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
incorporeal, and consequently indivisible. But when the Soul is in its
Vehicle, said the Empress, then methinks she is like the Sun, and the
Vehicle like the Moon. No, answered they; but the Vehicle is like the
Sun, and the Soul like the Moon; for the Soul hath motion from the Body,
as the Moon has light from the Sun. Then the Empress asked the Spirits,
Whether it was an evil Spirit that tempted Eve, and brought all the
mischiefs upon Mankind: or, Whether it was the Serpent? They answered,
That Spirits could not commit actual evils. The Empress said, they might
do it by perswasions. They answered, That Perswasions were actions; But
the Empress not being contented with this answer, asked, Whether there
was not a supernatural Evil? The Spirits answered, That there was a
Supernatural Good, which was God; but they knew of no Supernatural Evil,
that was equal to God. Then she desired to know, Whether Evil Spirits
were reckoned amongst the Beasts of the Field? They answer'd, That many
Beasts of the field were harmless Creatures, and very serviceable for
Man's use; and though some were accounted fierce and cruel, yet did they
exercise their cruelty upon other Creatures, for the most part, to no
other end, but to get themselves food, and to satisfie their natural
appetite; but certainly, said they, you Men are more cruel to one
another, then evil Spirits are to you; and as for their habitations in
desolate places, we having no communion with them, can give you no
certain account thereof. But what do you think, said the Empress, of
good Spirits? may not they be compared to the Fowls of the Air? They
answered, There were many cruel and ravenous Fowls as well in the Air,
as there were fierce and cruel Beasts on Earth; so that the good are
always mixt with the bad. she asked further, Whether the fiery Vehicles
were a Heaven, or a Hell, or at least a Purgatory to the Souls? They
answered, That if the Souls were immaterial, they could not burn, and
then fire would do them no harm; and though Hell was believed to be an
undecaying and unquenchable fire, yet Heaven was no fire. The Empress
replied, That Heaven was a Light. Yes, said they, but not a fiery Light.
Then she asked, Whether the different shapes and sorts of Vehicles, made
the Souls and other Immaterial Spirits, miserable, or blessed? The
Vehicles, answered they, make them neither better, nor worse; for though
some Vehicles sometimes may have power over others, yet these by turns
may get some power again over them, according to the several advantages
and disadvantages of particular Natural parts. The Empress asked
further, Whether Animal life came out of the spiritual World, and did
return thither again? The Spirits answered, They could not exactly tell;
but if it were so, then certainly Animal lives must leave their bodies
behind them, otherwise the bodies would make the spiritual World a mixt
World, that is, partly material, and partly immaterial; but the Truth
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