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

About this Item

Title
The philosphical and physical opinions written by Her Excellency the Lady Marchionesse of Newcastle.
Author
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of, 1624?-1674.
Publication
London :: Printed for J. Martin and J. Allestrye ...,
1655.
Rights/Permissions

To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.

Subject terms
Philosophy -- Early works to 1800.
Science -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A53055.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The philosphical and physical opinions written by Her Excellency the Lady Marchionesse of Newcastle." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A53055.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 13, 2024.

Pages

Chap. 200. Of the several motions in an animal body.

VVHen a body is in perfect health, the motions therin do not onely work regularly, and proportionably pla∣cing every part of matter rightly, and properly mixing, and tempering the matter as it should be, or as I may say, fittly; that is, when the quantity of matter, or humour is proportio∣nably, and the motion moves equally, for though every kinde or sort of motion may move evenly, and keep just time, yet not equally or harmoniously; as for example, say there were a company of musicians, and every one played skilfuly, justly, tunable, timely, on the same notes; yet may there be too many

Page 156

trebles for the tenor, and bases, or too many tenors for the tre∣bles and bases, and too many bases for the tenors and trebles to make a harmony; So in the body there may be too much of one, or more kinde of motions for other kindes to make a harmony of health, as for proof; too many contracting mo∣tions, make the body too dry, and contract diseases; as for example, instead of binding any thing, we should break it by pulling or drawing too hard together, or instead of joyning of parts, we should knock them so close as to rivet, or split them; or instead of gathering such a quantity of matter, or joyning such a number of parts, we should gather twice or thrice the quantity; or numbers of the like examples might be given; for all other kinde of motions, as dilating or expulsive, instead of throwing out the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or rubbish in a house, we should pull down the house, and disperse the materials therein, digging up the foundation thereof.

Likewise too many dilating, or expulsive motions, may dis∣perse, or divide parts, or unsettle, or unground parts: which disunites weaknes, and dissolves parts or bodies.

Wherefore all contracting, attracting, retentive, disgestive, dilating, expulsive motions in a well tempered body, must move like the several Planets, every sort in their proper sphears, keeping their times, motions, tempers, and degrees; but too many or too strong contracting motions, cause the gout, stone, plurisie, hective fevers, numb and dead palsies, dry-liver, brain, and many the like; and too many dilating motions, cause dropsies, winde-colicks, rhumes, shaking palsies, sweats, or fainting sicknes, & milions, the like, and too many, or too strong expulsive motions, cause fluxes, vomiting, bleeding, and the like, and too many, or too strong digestive motions, cause too much blood, fat, and flesh, which is apt to choak the vital parts, or may nourish some particular parts, so much as may make them grow, and swell out so bigg, as they may be dis∣proportionable, for the rest of the parts in the body.

But still I must remember my readers; that all dilating mo∣tions, are in the way of expulsion; and all attractions in the way of contraction, and digestion, are mixt motions taking part from either side, then I must remember my readers, that there are infinite wayes or manners of contractions, and infinite wayes, or manners of wayes of attraction, and so of re∣tentions, dilations, expulsions, and disgestions, where every change makes a several effect.

Do you have questions about this content? Need to report a problem? Please contact us.