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
All Human Creatures have the like Kinds and Sorts of Properties,
Faculties, Respirations, and Perceptions; unless some Irregularities
in the Production, occasion some Imperfections, or some Misfortunes,
in some time of his Age: yet, no Man knows what another Man perceives,
but by guess, or information of the Party: but, as I said, if they
have have no Imperfections, all Human Creatures have like Properties,
Faculties, and Perceptions: As for example, All Human Eyes may see
one and the same Object alike; or hear the same Tune, or Sound; and
so of the rest of the Senses. They have also the like Respirations,
Digestions, Appetites; and the like may be said of all the Properties
belonging to a Human Creature. But, as one Human Creature doth not know
what another Human Creature knows, but by Confederacy; so, no Part of
the Body, or Mind of a Man, knows each Part's perceptive knowledg, but
by Confederacy: so that, there is as much Ignorance amongst the Parts
of Nature, as Knowledg. But this is to be noted, That there are several
manners and ways of Intelligences, not only between several sorts
of Creatures, or amongst particulars of one sort of Creatures; but,
amongst the several Parts of one and the same Creature.
CHAP. X. Of the Irregularity of the Sensitive, and of the Rational
Corporeal Motions.
As I have often mentioned, and do here again repeat, That the Rational
and Sensitive Parts of one Society, or Creature, do understand, as
perceiving each other's Self-moving Parts; and the proof is, That,
sometimes, the Human Sense is regular, and the Human Reason irregular;
and sometimes the Reason regular, and the Sense irregular: but, in
these differences, the Regular Parts endeavour to reform the Irregular;
which causes, many times, repetitions of one and the same Actions,
and Examinations; as, sometimes the Reason examines the Sense; and
sometimes the Sense, the Reason: and sometimes the Sense and Reason do
examine the Object; for, sometimes an Object will delude both the Sense
and Reason; and sometimes the Sense and Reason are but partly mistaken:
As for example, A fired end of a Stick, by a swift exterior Circular
Motion, appears a Circle of fire, in which they are not deceived:
for, by the Exterior Motion, the fired end is a Circle; but they are
mistaken, to conceive the Exterior Figurative Action to be the proper
natural Figure: but when one man mistakes another, that is some small
Error, both of the Sense and Reason. Also, when one man cannot readily
remember another man, with whom he had formerly been acquainted, it is
an Error; and such small Errors, the Sense and Reason do soon rectifie:
but in causes of high Irregularities, as in Madness, Sickness, and the
like, there is a great Bustle amongst the Parts of a Human Creature;
so as those Disturbances cause unnecessary Fears, Grief, Anger, and
strange Imaginations.
CHAP. XI. Of the Knowledg between the Sensitive Organs of a Human
Creature.
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