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 Question being stated, _Whether the Restoring-Bed, was a Fleshy
Bed_; All the Parts of my Mind, after many Disputes, agreed, That
it could not be a Fleshy Bed, by reason the nature of Flesh is
so corruptible, dissolvable, and easie to be dissolved, that it
could not possibly be of such a lasting nature, as is required for
_Restoring-Beds_. But yet, they agreed, they were like Flesh, for
Softness, or Spunginess; as also, for Colour. Also, they agreed,
That the Animal _Restoring-Bed_, was of such a Nature or Property,
that it could dilate and contract, as it had occasion; in so much,
that it could contract to the compass of the smallest, or extend to
the magnitude of the largest Animal. Also, they did agree, That it
was somewhat like the Stomack of a Human Creature, or of the like
Animal, that could open and shut the Orifice; and that when an Animal
Creature was put into the _Restoring-Bed_, it would immediately
inclose the Animal: and when it had caused a perfect Restoration, the
_Restoring-Bed_ would open it self, and deliver it to its own Liberty.
XI.
Another Question amongst the Parts of my Mind concerning
_Restoring-Beds_, or _Wombs_, was: _That in case there were such
Restoring-Beds in Nature, as in all probability there were; Where could
those Restoring-Beds be?_ viz. _Whether there were any in this World?
If not in this World, in any other World?_
The Minor Parts were of opinion, There were none in this World; but,
that there were some in other Worlds.
The Major Part's Opinion, was, That there were such Beds; but, that
Human Creatures would not know them, though they could perceive them:
nor, if they could perceive them, could they tell how to make use of
them.
At last they all agreed, That those _Restoring-Beds_ were in the
Center of the World: but, where the Center is, no Human Creature, no,
not the most Subtile and _Learned Mathematicians, Geometricians_, or
_Astrologers_, could, with their most Laborious Arts, and Subtile
Observations, know; and therefore, unless by a special Decree from God,
no such Restoration can be made.
XII.
The Parts of my Mind were very studious to conceive where the Center of
the World was: Some of the Parts of my Mind was of opinion, That there
were four Centers, _viz._ A Center in the Earth, a Center in the Air, a
Center in the Sea, and a Center in the Element of Fire.
Upon which Opinion, the Parts of my Mind divided into Minor and Major
Parts.
The Minor Parts were of opinion, That there were Centers in all the
Four Elemental Parts; and that the _Restoring-Beds_, were only of four
Kinds: but yet, there might be many several sorts of each particular
Kind; and that each particular Kind, with all the several Sorts, was
produced in each particular Elemental Center.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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