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 when all the Cheese was turned into Maggots, it might be said to
have local, progressive motion. They answered, That when the Cheese by
its own figurative motions was changed into Maggots, it was no more
Cheese. The Empress confessed that she observed Nature was infinitely
various in her works, and that though the species of Creatures did
continue, yet their particulars were subject to infinite changes. But
since you have informed me, said she, of the various sorts and
productions of Animal Creatures, I desire you to tell me what you have
observed of their sensitive perceptions? Truly, answered they, Your
Majesty puts a very hard question to us, and we shall hardly be able to
give a satisfactory answer to it; for there are many different sorts of
Creatures, which as they have all different perceptions, so they have
also different organs, which our senses are not able to discover, onely
in an Oystershell we have with admiration observed, that the common
sensorium of the Oyster lies just as the closing of the shells, where
the pressure and re-action may be perceived by the opening and shutting
of the shells every tide.
After all this, the Empress desired the Worm men to give her a true
Relation how frost was made upon the Earth? To which they answered, That
it was made much after the manner and description of the Fish- and
Bird-men, concerning the Congelation of Water into Ice and Snow, by a
commixture of saline and acid particles; which relation added a great
light to the Ape-men, who were the Chymists, concerning their Chymical
principles, Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury. But, said the Empress, if it be
so, it will require an infinite multitude of saline particles to produce
such a great quantity of Ice, Frost and Snow: besides, said she, when
Snow, Ice and Frost, turn again into their former principle, I would
fain know what becomes of those saline particles? But neither the
Worm-men, nor the Fish- and Bird-men, could give her an answer to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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