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
After this, the Empress was resolved to hear the Magpie- Parrot- and
Jackdaw-men, which were her professed Orators and Logicians; whereupon
one of the Parrot-men rose with great formality, and endeavoured to make
an Eloquent Speech before her Majesty; but before he had half ended, his
arguments and divisions being so many, that they caused a great
confusion in his brain, he could not go forward, but was forced to
retire backward, with great disgrace both to himself, and the whole
society; and although one of his brethren endeavoured to second him by
another speech, yet was he as far to seek, as the former. At which the
Empress appear'd not a little troubled, and told them, That they
followed too much the Rules of Art, and confounded themselves with too
nice formalities and distinctions; but since I know, said she, that you
are a people who have naturally voluble tongues, and good memories; I
desire you to consider more the subject you speak of, then your
artificial periods, connexions and parts of speech, and leave the rest
to your natural Eloquence; which they did, and so became very eminent
Orators.
Lastly, her Imperial Majesty being desirous to know what progress her
Logicians had made in the Art of disputing, Commanded them to argue upon
several Themes or Subjects; which they did; and having made a very nice
discourse of Logistical terms and propositions, entred into a dispute by
way of Syllogistical Arguments, through all the Figures and Modes: One
began with an Argument of the first Mode of the first Figure, thus:
Every Politician is wise: Every Knave is a Politician, Therefore every
Knave is wise.
Another contradicted him with a Syllogism of the second Mode of the same
Figure, thus: No Politician is wise: Every Knave is a Politician,
Therefore no Knave is wise.
The third made an Argument in the third Mode of the same Figure, after
this manner: Every Politician is wise: some Knaves are Politicians,
Therefore some Knaves are wise.
The Fourth concluded with a Syllogism in the fourth Mode of the same
Figure, thus; No Politician is wise: some Knaves are Politicians,
Therefore some Knaves are not wise.
After this they took another subject, and one propounded this Syllogism:
Every Philosopher is wise: Every Beast is wise, Therefore every Beast is
a Philosopher.
But another said that this Argument was false, therefore he contradicted
him with a Syllogism of the second Figure of the fourth Mode, thus:
Every Philosopher is wise: some Beasts are not wise, Therefore some
Beasts are not Philosophers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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