A treatise of the bulk and selvedge of the world wherein the greatness, littleness, and lastingness of bodies are freely handled : with an answer to Tentamine [sic] de Deo by S.P. ... / by N. Fairfax ...

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir William Blois, Knight.

SƲch is that wonderful and most comely Chain of Beings, which winds up into World, that if the small and lowermost things therein make shift to show themselves, 'tis al∣wayes by the leave, or with the help of the Bigger and the Higher. That rotten wood may give its glimmerings, the Sun must take away its light: And if the Flowers will needs be rising out of their colder beds, or the Fryes of Wrigglers and swarms of Quicklings or Insects, peep out of their Graves and Dungeons, they

must wait upon the Sun to bring about those beams of his that make the Spring; whence they may have their Prison doors unlockt, their fetters taken off, and be tickled into such a laughing briskness, and judged up into such a smirkish liveli∣ness, as may last as long as the Summers warmth holds on to cocker them, and the days heat to frigge and chafe them. Now I reckon that I must bethink my self in this Address, how far I am taken in here, and be well aware how Woodbridge stands so near to Grundsborough Hall, that if such an underly Shrub in Know∣ledge, and unthrifty Sucker in Philo∣sophy as I am, shall strive to put forth this Spring time here, I can do no less than ask the good liking of such a neigh∣bouring Cedar, under whose shade I must needs creep up, befann'd from next Dogs-day scorchings, and within the bo∣som of whose shrowdings I must be cloakt from wind and weather. Nor should I ever aim to blow up any Fire-light of

useful Knowlege in this place, were it not that you have thought meet to with∣hold those Sun-like beams of yours, that would soon bedim its fainter twink∣lings, and shine out all its dying glit∣ter. Indeed you have purchased so fair a Lordship of Knowledge in these Parts, that I fear I should wrong your Free∣doms, and encroach upon your Royal∣ties, if I should put in any Claims but Ʋnder ones, or own any other Hamlet so near you, but what is a limb of your Township. Nor is it but meet that I should hold all my Natural knowledge of your Mannor, and become Tenant to so good a Landlord in Philosophy. So that pay∣ing this acknowledgment, should be no∣thing but doing my bounden Homage, and bringing in my Lady Rent-charge; while the Lord of the Soyl holds nextly of the King, and does his devoir in a Regi Sacrum.

Thus however it may be thought by others, I have miscarried in the Thing I

treat of; I am sure I have not mistook the Man I address to. And though it may seem but a wooden come off, and like that of the sorry numb-skull'd Russes, who when they are pincht with a hardness beyond the learning of Horn-book, are wont to answer, that God and the Great Duke knows all things: Yet I being bound so far by the laws of Mine and Thine as I have been free in acknowledging it; must spring as much from a rightful mind in me, to deal out to the Greater Owner his Greater Share, as it does from a shotten brain in any of them, to tell another, I know not who can answer I know not what.

Sure I am, if I ever felt my self at all, 'tis in my breast to woo Dame Kind with as busie a warmth and hearty earnestness as any man; but 'tis not in my Chest to endow her with that Fulness that he can, whose mind is as Great and Wealthy as his Love can be strong and flaming, and whose endowments have

made him to be as much stared at by the Yeomen, as indeared to men of skill and breeding. And I cannot think I mi∣stook my self in Courtship, while I waited upon the youngest and most Housewifely Daughter of Philosophy, named Workful, so long as I hapned of such a Rival in the Parlor with her. I do believe, Sir, that your self as well as I, had so much rather be a Well-willer to a Brick∣layer, than a Philosopher taking name from Aristotles Physicks, by how much the more 'tis behoving Mankind, to have houses on the earth for settled and ease∣ful dwelling, than such capering Ca∣stles in the Air, whose Groundsils are laid with Whims, their Overwayes with Dreams, and rooft with Cream of think∣ing. I must needs say, that I do think my self so much more better'd by a Phi∣losophical Transaction of a Moneth, or Journal des Scavans of a Fortnight, than by a Mercury Gallant of half a Year, by how much the more I like my

self, when I am kindly and steadily knowing, above what I do, when I feel that I am Gay and Towring. And I think our Royal Society at London is as much before that Des belles Lettres at Paris, as the History of that Body of Worthies outstrips the Academy of Complements. In that narrow Chat that I have had with Outlanders, it has been hugely to my liking, that hard upon the first greeting, I have been plyed with so many good words for our R. S. in the whole, and Mr. Boyle alone. Nor can I find, that either your self, or I, or any man else, that has kenn'd the drift and bounds of that undertaking, have made less reckonings of their growing worth and works already known, or abated our hopes for time to come; for all the Tee hees that have been broke by Men of Droll, or dirt that has been thrown from Daring spight. And it goes a great way with me, to mark, that the same-kidneyed men, who have either

a sharp flowt at the end of their tongue, or a bitter hate in the middle of their heart, for the wary Experimenter, have another of the same in their Budget, for the Book that is named from its Holi∣ness, or indeed for any thing else, but what is flesh on the one side, and air on the other. Nor can any man ghess it should be otherwise, but that he who had a sneer or grudge for the Book of Gods Works; the Print that he has given us of his Almighty Power and houndless less Wisdom: should have no less for that other of his Word; the likeness he has drawn for us of his truth and holiness.

Whence I have somewhat the more wondred how it could ever get into the heads or hearts of Men of insight or ho∣liness, that a right knowledge of the Works which God has done, should lead from the knowledge of, or lessen the love for, that boundless Wisdom and Good∣ness who brought those things about. As if shewing the Coats and garments

which Dorcas made, before the holy Mourners, had been to wheadle off their thoughts from the Work-woman to the Works, and drown their sorrows for the jewel that was lost, in the floudings of of their joy for the Cabinet that was left. Can the same train of holy ends which God has fram'd for Mankinds bliss, be less indearing, for that they are known to be as skilfully rang'd as lo∣vingly aim'd? How others may have been wrought upon by that doing Know∣ledge, which now spreads amongst us like love amongst the Youth, kindly and ta∣kingly, I cannot tell: But if I were now to die, and knew it so, I must speak it from within me, That I have found my self more warmly shined upon by the Fa∣ther of Lights, and breathing into more becoming flames, from the reading of Malpighius about the hatching of an Egg, or Dr. Grew about the sprout∣ing of a Bean, (a thing set at nought to a by-word;) than ever I could do from

the shelves full of those Books, that have struck fire for the Government of Chur∣ches and some other things, bearing their religious weight in their Names, and their light in their Newness, in the late dayes of Blame, and years of Topsie-turvy. Wherein, when men had wrought up all the Woman within them that was feeble and glowing, into a fine-spun thread, they play'd the Men only, when they had done, in pelting on't with the distaff. I can easily tast the sweetness of God through the bitterness of wormwood; but could never feel the sweetness of the Christian through the bitterness of the Man. And I love the New Philosophy so much the more; For why, It sets the hand a working not a striking, and an∣swers the noise of Talking by the stilness of Doing, as the Italians clam rowt and tattle into nodding and beckning. Yet 'tis not to be lookt for, that the Bulk of men amongst us, should love that which they neither know nor care to know. It

will be enough for those that have be∣trothed the Way, that many are the hands heads and hearts of such worthy and unwearied Gentlemen as are Going along with them. And I shall ever think with that Great part of the R. S. the Great Mr. Oldenburg, that Sound Phi∣losophers are each to other sufficient Theaters. The kindness and good greet∣ting that is of one sort, is wont to be en∣folded mainly within the rank or stock Guild or kinred of the same. And that man who can find what 'tis to love know∣ingly and beseemingly, will never feel himself less at ease for being wedlockt but to one. Which I do not speak as if I ghess'd you had your Philosophy to choose, any more than your Religion; or that you could shift the former with as much sleight as some others do the lat∣ter. I believe you deal in Holdfasts as well as Truths, and can foretel what you shall be, as well as tell what you are. But because there are a great many so

much upon the spur, that they cannot stay so long till the writing can be fetcht which is graven with the finger of God: but grow so hot on't, as to melt down their thoughts forthwith, and fall a graving of them into Calvish likenesses, that may go blazing before them in the wilderness they are got into; that how∣ever they miss wool they may have noise, something loud, though nothing useful. I was so forward to chide such a rash piece of Will-worship, that I slipt into speak∣ing of while I was speaking to. But 'tis indeed time to remember, that I have spoken enough of one and other. I am sure he whom I speak to, is too much ta∣ken with things to be over fond of words; and 'tis a misbecomingness to have a do∣ing Philosophy set forth by a talking Philosopher. That Manly knowledge that is now in the Chair, is to be trim'd silently. And 'tis well for me that neither Man nor Thing wants gilding. For I could never open my mouth Charmwise,

nor breath out Spells to bind down men. I never drew from, nor matcht to the House of Peacock. Gay and I are no∣thing a kin, nor like to be, but all that dwells at my home is homely. My brain is not wont to go big with flower. When ever I spy one 'tis aloof to be sure: So I leave both to shine for themselves, and outshine others. And I know whatever is a None∣such, will draw enough as 'tis, without the Hogow of the stifling Haulers. To be joy'd of praise-worthiness, is more than to be lifted up by the Hoist of breath, or to be rung with a peal of Hum and Outcry. It will be more than enough for me, though I cannot raise nor greaten, the height and spreadingness of your Worth, by sayings that are big and lofty, if it may not be thought a lowning and lessening of it, to take into the List of your Menials

SIR,

Your most bounden Homager Natha. Fairfax.

Woodbridge, Mar. 25. 1678.