Observations upon experimental philosophy to which is added The description of a new blazing world / written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princesse, the Duchess of Newcastle.

THE EPILOGUE TO THE READER.

BY this Poetical Description, you may perceive, that my ambition is not onely to be Emperess, but Autho∣ress of a whole World; and that the Worlds I have made, both the Blazing- and the other Philosophical World, men∣tioned in the latter part of this Description, are framed and composed of the most pure, that is, the rationalparts of Matter, which are the parts of my Mind; which Cre∣ation was more easily and suddenly effected, then the Con∣quests of the two famous Monarchs of the World, Alexan∣der and Caesar: Neither have I made such disturbances, and caused so many dissolutions of particulars, otherwise named deaths, as they did; for I have destroyed but some few men in a little Boat, which died through the extremity of cold, and that by the hand of Justice, which was necessitated to punish their crime of stealing away a young and beaute∣ous Lady. And in the formation of those Worlds, I take more delight and glory, then ever Alexander or Caesar did in conquering this terrestrial world; and though I have made my Blazing-world, a Peaceable World, allowing it but one

Religion, one Language, and one Government; yet could I make another World, as full of Factions, Divisions, and Wars, as this is of Peace and Tranquility; and the rational figures of my Mind might express as much courage to fight, as Hector and Achilles had; and be as wise as Nestor, as Eloquent as Ulysses, md as beautiful as Helen. But I esteem∣ing Peace before War, Wit before Policy, Honesty be∣fore Beauty; instead of the figures of Alexander, Caesar, Hector, Achilles, Nestor, Ulysses, Helen, &c. chose ra∣ther the figure of Honest Margaret Newcastle, which now I would not change for all this terrestrivl World; and if any should like the World I have made, and be willing to be my Subjects, they may imagine themselves such, and they are such; I mean, in their Minds, Fancies or Imaginations; but if they cannot endure to be subjects, they may create Worlds of their own, and Govern themselves as they please: But yet let them have a care, not to prove unjust Vsurpers, and to rob me of mine; for concerning the Philosophi∣cal World, I am Emperess of it my self; and as for the Bla∣zing- world, it having an Emperess already, who rules it with great wisdom and conduct, which Emperess is my dear Platonick Friend; I shall never prove so unjust, treache∣rous and unworthy to her, as to disturb her Government, much less to depose her from her Imperial Throne, for the sake of any other; but rather chuse to create another World for another Friend.