Grounds of Natural Philosophy: Divided into Thirteen Parts: The Second Edition, much altered from the First, which went under the Name of Philosophical and Physical OpinionsNewcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Philosophy
Grounds of Natural Philosophy: Divided into Thirteen Parts: The Second Edition, much altered from the First, which went under the Name of Philosophical and Physical Opinions
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Physics -- Early works to 1800
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?_
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