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 was of opinion, That there might be infinite Centers,
if there were infinite Worlds: also, there might be many Centers in
this World; for, every round Globe hath a Center. But, their Opinion
concerning the _Restoring-Beds_, was, That they were in the Center of
the Globe of our whole World, and not of any of the Parts of the World:
for, the _Air_ could have but an uncertain Center; neither could the
_Water_ have a very solid Center; and the _Earth_ was too solid to have
a Center, consisting of the Four kinds of Elements: neither could the
Elemental _Fire_ have such a Center, as to breed such different kinds
and sorts of _Beds_, as the _Restoring-Beds_ are, because many of them
are quite of a different nature from the nature of Elemental Fire:
wherefore, it must be the Center of the World, which must consist of
all the Elemental kinds.
XIII.
After the former _Argument_, the Parts of my Mind were very studious in
conceiving, where the Center of the whole Universe of this our World,
might be: at last they all agreed, It was the _Sea_, which is the
Watry Element: for, the _Sea_ is inclosed with the _Airy, Fiery_, and
_Earthy_ Parts of the Universe, and therefore must be the Center. And,
though the Sea was the Center of the World; yet, there was a Center of
the Sea: so that, there was a Center in a Center; in which Center, were
the _Restoring-Beds_.
XIV.
After the former Conceptions, the Parts of my Mind were very studious,
to conceive where the Center's Center might be. But, they could not
possibly conceive it, by reason they could not possibly imagine how
large, and of what compass the Sea may be of: for they did verily
believe, that the utmost extension of the Sea, is not, as yet, known
to Human-Kind: for, that Circle about which the Ships of _Cavendishe_,
and _Drake_, did swim, might be, in comparison to the whole Body of the
Sea, but such a Circle as a Boy may occasion, with throwing a small
Stone, or such like thing, into a Pond of Water.
XV.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account