The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-WorldNewcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Science
The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Science fiction; Utopias -- Fiction; Voyages, Imaginary -- Early works to 1800
That it was impossible to give her Majesty an exact account thereof, by
reason the circulation of blood was an interior motion, which their
senses, neither of themselves, nor by the help of any Optick Instrument
could perceive; but as soon as they had dissected an Animal Creature, to
find out the truth thereof, the interior corporeal motions proper to
that particular figure or creature, were altered. Then said the Empress,
If all Animal Creatures have not blood, it is certain, they all have
neither Muscles, tendons, nerves, &c. But, said she, Have you ever
observed Animal Creatures that are neither flesh, nor Fish, but of an
intermediate degree between both? Truly, answered both the Fish- and
Worm-men, We have observed several Animal Creatures that live both in
Water, and on the Earth, indifferently, and if any, certainly those may
be said to be of such a mixt nature, that is, partly Flesh, and partly
Fish: But how is it possible, replied the Empress, that they should live
both in Water, and on the Earth, since those Animals that live by the
respiration of Air, cannot live within Water; and those that live in
Water, cannot live by the respiration of Air, as Experience doth
sufficiently witness. They answered her Majesty, That as there were
different sorts of Creatures, so they had also different ways of
Respirations; for Respiration, said they, is nothing else but a
composition and division of parts, and the motions of nature being
infinitely various, it is impossible that all Creatures should have the
like motions; wherefore it was not necessary, that all Animal Creatures
should be bound to live either by the Air, or by Water onely, but
according as Nature had ordered it convenient to their Species. The
Empress seem'd very well satisfied with their answer, and desired to be
further informed, Whether all Animal Creatures did continue their
Species by a successive propogation of particulars, and whether in every
Species the off-springs did always resemble their Generator or Producer,
both in their interior and exterior Figures? They answered, her Majesty,
That some Species or sorts of Creatures, were kept up by a successive
propagation of an off-spring that was like the producer, but some were
not. Of the first rank, said they, are all those Animals that are of
different sexes, besides several others; but of the second rank are for
the most part those we call Insects, whose production proceds from such
causes as have no conformity or likeness with their produced Effects; as
for example, Maggots bred out of Cheese, and several others generated
out of Earth, Water, and the like. But said the Empress, there is some
likeness between Maggots and Cheese; for Cheese has no blood, nor
Maggots neither; besides, they have almost the same taste which Cheese
has. This proves nothing, answered they; for Maggots have a visible,
local, progressive motion, which Cheese hath not. The Empress replied,
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