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

Chap. 76. Of Sympathies, and Antipathies, which is to agree, or disagree, to joyn, or to crosse.

THere are infinite sorts of figures, or Creatures, that have Sympathy, and infinite sorts of figures, that have Antipa∣thies, both by their exterior, and interior motions, and some exterior Sympathie with some interior, and some interior with some exteriors, and some exterior with exteriors, and interi∣ors with interiors, both in one and the same figure, and with one and the same kinde, and with different kinds, and with several sorts, which works various effects: and here I will treat a little of Vegetables, and Minerals with Antipathy, or Sympathies, with Animals of all Animals. First, man thinks himself to have the Supreme knowledge, but he can but think

so, for he doth not absolutely know it, for thought is not an absolute knowledge but a suppositive knowledge, for there are as many several degrees of knowledge, as of innate matter which is infinite, and therefore not absolute, and as much va∣riety of knowledge, as there is of motions, and though all in∣nated matter is knowing, yet all innated matter is not known; this makes figures to have of each others a suppositive, but not an absolute knowledge; thus infinite makes innated matter in some kinde, a stranger to it self, yet being know∣ing, although not known, it makes an acquaintance with parts of it self, and being various by interchanging motions, it also loseth acquaintance; the acquaintance we call learning, invention, experience, or memory, the unknown, or not ac∣quainted we call stupidity, ignorance, forgetfulnesse, illiterate, but by the acquaintance of experience, we come to finde the use of many things, and by the use we come to learn, and from our learning we come to practise, and by our practise we come to produce many effects, from the hidden and mystical causes, which are the effects, from the onely cause which is the onely matter, thus we come to finde the use of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, Vegetables, Minerals, and so A∣nimal with Animal, and we do not onely get new acquaintance; which is new experience, but we make use of our acquaintance to our own benefit, or at least we strive to do so; for it is the nature of life, which life is innated matter, to strive for pre∣heminency,* 1.1 and absolute power, that is, onely matter would rule it self, but being infinite it neither absolutely knows it self, nor can absolutely rule or govern it self, and though it be an endlesse work, yet motion which is the moving part of na∣ture, cannot desist, because it is infinite, and eternal, thus mo∣ving matter running perpetually towards absolute power, makes a perpetual war; for infinite, and onely matter is al∣wayes* 1.2 at strife for absolute power, for matter would have power over infinite, and infinite would have over matter, and eternity would have power over both.

Thus infinit and eternal matter joyned all, as to one is alwayes at strife in it self, yet the war is regular, not confused; For there this is a natural order, and discipline is in nature as much as cruel Tyrannie; for there is a na∣turall order, and discipline often-times in cruel Ty∣ranny.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Life is in eve∣ry thing.
• * 1.2

  It is but one thing, but three words.