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

Chap. 84. Of metamorphosing of Animals and Vegetables.

IT is impossible for Animals and vegetables to be meta∣morphosed,* 1.1 without a creation, as to transform a man into a tree, or a tree into a man, nor a man into the form of a beast, as to turn mans-flesh into horse-flesh, or horse-flesh in∣to mans-flesh or one mans-flesh to turn into another mans∣flesh, or an Oak, into a Cypres, or a Cypres into an Oak, and so the like in all Vegetables, and Animals; thus Transform∣ing the interior forms, or rather changing the interior form, like garments, putting one, and another interior form, upon one and the same intellect nature, which is im∣possible, by reason the interior forms, and intellect natures, are inseparable, so that destroying the one, destroyes the o∣ther, and a change cannot be made of either, without the dissolution of the whole, no more then a man can change the whole building, without pulling down the house, for though they may make some alterations in the outward shape as

to add something more, or take away, and make all lesse, or thicker, or thinner, or higher or lower; but cannot alter the interior form, which is the foundations, but if they pull it down, the same materials may be put into another form, or into the same form it was at first, but it must first be new built again, before it can have those forms, and they must stay the time of building; so for every Vegetable creature, and Animal creature, they cannot be metamorphosed, by the reason metamorphosing is to change their forms without a new creation, and they cannot change their forms without a dissolution, and then created anew, by reason the intellect, and the interior form is as one body, and not to be sepa∣rated; for the interior forms of these creatures, and the intel∣lects depend upon one another, and without one the another cannot be.

The intellect, and the interior form may be divided toge∣ther into parts; but not separated apart, though the several sorts of one and the same kinde, as Animal kinde may be mixed in their creations, as to be some part a beast, some part a dog, or the like, and part a man, and some creature* 1.2 partly a bird, and partly a beast, or partly a beast and part∣ly a fish; yet the intellect is mixt with the interior form, and the exterior shape with the interior form.

The like in vegetables, and if the interior forms, and in∣tellects of each sort, nay of each creature, cannot be changed, much lesse of each kinde, thus the intellect natures, and inte∣rior forms of it, can never be without a new creation, and as for the exterior shapes of Animals may be altered but not changed; for Animals of all other creatures have their shapes most unite to the interior form, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 intellect nature of a∣ny other creature in nature.

But I desire my readers not to mistake me, for want of terms, and words of Art.

For the interior or intellect nature I mean is such properties, disposition, constitution, Capacity, and the like; that makes it such a creature.

The interior form is such a substance, and such a sort as flesh, or fish, or wood, or metal, and not onely so, but such a sort of flesh, as mans-flesh, horse-flesh, dogs-flesh, and the like.

So the wood of oak, the wood of maple, the wood of ash; And the like, so the gold metal, the iron metal, and the like.

For horse-flesh is not mans-flesh, nor the wood of oak, the wood of ash, nor the metal of gold, the metal of iron.

And as for the exterior form, I mean the outward shape.

Notes

• * 1.1

  And then it is no metamor∣phosing I shal declare.
• * 1.2

  And then it is called a new creature ra∣ther then a metamorpho∣sed creature &c.