Grounds of Natural Philosophy: Divided into Thirteen Parts / The Second Edition, much altered from the First, which went under the Name of Philosophical and Physical Opinions

by Duchess of Margaret Cavendish Newcastle

The sad Part's Opinion, was, That it was impossible they could be restored, by reason the Roots of Human Life, were those we name the Vital Parts; and those being divided from the Carcase, and dispersed,

and united unto other Societies, could not meet and joyn into their former state of Life, or Society, so as to be the same Man.

The Comforting Parts were of opinion, It was not probable that the Fleshy and Spungy Parts, being the Branches of Human Life, could also be the Roots. Wherefore, in all probability, the Bones were the Roots; and the Bones being the Roots, if the bare Carcase of a Man should be put into a Restoring Bed, all the Fleshy and Spungy Parts, both those that were the Exterior, and those that were Interior, would spring and encrease to their full Maturity.

The sad Part's Opinion, was, That if the Bones were the Roots; and that, from the Roots, all the Exterior and Interior Parts, belonging to a Human Creature, should spring, and so encrease to full Maturity; yet, those Branches would not be the same they were, viz. the same Parts of the same Man; and besides, those Branches would rather be new Productions, than Restorations.

The Comforting Part's Opinion, was, That though the Branches were new, the Carcase, as the Root, being the same, the Man would be the same: for, though the Spungy and Fleshy Parts, divide and unite from Home, and to Forrein Parts; yet, the Man is the same: and to prove that the Bony Parts are the Roots of Human Life, doth it not happen, That if the Flesh be cut from the Bone, and the Bone be left bare; yet, in time, the bone produces new flesh: but, if any bone be separated from the Body, that Bone cannot be restored; nor can a new bone spring forth, nor can the divided bone be joyned or knit to the body, as it was before: for, although a broken bone may be set; yet, a divided bone cannot be rejoyned: All which Arguments, were a sufficient proof, That the Bones were the Roots of Life.

The Sad Part's Argument, was, That it was well known, that if any of the Vital Parts of a Human Creature, as the Liver, Lungs, Heart, Kidneys, and the like, were decayed, pierced, or wounded, the Human Creature dyed, by reason those Parts are incurable.

The Comforting Parts were of opinion, That there were many less Causes which did often occasion Human Death; yet, those Causes were not the Roots of Life: nor were those Parts the Roots of Life, although those Parts which we name Vital, were the chief Branches of Human Life.

But, at last, they all agreed in this opinion, That the Bones, were the Roots; the Marrow, the Sapp, and the Vitals, the chief branches of Life. Also, they agreed, That when an Human Life was restored, the bones did first fill with some Oylie Juyces; and from the bones, and the sap or juyce of the bones, did all the Parts belonging to a Human Creature, spring forth, and grow up to Maturity: and certainly, Not to disturb the Bones of the dead, was a Holy and Religious Charge to Human Creatures.

VII.

After the pacifying the Sad Parts of my Mind, their Argument was, That, supposing Creatures could be restored; whether they should be restored as when they were first produced; or, as when they were at the perfection of their Age; or, as when they were at old Age?