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

TO THE READER.

IN my Book called the Worlds Olio, there are such grosse mistakes in misplacing of Chapters, and so many literall faults, as my book is much disad∣vantaged thereby.

As for Chapters, there are many misplaced, for some Chapters that belong to that part of diseases, are misplaced among those of natural Philosophy, as one that belongs to sleep, and three Chapters that are of the temper of Aire; likewise another Chapter of the strength of the soul and bo∣dy is placed between the first and last part of the Common-Wealth, which nothing belongs to it: for though there is a soul and body belonging to every Common-Wealth, yet not such a soul and body as I have dis∣courst of there.

For the soul of a Common-Wealth is Actuall Justice, and in∣dustry.

The soul of a man is Contemplation, Reason, and imagina∣tion.

And the body of a Common-Wealth, is the Citizens therein, and Magistrates thereof.

And the body of a man is the senses therein, and the members thereof.

Likewise the strength of a Common-Wealth is the Laws.

And the strength of a mans body is the nerves.

Likewise a short copie of verses which is at the latter end of the book, is what I intended for this book, as being my beloved of all my works, prefering it as my master-piece, although I do beleeve it will not please my Readers, because as I have said in some of my Epistles, few take delight in the study of Natural Philosophy, yet those that de∣light not, or slight the study, or dispraise the work, make it not the lesse rational, for reason will be reason in the despite of the most malicious detractors or sophsterian censurers, but for the faults and mistakes in my other works, and perchance the like mischance may come to these, and although I know a passion cannot recal an injury past: yet I cannnot but grieve at the misfortune, as for a friend that

should be hurt or lamed by some unhappy accident, but if there be any other faults of indiscretions in it, I the Author am to be pardo∣ned by reason somwhat of it was writ in the dawning of my know∣ledge, and experience, and not having a clear light I might chance to stamble in dark ignorance on molehills of errors; not that I accuse my book of faults; but arm my self with truth against crabbed censu∣rers. Likewise I do not lay all the faults in my book to the Prin∣ters or Correctors charge, for that would be so great an injustce, as I could never forgive my self for the crime, for the Chapters that are misplaced are through my fault, by reason I sent some part of it af∣ter the book was in the presse, and it seems that the Printer or cor∣rector not understanding where to place them, put them in a wrong place.

But the literate faults I lay to their charge, whereof I cannot choose but complain, for in some places it is so falsly printed, as one word alters the sense of many lines; whereby my book is much prejudiced, and not onely by putting in false words, as a costements, for accoutra∣ments, ungrateful for ungraceful, muster for mufler, and the like; but the significancy of words, to expresse a singular for a plural; yet I must confesse that this book is much truer Printed then my book of Poems, for where this book hath one fault, that hath ten; for which I can forgive the Printer, and Corrector ten times easier then I did for the other, but setting aside the faults of my book, and complaining thereof, I must take the liberty in my own behalf to complain of this ill natured, and unbeleeving age, in not allowing me to be the right Authour thereof; and though it were an endlesse work to answer e∣very idle and impertinent question, or malicious objection; for I am assured that rational, wise, learned, and just persons will never make a doubt, knowing that nature hath power to temper a brain as she pleaseth both to receive, retain, discuss, and create, yet for truths sake I am willing to satisfie my worthy readers (if I can) although I had thought I had answerd it in my former writings.

But to answer those objections that are made against me, as first, how should I come by so much experience, as I have expressed in my several books to have? I answer, I have had by relation, the long and much experience of my Lord, who hath lived to see and be in many changes of fortunes, and to converse with many men of sundry nations, ages, qualities, tempers, capacities, abilities, wits, humors, fashions and customes.

And as many others, especially wives go from church to church, from ball to ball, from collation to collation, gossiping from house to house, so when my Lord admits me to his company, I listen with attention to his edifying discourse, and I govern my self by his Doctrine; I dance a measure with the muses, feast with the Sciences, or sit and discourse with the arts.

The second is, that since I am no Scholer, I cannot know the names and terms of art, and the divers and several opinions of several Au∣thors, I answer, that I must have been a natural fool if I had not known and learnt them, for they are customarily taught all children from

their nurses brest being ordinarily discoursed of in every family that is of quality, and the family from whence I sprung are neither natu∣ral idiots, nor ignorant fools, but the contrary, for they were ratio∣nal, learned, understanding and wittie.

And when I said I never converst an hour with professed Philo∣sophers, for indeed in this age, I have not heard of many which do professe it, or an intimate acquaintance or familiar conversation with profest scholers, nor so much discourse as to learn from them, for three or four visits do not make an intimacy, nor familiarity, nor can much be learnd therefrom, for visiting and entertaining dis∣course, for the most part are either cautionary, frivolous, vain, idle, or at least but common and ordinary matter, and most com∣monly all visiting discourses, are after one and the same manner, al∣though the company be several; but I did not think my readers would have been so rigid as to think I excluded my husband, brothers, and the rest of my family, neither are they profest Philosophers nor Scholers, although they are learned therein, or to beleeve I was so ridiculously foolish, or so foolishly vain, or so basely false as that I strive to make the world to beleeve, I had all my experience and knowledge before I was born, and that my native Language came by instinct, and that I was never taught my A, B, C; or the marks and names of several things; but I hope my book hath more spite∣ful enemies then faults; for I have said in an Epistle before the se∣cond part of my Olio, that if I had never seen nor heard so much as I have done, should never have been able to have writ a book.

Thirdly, that I had taken feathers out of the Universities to en∣large the wings, of my fancy; I answer, no more then David took the wooll from his sheeps backs to cloath his Poetical Phancies of devo∣tion, or as I may say his devout Poetry which is drest with simuli∣sing.

But it hath been known in several ages, that even poor Peasents that hear nothing but the blating of sheep: the lowing of herds, the crowing of cocks, and the like, and their ordinary discourses of nothing but of their market, or the like, have been high flying Poets, politick states men, wise Governours, prudent Souldiers, subtle Philosophers, excellent Physitians, and what not, even to be eloquent Orators, and Divine preachers, as the holy writ will make manifest to us, and I beleeve many more are mentioned in other Histories of lesse authority; thus we may observe that nature is Prevalent in all qualities and con∣ditions; And since nature is so generous to distribute to those that fortune hath cast out, and education hath neglected, why should my readers mistrust nature should be sparing to me, who have been honou∣rably born, carefully bred, and nobly married to a wise man, from whom, as I have said in some of my Epistles, in my book called the Worlds Olio, and do here say again, and again, if it will satisfie the Readers that I am my Lords Scholer, and as I have learnt, so I do daily learn knowledge and understanding, wit, and the purity of my language; and let me intre at my Readers to be so just to me, as not to condemn me for an ideot by their objections and doubts, as not beleeving

I am capable of learning, but let me tell my Readers that what I have learned since I was married, it is from my Lord, and what I had learned before it was from wy own familie, as from my own brothers, for my father died when I was young, and not from strangers; for though I have seen much company, yet I have converst with few, and I take conversation to be in talking, which I have not practised very much, unlesse it be to particular friends, for naturally I am so wedded to contemplations, that many times when I have been in company, I had not known one word they have said, by reason my busie thoughts have stopped the sense of my hearing; and though I prefer the delight of contemplation, before the pleasure of the senses, yet when the neerest and dearest of my friends speak, as my husband, brothers, sisters, or their children, my affection is such that I give such an atention to them, as if I had no other thoughts but of what they say, or any other sense but hearing; but as I have said of the names and tearms of art, and the several opinions of the Antients, and the distinguishment of the sci∣ences, and the like, I learned them from my neerest and dearest friends as from my own brothers, my Lords brother, and my Lord (but ha∣ving the words and termes of art makes me not a Philosopher) nor a Poet; and if every one in justice ought to have a due, then nature must have a share, and truly I will never be so ingrateful as not to acknowledge her favours, or to belie her in saying she hath not been bountiful to me, for she hath given me such materials, as I hope to build me a monumental fame therewith; but to satisfie my Readers, I will tell them as well as I can how I came to know, and understand passages, all though I never practised, or were a spectator therein, or thereof; as put the case my husband, or brothers should tell me of an Army of horse and foot, and that two Armies encountred, and fought a battle, and expresse the forms and figures, rancks and fiels, the flanck, the wings the vans, the rears, and the like, by which relation to my con∣ceit I see it in my brain as perfectly, as if the battle was pitcht, and fought there, and my fancy will build discourse therefrom. Like∣wise if they should tell me all the parts of an Animal body, and how they are formed and composed, I conceive it as perfectly to my under∣standing as if I had seen it dissected although I never did and therefore may be deceived in my understanding, for truly I have gathered more by piece-meals, then from a full relation, or a methodical educa∣tion for knowledge; but my fancy will build thereupon, and make discourse therefrom, and so of every thing they discourse of, (I say they) that is my husband and brothers; For the singularity of my affections are such, that though I have an ill memory, and could not if it were for my life relate word for word of any discourse, if it be any thing long that I shall hear from strangers, for I am the worst repeater of a story from strangers, or out of a book in the World, when from my neer friends (especially my Lord) whose discourses are lively discriptions, I cannot forget any thing they say, such deep im∣pressions their words print in my brain, when I cannot remember one discourse perfectly from others, were they holy sermons to save my soul.

but as I have said from a bare relation, I can conceive to my think∣ing every particular part, and passage, as if I were a witnesse thereof, or an actor therein; but many things, although I should never have heard of any such thing, yet my natural reason will guide and disco∣ver to me, the right and the truth.

For put the case I see a watch, or any other invention, and none should tell me how it was made, yet my natural reason would con∣ceive how it was made, so in natural things my natural reason will conceive them without being any wayes instructed; and so working a brain I have that many times on small objects or subjects will raise up many several phancies, and opinions therein, from which my discourse betwixt reason and those opinions will be produced; but the truth is, I have more materials to build with, then ground to build on, wherby they become uselesse, but I beleeve time will moulder them to dust, or accidents, as sicknesse may destroy them, as dropsies may drown them, fevers may burn them, consumptions may waste them, or griefs may wither them, or other imployments like usurpers may throw it out of my head, but as yet my head is fully populated with divers opinions, and so many phancies are therein, as sometimes they lie like a swarm of bees in a round heap, and sometimes they flie abroad to gather honey from the sweet flowry rhetorick of my Lords discourse, and wax from his wise judgement which they work into a comb making chapters therein. But those that make these and the like idle objecti∣ons against me either have not read all my Epistles, and the rest of my books or understands them not, but that is not my fault, but their unjust natures, to censure and condemn before they examine or understand; Nay they do in somethings faulsely, ac cuse, and maliciously break out of some of my Epistles some parts to throw against me, which is most base and cruel to dismember my book tormenting it with spiteful objections, misforming the truth with falshood: but those that have noble and generous souls will beleeve me, and those that have base and mechannick souls, I care not what they say, and truly I would not have troubled my self in striving to satisfie this present age which is very censorious; but fear the future age wherein I hope to live, may be deceived, and I by false constructions wronged; for I have observed that the ignorant, and malicious, do strive to disturb, and obstruct all probable opinions, wittie ingenui∣ties, honest industry, vertuous indeavours, harmlesse phancies, innocent pleasures, and honourable fames although they become infamous thereby.

Readers I had forgotten to mention the objection, that there is no distinction between a scholer, and a Philosopher, if they mean as being vulgarly called both scholers

I answer a scholer is to be learnd in other mens opinions, inventi∣ons and actions, and a philosopher is to teach other men his opinions of nature, and to demostrate the works of nature, so that a scholer is to learn a Philosopher to teach, and if they say there is no distinction between a profest scholer, and a profest philosopher, I am not of their opinion; for a profest scholer in theologie, is not a profest Philosopher; for Di∣vines leave nature on the left hand, and walk on the right to things su∣pernatural

and if they mean profest scholers, as being bred at univer∣sities ( I answer) that I take not all those that are bred at an Vniver∣sity, and those that are learned to be profest scholers, or those that are great Philosophers to be profest, unlesse they make it their profession, as a profest Divine that hath taken Orders, or a profest Physitian that hath commenced Doctor, or profest Pleaders, or Lawyers that are made Barresters, or Philosophers, that teach Scholers; but certainly there are many that are very learned that are not profest, as being of that profession by which they live.

Likewise an objection for my saying I have not read many Books; but I answer, for not reading of many Authors, had I understood se∣veral Languages, as I do not, , I have not had so much time; had I indeavoured to have been learned threin, for learning requires close studies, long time, and labour.

Besides, our sex takes so much delight in dressing and adorning themselves, as we for the most part make our gowns our books, our laces our lines, our imbroderies our letters, and our dressings are the time of our studie; and instead of turning over solid leaves, we turn our hair into curles, and our sex is as ambitious to shew them∣selves to the eyes of the world, when finely drest, as Scholers do to expresse their learning to the ears of the world, when fully fraught with Authors.

But as I have said my head was so full of my own naturai phan∣cies, as it had not roome for strangers to boord therein, and certainly natural reason is a better tutor then education; for though education doth help natural reason to a more sudden maturity, yet natural rea∣son was the first educator; for natural reason did first compose Com∣mon-Wealths, invented arts, and sciences, and if natural reason have composed, invented and discoverd, I know no reason, but natu∣ral reason may finde out what natural reason hath composed, invented, and discovered, without the help of education; but some may say that education is like mony n put to use, which begets increase; I say it is true, but natural reason is the principal, which without in∣crease could not be, but in truth natural reason, is both the princi∣pal and the increase, for natural reason produceth beneficial effects, and findes out the right and the truth, the wrong and the falshood of things, or causes; but to conclude, what education hath not instructed me, na∣tural Reason hath infor med me of many things.