The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World — John Shaqi
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
asked further, Whether Light and the Heavens were all one? They
answered, That that Region which contains the Lucid natural Orbs, was by
Mortals named Heaven; but the Beatifical Heaven, which is the Habitation
of the Blessed Angels and Souls, was so far beyond it, that it could not
be compared to any Natural Creature. Then the Empress asked them,
Whether all Matter was fluid at first? They answered, That Matter was
always as it is, and that some parts of Matter were rare, some dense,
some fluid, some solid, &c. Neither was God bound to make all Matter
fluid at first. she asked further, Whether Matter was immovable in it
self? We have answered you before, said they, That there is no motion
but in Matter; and were it not for the motion of Matter, we Spirits,
could not move, nor give you any answer to your several questions. After
this, the Empress asked the Spirits, Whether the Universe was made
within the space of six days, or, Whether by those six days, were meant
so many Decrees or Commands of God? They answered her, That the World
was made by the All-powerful Decree and Command of God; but whether
there were six Decrees or Commands, or fewer, or more, no Creature was
able to tell.
Then she inquired, Whether there was no mystery in Numbers? No other
mystery, answered the Spirits, but reckoning or counting; for Numbers
are onely marks of remembrance. But what do you think of the Number of
Four, said she, which Cabbalists make such ado withal, and of the Number
of Ten, when they say that Ten is all, and that all Numbers are
virtually comprehended in Four? We think, answered they, that Cabbalists
have nothing else to do but to trouble their heads with such useless
Fancies; for naturally there is no such thing as prime or all in
Numbers; nor is there any other mystery in Numbers, but what Man's fancy
makes; but what Men call Prime, or All, we do not know, because they do
not agree in the number of their opinion. Then the Empress asked,
Whether the number of six was a symbole of Matrimony, as being made up
of Male and Femal, for two into three is six. If any number can be a
symbole of Matrimony, answered the Spirits, it is not Six, but Two; if
two may be allowed to be a Number: for the act of Matrimony is made up
of two joined in one. she asked again, What they said to the number of
Seven? whether it was not an Embleme of God, because Cabbalists say,
That it is neither begotten, nor begets any other Number? There can be
no Embleme of God, answered the Spirits; for if we do not know what God
is, how can we make an Embleme of him? Nor is there any Number in God,
for God is the perfection Himself; but Numbers are imperfect; and as for
the begetting of numbers, it is done by Multiplication and Addition; but
Substraction is as a kind of death to Numbers. If there be no mystery in
Numbers, replied the Empress then it is in vain to refer to the Creation
of the World to certain Numbers, as Cabbalists do. The onely mystery of
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