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
After the Arguments and Opinions amongst the Parts of my Mind,
concerning a Regular World; their Discourse was, of an _Irregular
World_: Upon which they all agreed, That if there was a World that was
not in any kind or sort, Irregular; there must be a World that was not
in any kind or sort, Regular. But, to conceive those Irregularities
that are in the Irregular World, is impossible; much less, to express
them: for, it is more difficult to express Irregularities, than
Regularities: and what Human Creature of this World, can express a
particular Confusion, much less a World of Confusions?
Which I will, however, endeavour to declare, according to the
Philosophical Opinions of the Parts of my Mind.
CHAP. II. Of the Productions and Dissolutions of the Creatures of the
Irregular World.
According to the Actions of Nature, all Creatures are produced by
the Associations of Parts, into particular Societies, which we name,
_Particular Creatures_: but, the Productions of the Parts of the
Irregular World, are so Irregular, that all Creatures of that World
are Monstrous: neither can there be any orderly or distinct kinds
and sorts; by reason that Order and Distinction, are Regularities.
Wherefore, every particular Creature of that World, hath a monstrous
and different Form; insomuch, that all the several Particulars are
affrighted at the Perception of each other: yet, being Parts of Nature,
they must associate; but, their Associations are after a confused and
perturbed manner, much after the manner of Whirlwinds, or _Aetherial
Globes_, wherein can neither be Order, nor Method: and, after the same
manner as they are produced, so are they dissolved: so that, their
_Births_ and _Deaths_ are _Storms_, and their _Lives_ are _Torments_.
CHAP. III. Of Animals, and of Humans, in the Irregular World.
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