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
The Major Part agreed, That the Rational Corporeal Actions, were free;
and all their Architectors were of their own Degree: but yet, they were
so joyned in every Part and Particle, to the Sensitive and Inanimate,
as they could not separate from these two Degrees: for, though they
could divide and unite from, and to Particulars, as either of their own
Degrees, or the other Degrees; yet, the Three Degrees being but as one
united Body, they could not so divide, as not to be joyned to the other
Degrees: for, it was impossible for a Body to divide it self from it
self.
After this Argument, there followed another; _That, if it were possible
there could be a World composed only of the Rational Parts, without the
other two Degrees; Whether that World would be a Happy World?_
The Major Part's Opinion was, That, were it possible there could be
such unnatural Divisions, those divide Parts would be very unhappy:
for, the Rational Parts would be much unsatisfied without the
Sensitive; and the Sensitive very dull without the Rational: also, the
Sensitive Architectors would be very Irregular, wanting their Designing
Parts, which are the Rational Parts.
Upon which Argument, all the Parts of my Mind agreed in this Opinion,
That the Sensitive was so Sociable to the Rational, and the Rational so
Assisting to the Sensitive, and the Inanimate Parts so necessary to the
Sensitive Architectors, that they would not divide from each other, if
they could.
CHAP. II. Of Irregular and Regular Worlds.
Some Parts of my Mind were of opinion, _That there might be a World
composed only of Irregularities; and another, only of Regularities: and
some, that were partly composed of the one, and the other._
The Minor Part's Opinion was, That all Worlds were composed partly of
the one, and partly of the other; because all Nature's Actions were
poysed with Opposites, or Contraries: wherefore, there could not be a
World only of Irregularities, and another of Regularities.
The Major Part's Opinion, was, That Nature's Actions were as much
poysed by the contrary Actions of Two Worlds, as by the contrary
Actions of the Parts of One World, or one Creature: As for example, The
Peace and Trouble, Health and Sickness, Pain and Ease, and the like, of
one Human Creature; and so of the contrary Natures of several kinds and
sorts of Creatures of one and the same World.
After which Discourse, they generally agreed, There might be Regular
and Irregular Worlds; the one sort to be such happy Worlds, as that
they might be named Blessed Worlds; the other so miserable Worlds, as
might be named Cursed Worlds.
CHAP. III. Whether there be Egress and Regress between the Parts of
several Worlds.
There arose a Third Argument, _viz. Whether it was possible for some of
the Creatures of several Worlds, to remove, so as to remove out of one
World, into another?_
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