowledg to her Creatures, and doth not use such constraint and force in her actions; Neither is sense or sensitive perception a meer Phantasme or Idea, but a Corporeal action of the sensitive and rational matter, and according to the variation of the objects or patterns, and the sensitive and rational motions, the perception also is various, produced not by external pressure, but by internal self-motion, as I have declared heretofore; and to prove, that the sensitive and rational corporeal motions are the onely cause of perception; I say, if those motions in an animal move in another way, and not to such perceptions, then that animal can neither hear, see, taste, smell nor touch, although all his sensitive organs be perfect, as is evident in a man falling into a swoon, where all the time he is in a swoon, the pressure of the objects is made without any effect; Wherefore, as the sensitive and rational corporeal motions make all that is in nature; so likewise they make perception, as being perception it self, for all self-motion is perception, but all perception is not animal perception; or after an animal way; and therefore sense cannot decay nor die, but what is called a decay or death, is nothing else but a change or alteration of those Motions. But you will say, _Madam_, it may be, that one body, as an object, leaves the print of its figure, in the next adjoyning body, until it comes to the organ of sense, I answer that then soft bodies onely must be pressed, and the object must be so hard as to make a print, and as for rare parts of matter, they are not able to retain a print without self-motion; Wherefore it is not probable that the parts of air should receive a print, and print the same again upon the adjoyning part, until the last part of the air print it upon the eye; and that the exterior parts of the organ should print upon the interior, till it come to the centre of the Brain, without self-motion. Wherefore in my opinion, Perception is not caused either by the printing of objects, nor by pressures, for pressures would make a general stop of all natural motions, especially if there were any reaction or resistence of sense; but according to my reason, the sensitive and rational corporeal motions in one body, pattern out the Figure of another body, as of an exterior object, which may be done easily without any pressure or reaction; I will not say, that there is no pressure or reaction in Nature, but pressure and reaction doth not make perception, for the sensitive and rational parts of matter make all perception and variety of motion, being the most subtil parts of Nature, as self-moving, as also divideable, and composeable, and alterable in their figurative motions, for this Perceptive matter can change its substance into any figure whatsoever in nature, as being not bound to one constant figure. But having treated hereof before, and being to say more of it hereafter, this shall suffice for the present, remaining always,

Madam,

_Your constant Friend,_

_and faithful Servant._

[1] _C._ 25. _a._ 1.

[2] _Art._ 2.

XIX.

_MADAM,_

To discourse of the World and Stars, is more then I am able to do, wanting the art of Astronomy and Geometry; wherefore passing by that Chapter of your Author, I am come to that[1] wherein he treats of Light, Heat and Colours; and to give you my opinion of Light, I say, it is not the light of the Sun, that makes an Animal see, for we can see inwardly in Dreams without the Suns light, but it is the sensitive and rational Motions in the Eye and Brain that make such a figure as Light; For if Light did press upon the Eye, according to your _Authors_ opinion, it might put the Eye into as much pain as Fire doth, when it sticks its points into our skin or flesh. The same may be said of Colours, for the sensitive motions make such a figure, which is such a Colour, and such a Figure, which is such a Colour; Wherefore Light, Heat and Colour, are not bare and bodiless qualities, but such figures made by corporeal self-motions, and are as well real and corporeal objects as other figures are; and when these figures change or alter, it is onely that their motions alter, which may alter and change heat into cold, and light into darkness, and black colour into white. But by reason the motions of the Sun are so constant, as the motions of any other kind of Creatures, it is no more subject to be altered then all the World, unless Nature did it by the command of God; for though the Parts of self-moving Matter be alterable, yet all are not altered; and this is the reason, that the figure of Light in our eye and brain is altered, as well as it is alterable, but not the real figure of the Sun, neither doth the Sun enter our eyes; and as the Light of the Sun is made or patterned in the eye, so is the light of Glow-worms-tails, and Cats-eyes, that shine in the dark, made not by the Sun's, but their own motions in their own parts; The like when we dream of Light, the sensitive corporeal motions working inwardly, make the figure of light on the inside of the eye, as they did pattern out the figure of light on the outside of the eye when awake, and the objects before them; for the sensitive motions of the eye pattern out the figure of the object in the eye, and the rational motions make the same figure in their own substance. But there is some difference between those figures that perceive light, and those that are light themselves; for when we sleep, there is made the figure of light, but not from a copy; but when the eye seeth light, that figure is made from a copy of the real figure of the Sun; but those lights which are inherent, as in Glow-worms-tails, are original lights, in which is as much difference as between a Man and his Picture; and as for the swiftness of the Motions of light, and the violence of the Motions of fire, it is very probable they are so, but they are a certain particular kind or sort of swift and violent motions; neither will all sorts of swift and violent motions make fire or light, as for example the swift and violent Circular motion of a Whirlewind neither makes light nor fire; Neither is all fire light, nor all light fire, for there is a sort of dead fire, as in Spices, Spirits, Oyles, and the like; and several sorts of lights, which are not hot, as the light which is made in Dreams, as also the inherent lights in Glow-worms, Cats-eyes, Fish-bones, and the like; all which several fires and lights are made by the self-moving matter and motions distinguishable by their figures, for those Motions make such a figure for the Suns light, such a figure for Glow-worms light, such a figure for Cats-eyes light, and so some alteration in every sort of light; The same for Fire, onely Fire-light is a mixt figure, as partly of the figure of Fire, and partly of the figure of Light: Also Colours are made after the like manner, _viz._ so many several Colours, so many several Figures; and as these Figures are less or more different, so are the Colours.

Thus, _Madam_, whosoever will study Nature, must consider the Figures of every Creature, as well as their Motions, and must not make abstractions of Motion and Figure from Matter, nor of Matter from Motion and Figure, for they are inseparable, as being but one thing, _viz._ Corporeal Figurative Motions; and whosoever conceives any of them as abstract, will, in my opinion, very much erre; but men are apt to make more difficulties and enforcements in nature then nature ever knew. But to return to Light: There is no better argument to prove that all objects of sight are figured in the Eye, by the sensitive, voluntary or self-motions, without the pressure of objects, but that not onely the pressure of light would hurt the tender Eye, but that the eye doth not see all objects according to their Magnitude, but sometimes bigger, sometimes less: as for example, when the eye looks through a small passage, as a Perspective-glass, by reason of the difficulty of seeing a body through a small hole, and the double figure of the glass being convex and concave, the corporeal motions use more force, by which the object is enlarged, like as a spark of fire by force is dilated into a great fire, and a drop of water by blowing into a bubble; so the corporeal motions do double and treble their strength, making the Image of the object exceeding large in the eye; for though the eye be contracted, yet the Image in the eye is enlarged to a great extension; for the sensitive and rational matter is extremely subtil, by reason it is extreamly pure, by which it hath more means and ways of magnifying then the Perspective-glass. But I intend to write more of this subject in my next, and so I break off here, resting,

Madam,

_Your Faithful Friend_

_and Servant._

[1] _Ch._ 27.

XX.

_MADAM,_

Some perhaps will question the truth or probability of my saying, that Light is a Body, objecting that if light were a body, when the Sun is absent or retires under our Horizon, its light would leave an empty place, or if there were no empty place but all full, the light of the Sun at its return would not have room to display it self, especially in so great a compass as it doth, for two bodies cannot be in one place at one time. I _answer_, all bodies carry their places along with them, for body and place go together and are inseparable, and when the light of the Sun is gone, darkness succeeds, and when darkness is gone, light succeeds, so that it is with light and darkness as with all Creatures else; For you cannot believe, that if the whole World were removed, there would be a place of the world left, for there cannot be an empty nothing, no more then there can be an empty something; but if the world were annihilated, the place would be annihilated too, place and body being one and the same thing; and therefore in my opinion, there be no more places then there are bodies, nor no more bodies then there are places.

Secondly, They will think it absurd that I say, the eye can see without light; but in my opinion it seems not absurd, but very rational, for we may see in dreams, and some do see in the dark, not in their fancy or imagination, but really; and as for dreams, the sensitive corporeal motions make a light on the inside of the organ of sight really, as I have declared in my former Letter. But that we do not see ordinarily without exterior Light, the reason is, that the sensitive Motions cannot find the outward objects to pattern out without exterior light, but all perception doth not proceed from light, for all other perception besides animal sight requires not light. Neither in my opinion, doth the Perception of sight in all Creatures but Animals, but yet Animals do often see in the dark, and in sleep: I will not say but that the animate matter which by self-motion doth make the Perception of light with other perceptive Figures, and so animal perceptive light may be the presenter or ground perceptive figure of sight; yet the sensitive corporeal motions can make other figures without the help of light, and such as light did never present: But when the eye patterns out an exterior object presented by light, it patterns also out the object of light; for the sensitive motions can make many figures by one act, not onely in several organs, but in one organ; as for example, there is presented to sight a piece of Imbroydery, wherein is silk, silver and gold upon Sattin in several forms or figures, as several flowers, the sensitive motions streight by one and the same act, pattern out all those several figures of flowers, as also the figures of Silk, Silver, Gold and Sattin, without any pressure of these objects, or motions in the medium, for if they all should press, the eye would no more see the exterior objects, then the nose, being stopt, could smell a presented perfume.

_Thirdly_, They may ask me, if sight be made in the eye, and proceeds not from the outward object, what is the reason that we do not see inwardly, but outwardly as from us? I answer, when we see objects outwardly, as from us, then the sensitive motions work on the outside of the organ, which organ being outwardly convex, causes us to see outwardly, as from us, but in dreams we see inwardly; also the sensitive motions do pattern out the distance together with the object: But you will say, the body of the distance, as the air, cannot be perceived, and yet we can perceive the distance; I answer, you could not perceive the distance, but by such or such an object as is subject to your sight; for you do not see the distance more then the air, or the like rare body, that is between grosser objects; for if there were no stars, nor planets, nor clouds, nor earth, nor water, but onely air, you would not see any space or distance; but light being a more visible body then air, you might figure the body of air by light, but so, as in an extensive or dilating way; for when the mind or the rational matter conceives any thing that hath not such an exact figure, or is not so perceptible by our senses; then the mind uses art, and makes such figures, which stand like to that; as for example, to express infinite to it self, it dilates it parts without alteration, and without limitation or circumference; Likewise, when it will conceive a constant succession of Time, it draws out its parts into the figure of a line; and if eternity, it figures a line without beginning, and end. But as for Immaterial, no mind can conceive that, for it cannot put it self into nothing, although it can dilate and rarifie it self to an higher degree, but must stay within the circle of natural bodies, as I within the circle of your Commands, to express my self

Madam,

_Your faithful Friend,_

_and obedient Servant._

XXI.

_MADAM,_

Heat and Cold, according to your _Authors_ opinion, are made by Dilation and Contraction: for says he,[1] _When the Motion of the ambient æthereal substance makes the spirits and fluid parts of our bodies tend outwards, we acknowledg heat, but by the indeavour inwards of the same spirits and humors we feel cold: so that to cool is to make the exterior parts of the body endeavour inwards, by a motion contrary to that of calefaction, by which the internal parts are called outwards. He therefore that would know the cause of Cold, must find by what motion the exterior parts of any body endeavour to retire inwards._ But I desire you to consider, _Madam_, that there be moist Colds, and dry Heats, as well as dry Colds, and moist Heats; wherefore all sorts of Cold are not made by the retyring of parts inwards, which is contraction or attraction; neither are all sorts of Heat made by parts tending outwards, which is dilation or rarefaction; for a moist cold is made by dilation, and a dry heat by contraction, as well as a moist heat is made by dilation, and a dry cold by contraction: But your _Author_ makes not this difference, but onely a difference between a dilated heat, and a contracted cold; but because a cold wind is made by breath blown thorow pinched or contracted lips, and an hot wind by breath through opened and extended lips, should we judg that all heat and cold must be made after one manner or way? The contracted mouth makes Wind as well as the dilated, but yet Wind is not made that way, as heat and cold; for it may be, that onely the air pressed together makes wind, or it may be that the corporeal motions in the air may change air into wind, as they change water into vapour, and vapour into air; or it may be something else that is invisible and rare, as air; and there may be several sorts of wind, air, heat, cold, as of all other Creatures, more then man is capable to know. As for your _Authors_ opinion concerning the congealing of Water, and how Ice is made, I will not contradict it, onely I think nature hath an easier way to effect it, then he describes; Wherefore my opinion is, that it is done by altering motions; as for example, the corporeal motions making the figure of water by dilation in a Circle figure, onely alter from such a dilating circular figure into a contracted square, which is Ice, or into such a contracted triangle, as is snow: And thus water and vapour may be changed with ease, without any forcing, pressing, raking, or the like. The same may be said of hard and bent bodies; and of restitution, as also of air, thunder and lightning, which are all done by an easie change of motion, and changing into such or such a figure is not the motion of Generation, which is to build a new house with old materials, but onely a Transformation; I say a new house with old materials; not that I mean there is any new Creation in nature, of any thing that was not before in nature; for nature is not God, to make new beings out of nothing, but any thing may be called new, when it is altered from one figure into another. I add no more at this time, but rest,

Madam,

_Your faithful Friend_

_and Servant._

[1] _C._ 28. _a._ 1.

XXII.

_MADAM,_