The Minor Part's Opinion, was, That the Milk of Animals, and the Fruits of Vegetables, and the Herbs of the Earth, had as much Life as their Producers.
The Major Part's Opinion, was, That though they had as much Life as their Producers; yet, it was natural for such off-springs to change and alter their Lives, by being united to other sorts of Creatures: as for example, An Animal eats Fruit and Herbs; and those Fruits and Herbs convert themselves into the nature of those Animals that feed of them. The same is of Milk, Eggs, and the like; out of which, a condition of Life is endeavoured for: and, for proof, such sorts of Creatures account an Animal Life the best; and therefore, all such superfluous Parts of Creatures, endeavour to unite into an Animal Society; as we may perceive, that Fruits and Herbs, are apt to turn into Worms, and Flies; and some Parts of Milk, as Cheese, will turn into Maggots; so that when Animals feed of such Meats, they occasion those Parts they feed on, to a more easie Transformation; and not only such Creatures, but Humans also, desire a better Change: for, what Human would not be a glorious Sun, or Starr?
After which Discourse, all the Parts of my Mind agreed unanimously, That Animals, and so Human Creatures, might feed on such sorts of Food, as aforesaid; but not on such Food as is an united Society: for, the Root and Foundation of any kind and sort of Creature, ought not to be destroyed.
[CHAP. IX. Of the Continuance of Life in the Regular World.]
The Opinion of the Parts of my Mind, was, That, it was probable, that all Societies in the Regular World, (that is, all such Parts of Nature as are united into particular Creatures) are of long life, by reason there are no Irregularities to destroy them, before their natural time.
But then a Dispute was raised amongst the Parts of my Mind, concerning the natural time, that is, the proper time of the Lives of those Creatures: for, all Creatures were not of the same time of Production; nor, after their Production, of the same time of Continuance. But the Parts of my Mind concluded, That though they could not judg by observation of any Creature, no, not of their own Sort; yet, they did
believe they could judg better of Human Creatures, as being, at that time, of a Human Society, than of any other: but, by reason they were of this World (that is, Irregular in part) they did believe they might very much err in their Judgment, concerning the continuance of Human Lives, in the Happy World. But, after much debate, they concluded, That a Human Creature, in the Regular World, might last as long as the Productions did not oppress or burden that World, (for that would be irregular) but how long a time that might be, they could not possibly conceive or imagine.