Philosophical Letters: or, modest Reflections upon some Opinions in Natural PhilosophyNewcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Philosophy
Philosophical Letters: or, modest Reflections upon some Opinions in Natural Philosophy
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Newcastle, William Cavendish, Duke of, 1592-1676; Philosophy
it is according to their own Fancies. So proud and presumptuous are
many: But they shew thereby rather their weaknesses and follies, then
any truth; and all their strict and narrow pryings into the secrets of
God, are rather unprofitable, vain and impious, then that they should
benefit either themselves, or their neighbour; for do all we can, God
will not be perfectly known by any Creature: The truth is, it is a
meer impossibility for a finite Creature, to have a perfect Idea of
an Infinite Being, as God is; be his Reason never so acute or sharp,
yet he cannot penetrate what is Impenetrable, nor comprehend what is
Incomprehensible: Wherefore, in my opinion, the best way is humbly to
adore what we cannot conceive, and believe as much as God has been
pleased to reveal, without any further search; lest we diving too deep,
be swallowed up in the bottomless depth of his Infiniteness: Which I
wish every one may observe, for the benefit of his own self, and of
others, to spend his time in more profitable Studies, then vainly to
seek for what cannot be found. And with this hearty wish I conclude,
resting,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend_
_and Servant._
[1] _Ch._ Of the Image of the Mind.
XXI.
_MADAM,_
Your _Author_ is so much for Spirits, that he doth not stick to
affirm,[1] _That Bodies scarce make up a moity or half part of the
world; but Spirits, even by themselves, have or possess their moity,
and indeed the whole world._ If he mean bodiless and incorporeal
Spirits, I cannot conceive how Spirits can take up any place, for
place belongs onely to body, or a corporeal substance, and millions of
immaterial Spirits, nay, were their number infinite, cannot possess so
much place as a small Pins point, for Incorporeal Spirits possess no
place at all: which is the reason, that an Immaterial and a Material
Infinite cannot hinder, oppose, or obstruct each other; and such an
Infinite, Immaterial Spirit is God alone. But as for Created Immaterial
Spirits, as they call them, it may be questioned whether they be
Immaterial, or not; for there may be material Spirits as well as
immaterial, that is, such pure, subtil and agil substances as cannot
be subject to any humane sense, which may be purer and subtiller then
the most refined air, or purest light; I call them material spirits,
onely for distinctions sake, although it is more proper, to call them
material substances: But be it, that there are Immaterial Spirits,
yet they are not natural, but supernatural; that is, not substantial
parts of Nature; for Nature is material, or corporeal, and so are all
her Creatures, and whatsoever is not material is no part of Nature,
neither doth it belong any ways to Nature: Wherefore, all that is
called Immaterial, is a Natural Nothing, and an Immaterial Natural
substance, in my opinion, is _non_-sense: And if you contend with me,
that Created Spirits, as good and bad Angels, as also the Immortal Mind
of Man, are Immaterial, then I say they are Supernatural; but if you
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