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

Chap. 205. Of outward objects disagreeing with the natural motions, and humours in the body.

INward commotions of the body are often times caused by outward objects, or subjects, as when the senses take ade∣light at some kinde of sound, scent, sight, taste, and touch; as for example, some will sownd at a fearful noise, that is, at a sudden, or unacustomed, or tumultuous noise; others will sownd at the sight of bloud, or at any cruel object, or at the sight of a cat, or many other creatures; some will sownd at sweet-smels; o∣thers if they should taste cheese, or any meat they dissike natu∣rally, and some will not onely sownd but die laughing with tickling, the reason is, that the exterior motion anticipates with the natural motions belonging to the body, sometimes onely to the sensitive parts, other-some to the rational part, others to both.

The reason is, that the disordered motions of the outward senses, disorder the interior motions, which makes the body sick, and the body passionate, and sometimes the brain fran∣tick, and if they make not the body sick, nor the brain mad; yet those antipathetical, and these disordered motions, never fail to put the sense to pain, or move passion; but when these anti∣pathetical motions be toostrong for the natural motions belong∣ing to the body, or minde, it brings death, or unrecoverable madnes, for then the natural motions belonging to that body, is as it were extinguished; thus we may see that the outward senses may be perfect, and the inward parts within that body may be corrupt and decayed; so likewise the outward senses may be defected, and the inward parts sound, and so some parts of the body firme, and others infirme, and some of the outward parts, or sense wanting, or defective, others free clear and distinguishing.

The reason is, that some of the sensitive innated matter works

orderly, others disorderly, and clear from the nature of the body; for as I have said before, some of the exterior parts of the body, may be nummed, or dead; the reason is that the natural motions, belonging to such a part of the body are altered, for every part or parcel, hath proper motions belonging there∣unto.

But if in any part of the body, the natural motions onely work irregularly, then it onely causeth a pain in that part; but if the motions work crosse to the nature of the body, it causeth that part to die, but if they alter but in part, it causeth onely a numnesse which is in a degree of being dead, but if the na∣tural motions be onely stopt by some outward accident, or actions, as by a sudden fright, which causeth the body to swoon by reason the spirits are contracted by the fright into so straight a compasse, and thronged so close together, that they cannot move in order, or by the action of lying, or pressing too hard, or too heavy upon any part that hinders the spirits therein from moving after their natural manner, which causeth a slee∣pinesse or numnesse in those parts, that are prest by weight, or strength; those disorders are soon to be rectified. Again, as by giving liberty, or helping the spirits with cordials which gives strength to them, and sets them at liber∣ty; but if the sensitive parts be quite altered from their na∣tural course, they seldom are rectified; But sometimes the assistance of the regular motions in the body, joyning as it were with one consent, do expel that innated matter out of that part wherein they work, contrary to the nature of the body, and supplies that part with fresh, and new matter, that moves as it should do.

Likewise as the sensitive innated matter works in some parts of the body irregularly, and in other parts regularly, and in one, and the same part, sometimes regularly, and sometimes irre∣gularly, the same is it many times with the rational innate mat∣ter; for sometimes that will moves regularly, and sometimes iregularly, that makes frantick men, sometimes to be in their wits, and sometimes out of their wits: but if their madnesse be at certain times, as at full of the moon, or high tides, or springs, or falls, or in the midst of summer, or when they keep an evil, or too full a diet, then it proceeds from those out∣ward accidents, which give assistance to the disordered motions, which inhabit in the body, the original defect being amongst the sensitive innate matter, for this shewes that the madness proceeds from some distemper of the body, which most com∣monly is in the spleen, or that which they call in women, the mother, from which parts arise grosse, and noisom vapors, which ascends up into the head, and disaffects the brain; and many times the brain is disaffected with its own distempers, and whensoever the brain is distempered, the rational innate matter which moves therein, moves irregularly; but when those times

or seasons are past, or that overfulnesse of humour is purged out, the natural motions of humour get strength, and the man is well untill the return thereof.

But if the irregularity be in the rational innate matter, it is most dangerous, for it seldom, or never is cured, nor seldom have intermitting fits, but as a continual fever, in the body, so is a continual madnesse in the minde.

But I shall speak more of this in my following chap∣ters.