Minerals nor Minerals like the Perceptions of Elements For though all these several kinds and sorts be perceptive yet not after one and the same way or manner of Perception but as there is infinite variety of Corporeal Motions so there are infinite varieties of Perceptions for Infinite Self-moving Matter hath infinite varieties of Actions But to return to the Discourse of the Productions and Dissolutions of Creatures The reason that some Creatures last longer than others is That some Forms or Frames of their Composition are of a more lasting Figure But this is to be observed That the Figures that are most solid are more lasting than those that are more slack and loose but mistake me not I say For the most part they are more lasting Also this is to be noted That some Compositions require more labour some more curiosity and some are more full of variety than others CHAP. XIV Of CIRCLES A Circle is a Round Figure without End which Figure can more easily and aptly alter the Exterior Form than any other Figure For example A Circular Line may be drawn many several ways into different and several sorts of Figures without breaking the Circle also it may be contracted or extended into a less or wider compass and drawn or formed into many several sorts of Figures or Works as into a Square or Triangle or Oval or Cylinder or like several sorts of Flowers and never dissolve the Circular Line But this is to be noted that there may be several sorts of Circular Lines as some Broad some Narrow some Round some Flat some Ragged or Twisted some Smooth some Pointed some Edged and numbers of the like and yet the compass be exactly round But some may say that When a Circle is drawn into several Works it is not a Circle As for example When a Circle is squared it is not a Circle but a Square I answer It is a Circle squar'd but not a Circle broken or divided for the Interior Nature is not dissolved although the Exterior Figure is altered it is a Natural Circle although it should be put into a Mathematical Square But to conclude this Chapter I say That all such sorts of Figures that are like Circular Lines of one piece may change and rechange their Exterior Figures or Shapes without any alterations of their Interior Properties CHAP. XV. Human Creatures cannot so probably treat of other sorts of Creatures as of their own TO treat of the Productions of Vegetables Minerals and Elements is not so easie a Task as to treat of Animals and amongst Animals the most easie Task is to treat of Human Productions by reason one Human Creature may more probably guess at the Nature of all Human Creatures being of the same Nature than he can of other kinds of other kinds of Creatures that are of another Nature But mistake me not I mean not of another Nature being not of the same kind of Creature but concerning Vegetables Minerals and Elements The Elements may more easily be treated of than the other Two kinds for though there be numerous sorts of them at least numerous several Particulars yet not so many several Sorts as of Vegetables and though Minerals are not as to my knowledg so numerous as Vegetables yet they are of more or at least of as many Sorts as Elements are But by reason I am unlearned I shall only give my Opinion of the Productions of some sorts in which I fear I shall rather discover my Ignorance than the Truth of their Productions But I hope my Readers will not find fault with my Endeavour though they may find fault with my little Experience and want of Learning The Twelfth Part. CHAP. I. Of the Equality of ELEMENTS AS for the Four Elements Fire Air Water and Earth they subsist as all other Creatures which subsist by each other but in my opinion there should be an Equality of the Four Elements to balance the World for if one sort should superabound it would occasion such an Irregularity that would cause a Dissolution of this World as when some particular Humour in Man's Body superabounds or there is a scarcity of some Humours it causes such Irregularities that do many times occasion his Destruction The same may be said of the Four Elements of the World as for example If there were not a sufficient quantity of Elemental Air the Elemental Fire would go out and if not a sufficient quantity of Elemental Fire the Air would corrupt also if there were not a sufficient quantity of Elemental Water the Elemental Fire would burn the Earth and if there were not a sufficient quantity of Earth there would not be a solid and firm Foundation for the Creatures of the Earth for if there were not Density as well as Rarity and Levity as well as Gravity Nature would run into Extreams CHAP. II. Of several TEMPERS HEAT doth not make Drought for there is a Temper of Hot and Moist Nor Cold doth not make Drought for there is a Temper of Cold and Moist Neither doth Heat make Moisture for there is a Temper of Hot and Dry. Nor doth Cold make Moisture for there is a Temper of Cold and Dry. But such or such sorts of Corporeal Figurative Motions make Hot Cold Moist Dry Hot and Dry Hot and Moist Cold and Dry Cold and Moist and as those Figurative Motions alter their Actions those Tempers are altered the like happens in all Creatures But this is to be observed That there is some opposite or contrary Tempers which have a likeness of Motion as for example A Moist Heat and a Moist Cold have a likeness or resemblance of Moistness and the same is in dry Heats and Cold but surely most sorts of Moistures are some sorts of dilative Motions and most Droughts are some sorts of Contractive Motions but there are several sorts of Dilatations Contractions Retentions Expulsions and the like for there are Cold Contractions Hot Contractions Cold Dilatations Hot Dilatations Hot Retentions Cold Retentions and so of Digestions Expulsions and the like But as I said Moist Heats and Moist Colds seem of a Dilative Nature as Dry of a Contractive Nature But all Cold and Heat or Dry and Moist may be made by one and the same Corporeal Motions for though the Actions may vary the Parts may be the same yea the like Actions may be in different Parts But no Part is bound to any particular Action having a free Liberty of Self-motion But concerning Hot and Cold and the like Actions I observe That Extream Heat and Extream Cold is of a like Power or Degree neither can I perceive the Hot Motions to be quicker than Cold for Water in little quantity shall as suddenly freeze as any leight Fewel or Straw burn and Animals will as soon freeze to death as be burned to death and Cold is as powerful at the Poles as Heat in the Torrid Zone And 't is to be observed That Freezing is as quick and sudden as Thawing but
Man knows what another Man perceives but by guess or information of the Party but as I said if they have have no Imperfections all Human Creatures have like Properties Faculties and Perceptions As for example All Human Eyes may see one and the same Object alike or hear the same Tune or Sound and so of the rest of the Senses They have also the like Respirations Digestions Appetites and the like may be said of all the Properties belonging to a Human Creature But as one Human Creature doth not know what another Human Creature knows but by Confederacy so no Part of the Body or Mind of a Man knows each Part 's perceptive knowledg but by Confederacy so that there is as much Ignorance amongst the Parts of Nature as Knowledg But this is to be noted That there are several manners and ways of Intelligences not only between several sorts of Creatures or amongst particulars of one sort of Creatures but amongst the several Parts of one and the same Creature CHAP. X. Of the Irregularity of the Sensitive and of the Rational Corporeal Motions AS I have often mentioned and do here again repeat That the Rational and Sensitive Parts of one Society or Creature do understand as perceiving each other's Self-moving Parts and the proof is That sometimes the Human Sense is regular and the Human Reason irregular and sometimes the Reason regular and the Sense irregular but in these differences the Regular Parts endeavour to reform the Irregular which causes many times repetitions of one and the same Actions and Examinations as sometimes the Reason examines the Sense and sometimes the Sense the Reason and sometimes the Sense and Reason do examine the Object for sometimes an Object will delude both the Sense and Reason and sometimes the Sense and Reason are but partly mistaken As for example A fired end of a Stick by a swift exterior Circular Motion appears a Circle of fire in which they are not deceived for by the Exterior Motion the fired end is a Circle but they are mistaken to conceive the Exterior Figurative Action to be the proper natural Figure but when one man mistakes another that is some small Error both of the Sense and Reason Also when one man cannot readily remember another man with whom he had formerly been acquainted it is an Error and such small Errors the Sense and Reason do soon rectifie but in causes of high Irregularities as in Madness Sickness and the like there is a great Bustle amongst the Parts of a Human Creature so as those Disturbances cause unnecessary Fears Grief Anger and strange Imaginations CHAP. XI Of the Knowledg between the Sensitive Organs of a Human Creature THE Sensitive Organs are only ignorant of each other as they are of Forrein Objects for as all the Parts of Forrein Objects are not subject to one Sensitive Organ so all the Sensitive Organs are not subject to each Sensitive Organ of a Human Creature yet in the perceptive Actions of Forrein Objects they do so agree that they make an united Knowledg Thus we may be particularly ignorant one way and yet have a general Knowledg another way CHAP. XII Of Human Perception or Defects of a Human Creature IT is not the great quantity of Brain that makes a Man wise nor a little quantity that makes a Man foolish but the irregular or regular Rational Corporeal Motions of the Head Heart and the rest of the Parts that causes dull Understandings short Memories weak Judgments violent Passions extravagant Imaginations wild Fancies and the like The same must be said of the Sensitive Irregular Corporeal Motions which make Weakness Pain Sickness disordered Appetites and perturbed Perceptions and the like for Nature poysing her Actions by Opposites there must needs be Irregularities as well as Regularities which is the cause that seldom any Creature is so exact but there is some Exception But when the Sensitive and Rational Corporeal Motions are regular and move sympathetically then the Body is healthful and strong the Mind in peace and quiet understands well and is judicious and in short there are perfect Perceptions proper Digestions easie Respirations regular Passions temperate Appetites But when the Rational Corporeal Motions are curious in their change of Actions there are subtile Conceptions and elevated Fancies and when the Sensitive Corporeal Motions move with curiosity as I may say then there are perfect Senses exact Proportions equal Temperaments and that Man calls Beauty CHAP. XIII Of Natural FOOLS THere is great difference between a Natural Fool and a Mad Man for Madness is a Disease but a Natural Fool is a Defect which Defect was some Error in his Production that is in the form and frame either of the Mind or Sense or both for the Sense may be a Natural Fool as well as the Reason as we may observe in those sorts of Fools whom we name Changelings whose Body is not only deformed but all the Postures of the Body are defective and appear as so many fools but sometimes only some Parts are fools as for example If a Man be born Blind then only his Eyes are Fools if Deaf then only his Ears are Fools which occasions his dumbness Ears being the informing Parts to speak and wanting those informations he cannot speak a Language Also if a Man is born lame his Leggs are Fools that is those Parts have no knowledg of such Properties that belong to such Parts but the Sensitive Parts may be wise as being knowing and the Rational Parts may be defective which Defects Man names Irrational But this is to be noted That there may be Natural and Accidental Fools by some extraordinary Frights or by extraordinary Sickness or through the defects of Old Age. As for the Errors of Production they are incurable as also those of Old Age the First being an Error in the very Foundation and the other a Decay of the whole Frame of the Building for after a Human Creature is brought to that perfection as to be as we may say at full growth and strength at the prime of his age the Human Motions and the very Nature of Man after that time begins to decay for then the Human Motions begin to move rather to the dissolution than to the continuance although some Men last to very old Age by reason the unity of their Society is regular and orderly and moves so Sympathetically as to commit few or no Disorders or Irregularities and such old Men are for the most part Healthful and very wise through long Experience and their Society having got a habit of Regularity is not apt to be disturbed by Forrein Parts But this is to be noted That sometimes the Sensitive Body decays before the Rational Mind and sometimes the Rational Mind before the Sensitive Body Also this is to be noted That when the Body is defective but not the Mind then the Mind is very industrious to find out Inventions of Art to help the Defects that are natural But pray
all sorts of VVets and Liquors are of a watry kind though of a different sort But as I have said all things that are Fluid are not VVet as Melted Metal Flame Light and the like are fluid but not wet and Smoak and Oyl are of another sort of Liquidness than VVater or Juyce but yet they are not wet and that which causes the difference of different sorts of VVaters and VVatry Liquors are the differences of the watry Circular Lines as some are edged some are pointed some are twisted some are braided some are flat some are round some ruff some smooth and so after divers several Forms or Figures and yet are perfect Circles and of some such a Degree of Extenuations or Dilatations CHAP. XV. Of the Alteration of the Exterior Figurative Motion of Water AS I formerly said The Figurative Motions of the Innate Nature of VVater is a sort of Extenuating as being an equal smooth Circle which is the cause VVater is rare fluid moist liquid and wet But the Exterior Figurative Motions of the watry Circle may be edged pointed sharp blunt flat round smooth ruff or the like which may be either divided or altered without any alteration of the Innate Nature or Property As for example Salt-water may be made fresh or the Salt Parts divided from the watry Circle The like of other sorts of VVaters and yet the Nature of VVater remains CHAP. XVI Of OYL and VITRIOL THE Exterior Figurative Motions of Oyl are so much like those of Water as to be fluid smooth soft moist and liquid although not perfectly wet but the Interior Figurative Motions of Oyl are of that sort of Fire that we name a Dull Dead Fire and the difference between Salt Waters Vitriol or the like and Oyl is That the Exterior Figurative Motions of Vitriol and Salt Waters are of a sort of Fire whereas it is the Interior Figurative Motions of Oyl or the like that are of those sorts of Fire and that is the reason that the fiery Motions of Oyl cannot be altered as the fiery Motions of Vitriol may But this is to be noted That although the Interior Figurative Motions of Oyl are of such a sort of fiery Motions yet not just like those of Vitriol and are not burning corroding or wounding as Vitriols Corrosives and the like are for those are somewhat more of the Nature of bright shining Fires than Oyls CHAP. XVII Of Mineral and Sulphureous Waters IN Sulphureous and Mineral Waters the Sulphureous and Mineral Corporeal Motions are Exterior and not Interior like Salt waters but there are several sorts of such waters also some are occasionally others naturally so affected for some waters running through Sulphureous or Mineral Mines gather like a rowling Stone some of the loose Parts of Gravel or Sand which as they stick or cleave to the rowling Stone so they do to the running Waters as we may perceive by those waters that spring out of Chalk Clay or Lime Grounds which will have some Tinctures of the Lime Chalk or Clay and the same happens to Minerals But some are naturally Sulphureous as for example Some sorts of hot Baths are as naturally Sulphureous as the Sea-water is Salt but all those Effects of Minerals Sulphurs and the like are dividable from and also may be joyn'd to the Body of water without any disturbance to the nature of water as may be proved by Salt-water which will cause fresh Meat to be salt and salt Meat will cause Fresh-water to be salt As for hot Baths those have hot figurative Motions but not burning and the moist liquid and wet Nature of water makes it apt to joyn and divide to and from other sorts of Motions as also to and from its own sort CHAP. XVIII The Cause of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea THE Nature of water is to flow so that all sorts of waters will flow if they be not obstructed but it is not the Nature of Water to ebb Neither can water flow beyond the Power of its Quantity for a little water will not flow so far as a great one But I do not mean by flowing the falling of water from some Descent but to flow upon a Level for as I have said all waters do naturally flow if they be not obstructed but few sorts of water besides Sea-water ebbs As for the Exterior Figurative Motions of water in the action of flowing they are an Oval or a half Circle or a half Moon where the middle parts of the half Moon or Circle are fuller than the two Ends. Also the figure of a half Moon or half Circle is concave on the inside and convex on the outside of the Circle but these Figurative Motions in a great quantity of water are bigg and full which we name Waves of Water which waves flowing fast upon each other presses each other forward until such time as the half Circle divides for when the Bow of the half Circle is over-bent or stretched it divides into the middle which is most extended and when a half Circle which is a whole wave of water is divided the divided Parts fall equally back on each side of the flowing waves so every wave dividing after that manner in the full extension it causes the motion of ebbing that is to flow back as it flow'd forward for the divided Parts falling back and joining as they meet makes the head of the half Circle where the Ends of the half Circle were and the Convex where the Concave was by which action the ebbing Parts are become the flowing Parts And the reason that it ebbs and flows by degrees is That the flowing half Circles require so much time to be at the utmost extension Also every wave or half Circle divides not all at one time but one after another for two Bodies cannot be in one place at one point of time and until the second third and so the rest flow as far as the first they are not at their full extension And thus the Sea or such a great Body of Water must flow and ebb as being its nature to flow and the flowing Figure being over-extended by endeavouring to flow beyond its power causes a dividing of the Extended Parts which is the Cause of the Ebbing But whether this Opinion of mine be as probable as any of the former Opinions concerning the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea I cannot judg but I would not be mistaken for the flowing of the water is according to its Quantity for the further it flows the fainter or weaker it is CHAP. XIX Of OVERFLOWS AS for Overflows there be many and many more would be if the waters were not hindred and obstructed by Man's Inventions But some Overflows are very Uncertain and Irregular others Certain and Regular as the flowing of Nilus in Egypt but as for the distance of time of its flowing it may proceed from the far Journey of those flowing-waters and the time of its ebbing may be attributed to the great