The philosphical and physical opinions written by Her Excellency the Lady Marchionesse of Newcastle.

Chap. 44. The moving of Innate matter.

THough Motion makes knowledge, yet the spirits give motion: for those Spirits, or Essences, are the Guiders, Governours, Directers; the Motions are but their Instruments, the Spirits

are the Cause, motion but an Effect therefrom: For that thin matter which is spirits, can alter the motion, but motion can∣not alter the matter, or nature of those Essences, or spirits; so as the same spirits may be in a body, but not one and the same knowledge, because not the same motion, that made that know∣ledge. As for example; how many several Touches belong to the body? for every part of the body hath a several touch, which is a several knowledge belonging to every several part; for every several part doth not know, and feel every several touch. For when the head akes, the heel feels it not, but one∣ly the Rational spirits which are free from the incumbrance of dull matter, they are agile, and quick to take notice of every particular touch, in, or on every part of the figure. The like motions of a pain in the Body. The like motions of the Ratio∣nal spirits, we call grief in the minde; and to prove it is the like motion of the Rational Spirits to the sensitive, which makes the knowledge of it, is, when the rational Spirits are busily moved with some Fantasmes, if any thing touches the body, it is not known to the rational spirits, because the rational spi∣rits move not in such motion, as to make a thought in the head, of the touch in the heel, which makes the thoughts to be as sense∣lesse of that touch, as any other part of the body, that hath not such paines made by such motions. And shall we say, there is no sense in the heel, because no knowledge of it in the head? we may as well say, that when an Object stands just before an eye that is blinde, either by a contrary motion of the thoughts in∣ward, by some deep Contemplation, or otherwise: we may as well say there is no outward object, because the rational spirits take no notice of that Object; tis not, that the stronger motion stops the lesse, or the swifter, the slower; for then the motions of the Planets wold stop one anothers course.

Some will say, what sense hath man, or any other Ani∣mal when they are dead? it may be answered, that the Fi∣gnre, which is a body, may have sense, but not the Animal; for that we call Animal, is such a temper'd matter, joyn'd in such a figure, moving with such kinde of motions; but when those mo∣tions do generally alter, that are proper to an Animal, although the matter, and Figure remain, yet it is no longer an Animal, because those motions that help it to make an Animal are ceas'd So as the Animal can have no more knowledge of what kind of sense the Figure hath (because it is no more an Animal) then an Animal, what sense dust hath. And that there is the reason, that when any part is dead in an Animal, if that those motions that belonged to the Animal, are ceas'd in that part, which alter it from being a part of the Animal, and knowes no more what sense it hath, then if a living man should carry a dead man upon his shoulders, what sense the dead man feels, whether any, or no.