[To all the UNIVERSITIES IN EUROPE.]
Most Learned Societies,
All Books, without exception, being undoubtedly under your Iurisdiction, it is very strange that some Authors of good note, are not asham'd to repine at it; and the more forward they are in judging others, the less liberty they will allow to be judg'd themselves. But, if there was not a necessity, yet I would make it my choice, To submit, willingly, to your Censures, these Grounds of Natural Philosophy, in hopes that you will not condemn them, because they want Art, if they be found fraught with Sense and Reason. You are the Starrs of the First Magnitude, whose Influence governs the World of Learning; and it is my confidence, That you will be propitious to the Birth of this beloved Child of my Brain, whom I take the boldness to recommend to your Patronage; and as, if you vouchsafe to look on it favourably, I shall be extreamly obliged to your Goodness, for its everlasting Life: So, if you resolve to Frown upon it, I beg the favour, That it be not buried in the hard and Rocky Grave of your Displeasure; but be suffer'd, by your gentle silence, to lye still in the soft and easie Bed of Oblivion, which is incomparably the less Punishment of the Two. It is so commonly the error of indulgent Parents, to spoil their Children out of Fondness, that I may be forgiven for spoiling This, in never putting it to suck at the Breast of some Learned Nurse, whom I might have got from among your Students, to have assisted me; but would, obstinately, suckle it my self, and bring it up alone, without the help of any Scholar: Which having caused in the First Edition, (which was published under the name of Philosophical and Physical Opinions) many Imperfections; I have endeavoured in this Second, by many Alterations and Additions, (which have forc'd me to give it another Name) to correct them; whereby, I fear, my Faults are rather changed and encreased, than amended. If you expect fair Proportions in the Parts, and a Beautiful Symmetry in the Whole, having never been taught at all, and having read but little; I acknowledg my self too illiterate to afford it, and too impatient to labour much for Method.
But, if you will be contented with pure Wit, and the Effects of meer Contemplation; I hope, that somewhat of that kind may be found in this Book, and in my other Philosophical, Poetical, and Oratorical Works: All which I leave, and this especially, to your kind Protection, and am,
Your most humble Servant, and Admirer,
MARGARET NEWCASTLE.
[A TABLE of the CONTENTS.]
[I.] Of Matter
[II.] Of Motion
[III.] Of the Degrees of Matter
[IV.] Of Vacuum
[V.] The difference of the two Self-moving Parts of Matter
[VI.] Of dividing and uniting of Parts
[VII.] Of Life and Knowledg
[VIII.] Of Nature's Knowledg, and Perception
[IX.] Of Perception in general
[X.] Of double Perception
[XI.] Whether the Triumphant Parts can be perceived distinctly from each other
[XII.] Whether Nature can know her self, or have an absolute Power of her self, or have an exact Figure
[XIII.] Nature cannot judg herself
[XIV.] Nature poyses or balances her Actions
[XV.] Whether there be degrees of Corporal Strength
[XVI.] Of Effects and Cause
[XVII.] Of Influence
[XVIII.] Of Fortune and Chance
[XIX.] Of Time and Eternity
[I.] Of Creatures
[II.] Of Knowledg and Perception of different kinds and sorts of Creatures
[III.] Of Perception of Parts, and united Perception
[IV.] Whether the Rational and Sensitive Parts, have a Perception of each other
[V.] Of Thoughts, and the whole Mind of a Creature
[VI.] Whether the Mind of one Creature, can perceive the Mind of another Creature
[VII.] Of Perception, and Conception
[VIII.] Of Human Supposition
[IX.] Of Information between several Creatures
[X.] The reason of several kinds and sorts of Creatures
[XI.] Of the several Properties of several kinds and sorts of Creatures
Chap. [1. to 7.] Of Productions in general
[VIII.] Productions must partake of some parts of their Producers
[IX.] Of Resemblances of several Off-springs, or Producers
[X.] Of the several appearances of the Exterior parts of one Creature
[I.] Of Animal Productions, and of the difference between Productions and Transformations
[II.] Of different Figurative Motions in Man's production
[III.] Of the Quickning of a Child, or any other sort of Animal Creatures
[IV.] Of the Birth of a Child
[V.] Of Mischances, or Miscarriages of Breeding-Creatures
[VI.] Of the encrease of Growth and Strength of Mankind, or such like Creatures
[VII.] Of the several properties of the several exterior shapes of several sorts of Animals
[VIII.] Of the Dividing and Uniting parts of a particular Creature
[I.] Of Man
[II.] Of the variety of Man's Natural Motions
[III.] Of Man's Shape and Speech
[IV.] Of the several Figurative Parts of human Creatures
[V.] Of the several perceptions amongst the several parts of Man
[VI.] Of divided and composed Perceptions
[VII.] Of the ignorances of the several perceptive Organs
[VIII.] Of the particular and general perceptions of the exterior parts of human Creatures
[IX.] Of the exterior Sensitive Organs of human Creatures
[X.] Of the Rational parts of the human Organs
[XI.] Of the difference between the human Conception, and Perception
[XII.] Of the several varieties of Actions of human Creatures
[XIII.] Of the manner of information between the Rational and Sensitive parts
[XIV.] Of irregularities and regularities of the Restoring-parts of human Creatures
[XV.] Of the agreeing and disagreeing of the Sensitive and Rational parts of human Creatures
[XVI]. Of the power of the Rational; or rather, of the indulgency of the Sensitive
[XVII.] Of human Appetites and Passions
[XVIII.] Of the Rational actions of the Head and Heart of human Creatures
[XIX.] Of Passions and Imaginations
[XX.] That Associations, Divisions, and Alterations, cause several Effects
[XXI.] Of the differences between Self-love, and Passionate love
[I.] Of the Motions of some parts of the Mind, and of Forrein Objects
[II.] Of the Motions of some parts of the Mind
[III.] Of the Motions of human Passions and Appetites; as also, of the Motions of the Rational and Sensitive parts, towards Forrein Objects
[IV.] Of the Repetitions of the Sensitive and Rational actions
[V.] Of the passionate Love, and sympathetical Endeavours, amongst the Associate parts of a human Creature
[VI.] Of Acquaintance
[VII.] Of the Effects of Forrein Objects of the Sensitive Body; and of the Rational Mind of a human Creature
[VIII.] Of the advantage and disadvantage of the Encounters of several Creatures
[IX.] That all human Creatures have the like kind and sorts of properties
[X.] Of the Irregularity of the Sensitive, and of the Rational Corporeal Motions
[XI.] Of the Knowledg between the Sensitive Organs of a human Creature
[XII.] Of human perception, or defects of a human Creature
[XIII.] Of Natural Fools
[I.] Of the Sensitive actions of Sleeping and Waking
[II.] Of Sleeping
[III.] Of human Dreams
[IV.] Of the actions of Dreams
[V.] Whether the interior parts of a human Creature, do sleep
[VI.] Whether all the Creatures in Nature, have sleeping and waking-actions
[VII.] Of human Death
[VIII.] Of the Heat of human Life, and the Cold of human Death
[IX.] Of the last act of human Life, ibid.
[X.] Whether a human Creature hath knowledg in death, or not
[XI.] Whether a Creature may be new formed after a general dissolution
[XII.] Of Foreknowledg
[I.] Of the irregularity of Nature's parts
[II.] Of the human parts of a human Creature
[III.] Of human Humors
[IV.] Of Blood, ibid.
[V.] Of the Radical humors, or parts
[VI.] Of expelling malignant disorders in a human Creature
[VII.] Of human Digestions and Evacuations
[VIII.] Of Diseases in general
[IX.] Of the Fundamental Diseases
[I.] Of Sickness
[II.] Of Pain
[III.] Of Dizziness
[IV.] Of the Brain seeming to turn round in the head
[V.] Of Weakness
[VI.] Of Swooning, ibid.
[VII.] Of Numb and Dead Palsies, or Gangren's
[VIII.] Of Madness
[IX.] The Sensitive and Rational parts may be distinctly mad
[X.] The parts of the head are not only subject to madness; but also, the other parts of the body
[XI.] The Rational and Sensitive parts of a human Creature, are apt to disturb each other
[XII.] Of Diseases produced by conceit
[I.] Of Fevers
[II.] Of the Plague
[III.] Of the Small-Pox and Measles
[IV.] Of the intermission of Fevers, or Agues
[V.] Of Consumptions
[VI.] Of Dropsies, ibid.
[VII.] Of Sweating
[VIII]. Of Coughs
[IX.] Of Gangren's
[X.] Of Cancers and Fistula's
[XI.] Of the Gout, ib.
[XII.] Of the Stone
[XII.] Of Apoplexies and Lethargies
[XIII.] Of Epilepsies
[XIV.] Of Convulsions and Cramps
[XV.] Of Cholicks, ibid.
[XVI.] Of Shaking-Palsies
[XVII.] Of the Muther, Spleen, and Scurvy
[XVIII.] Of Food or Digestions, ibid.
[XIX.] Of Surfeits
[XX.] Of natural Evacuations and Purgings
[XXI.] Of Purging-Drugs
[XXII.] Of the various humors of Drugs
[XXIII.] Of Cordials
[XXIV.] Of the different actions of the several Sensitive Parts of a human Creature.
[XXV.] Of the Antipathy of some human Creatures, to some Forrein Objects
[XXVI.] Of the Effects of Forrein Objects, on the human Mind, ib.
[XXVII.] Of Contemplation
[XXVIII.] Of injecting the Blood of one Animal, into the Veins of another Animal
[I.] Of the different Knowledges in different kinds and sorts of Creatures
[II.] Of the variety of self-actions in particular Creatures
[III.] Of the variety of Corporeal Motions of one and the same sort and kind of Motion
[IV.] Of the variety of particular Creatures, ibid.
[V.] Of dividing, and rejoyning, or altering exterior figurative Motions
[VI.] Of different figurative Motions in particular Creatures
[VII.] Of the alterations of exterior and innate figurative Motions of several sorts of Creatures
[VIII.] Of Local Motion
[IX.] Of several manners or ways of Advantages or Disadvantages
[X.] Of the actions of some sorts of Creatures, over others
[XI.] Of Glassie-Bodies
[XII.] Of Metamorphoses, or Transformations of Animals and Vegetables,
[XIII.] Of the Life and Death of several Creatures
[XIV.] Of Circles
[XV.] Human Creatures cannot so probably treat of other sorts of Creatures, as of their own
[I.] Of the equality of Elements
[II.] Of several Tempers
[III.] Of the change and rechange; and of dividing of the parts of the Elements
[IV.] Of the innate figurative Motions of Earth
[V.] Of the figurative Motions of Air, ibid.
[VI.] Of the innate figurative Motions of Fire
[VII.] Of the productions of Elemental Fire
[VIII.] Of Flame
[IX.] Of the two sorts of Fire most different, ibid.
[X.] Of Dead or Dull Fires
[XI.] Of the occasional Actions of Fire
[XII.] Fire hath not the property to change and rechange
[XIII.] Of the innate figurative Motions of Water
[XIV.] The nature or property of Water
[XV.] Of the alteration of the exterior figurative motion of Water
[XVI.] Of Oyl of Vitriol, ibid.
[XVII.] Of Mineral and Sulphurous Waters
[XVIII.] The cause of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea
[XIX.] Of Overflows
[XX.] Of the Figure of Ice and Snow
[XXI.] Of the change and rechange of Water
[XXII.] Of Water quenching Fire, and Fire evaporating Water
[XXIII.] Of inflamable Liquors
[XXIV.] Of Thunder
[XXV.] Of Vapour, Smoak, Wind and Clouds
[XXVI.] Of Wind
[XXVII.] Of Light
[XXVIII.] Of Darkness
[XXIX.] Of Colours
[XXX.] Of the Exterior Motions of the Planets
[XXXI.] Of the Sun, and Planets, and Seasons
[XXXII.] Of Air corrupting dead Bodies.
[I.] Of the innate figurative Motions of Metal
[II.] Of the melting of Metals
[III.] Of Burning, Melting, Boyling, and Evaporating
[IV.] Of Stone
[V.] Of the Loadstone
[VI.] Of Bodies apt to ascend, or descend
[VII.] Why heavy Bodies descend more forcibly than leight Bodies ascend, 227
[VIII.] Of several sorts of Densities and Rarities, Gravities, and Levities
[IX.] Of Vegetables
[X.] Of the production of Vegetables
[XI.] Of replanting Vegetables
[I.] Whether there can be a Substance that is not a Body
[II.] Of an Immaterial
[III.] Whether an Immaterial be perceivable
[IV.] Of the Difference between GOD and Nature
[V.] All the Parts of Nature, worship GOD, ibid.
[VI.] Whether GOD's Decrees are limited
[VII.] Of GOD's Decrees concerning the particular Parts of Nature
[VIII.] Of the Ten Commandments
[IX.] Of several Religions
[X.] Of Rules and Prescriptions
[XI.] Sins and Punishments are material
[XII.] Of human Conscience
[I.] Whether it is possible there could be Worlds consisting only of the Rational parts, and others only of the Sensitive parts
[II.] Of Irregular and Regular Worlds
[III.] Whether there be Egress and Regress between the Parts of several Worlds
[IV.] Whether the Parts of one and the same Society, could (after their dissolution, meet and unite
[V.] Whether, if a Creature being dissolved, if it could unite again, would be the same
[VI.] Of the Resurrection of Human-kind
[VII.] Of the dissolution of a World
[VIII.] Of a new Heaven, and a new Earth
[IX.] Whether there shall be a Material Heaven and Hell, ibid.
[X.] Concerning the Joys or Torments of the Blessed and Cursed, after they are in Heaven or Hell
[I.] Of the Happy and Miserable Worlds
[II.] Whether there be such kinds and sorts of Creatures in the Happy and Blessed World, as in this World
[III.] Of the Births and Deaths of the Heavenly World, ibid.
[IV.] Whether those Creatures could be named Blessed, that are subject to dye
[V.] Of the Productions of the Creatures of the Regular World
[VI.] Whether the Creatures in the Blessed World, do feed and evacuate
[VII.] Of the Animals, and of the food of the Humans of the Happy World
[VIII.] Whether it is not irregular for one Creature to feed on another
[IX.] Of the continuance of life in the Regular World
X. Of the Excellency and Happiness of the Creatures of the Regular World
[XI.] Of Human Creatures in the Regular World
[XII.] Of the happiness of human Creatures in the Material World, ibid.
[I.] Of the Irregular World
[II.] Of the Productions and Dissolutions of the Creatures of the irregular World
[III.] Of Animals, and of Humans in the irregular World
[IV.] Of Objects and Perceptions
[V.] The Description of the Globe of the irregular World, ibid.
[VI.] Of the Elemental Air, and Light of the irregular World
[VII.] Of Storms and Tempests in the irregular World
[VIII.] Of the several Seasons; or rather, of the several Tempers in the irregular World, ibid.
[IX.] The Conclusion of the irregular and unhappy, or cursed World
Fifteen Sections concerning Restoring-Beds, or Wombs