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

Chap. 70. The creations of Figures, and difference of Motions.

THose motions that are proper to create figures, are dif∣ferent from those motions that dissolve them, so that sympathetical internal motions, do not onely assist one another, but Sympathetical external Motions, and Sympathetical figures; this is the reason that from two fi∣gures, a third, or more is created, by the way of procrea∣tion; yet all figures are created, after one and the same kinde of way; yet not after one and the same man∣ner of way, as Vegetables, Minerals, and some sorts of Animals, as such as are bred from that we call corruption, as some sorts of worms, and some sorts of flies, and the like;* 1.1 Yet are they created by the procreation of the heat, and moisture, the same way are plants that grow wilde produ∣ced, but those that are sown or set, although they are after one and the same kinde of way, yet not after the same* 1.2 manner; for the young vegetables, were produced from the seeds, and the earth, which were sowed, or set together, and in grafts is when two different plants produce seed of mixt nature, as a Mule is produced, or the like creature, from two different Animals, which make them of mixt nature; for As there is a Sympathetical conjunction in one, and the same kinde of figure, so there is a Sympathetical conjunction in some sorts of figures; but not in all, nor to all, for that would make such a confusion in nature, as there would be no distinction, of kindes; besides, it were impossible for some kinde of figures, to make a conjunction with other kindes,

being such a difference betwixt them, some from the nature of the figures, others from the shape of the figures.

And Minerals are produced by the Conjunction of such Ele∣ments, which were begot by such motions, as make heat, and drought, and cold and dry. Thus all figures are created from dif∣ferent motions, and different degrees, of infinite onely matter; for onely matter joyns, and divides it self by self motions, and hath done so, and will do so, or must do so eternally, being its nature, yet the divisions, and substractions, joynings, and crea∣tions, are not alike, nor do they continue, or dissolve, with the like measure of time, which time is onely as in a reference to several motions.

But as I have said, there can be nothing lost in nature, Although there be infinite changes, and their changes never repeated. For say a man dies, and his figure dissolves into dust, as smal as Atoms, and is disperst so, as never to meet, and every Atome goeth to the making of several figures, and so changes infinitely, from figure, to figure, yet the figures of all these changes lie in those parts, and those parts in onely matter; so likewise several motions may cease as figures dissolve, but still those motions lies in innated matter, and each particular figure, in the generality of matter and motion, which is on the dull part, and innated part of one∣ly matter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Conjunction of those dif∣ferent moti∣ons.
• * 1.2

  First the earth bears Vegetables, and the plants bear seed, and the seed, and earth bear Vegetables again.