In the Works of that most famous Philosopher and Mathematician of our age Gal. which you thought worth my reading, I find, he discourses much of upwards and downwards, backwards and forwards; but to tell you really, I do not understand what he means by those words, for, in my opinion, there is properly no such thing as upwards, downwards, backwards, or forwards in Nature, for all this is nothing else but natural corporeal motions, to which in respect of some particulars we do attribute such or such names; for if we conceive a Circle, I pray where is upwards and downwards, backwards and forwards? Certainly, it is, in my opinion, just like that, they name Rest, Place, Space, Time, &c. when as Nature her self knows of no such things, but all these are onely the several and various motions of the onely Matter. You will say, How can Rest be a motion? I answer: Rest is a word which expresses rather mans ignorance then his knowledg; for when he sees, that a particular Creature has not any external local motion perceptible by his sight, he says it resteth, and this rest he calls a cessation from motion, when as yet there is no such thing as cessation from motion in Nature; for motion is the action of natural Matter, and its Nature is to move perpetually; so that it is more probable for motion to be annihilated, then to cease. But you may say, It is a cessation from some particular motion. I answer: You may rather call it an alteration of a particular motion, then a cessation; for though a particular motion doth not move in that same manner as it did before, nevertheless it is still there, and not onely there, but still moving; onely it is not moving after the same manner as it did move heretofore, but has changed from such a kind of motion to another kind of motion, and being still moving it cannot be said to cease: Wherefore what is commonly called cessation from motion, is onely a change of some particular motion, and is a mistake of change for rest. Next, I find in the same Author a long discourse of circular and strait motions; to wit, That they are simple motions, and that all others are composed out of them, and are mixt motions; Also, That the Circular Motion is perfect, and the Right imperfect; and that all the parts of the world, if moveable of their own nature, it is impossible, that their motions should be Right, or any other then Circular: That a Circular motion is never to be gotten naturally, without a preceding right motion: That a Right motion cannot naturally be perpetual: That a Right motion is impossible in the World well ordered: and the like. First, I cannot conceive why natural Matter should use the Circle-figure more then any other in the motions of her Creatures; for Nature, which is Infinite Matter, is not bound to one particular motion, or to move in a Circle more then any other figure, but she moves more variously then any one part of hers can conceive; Wherefore it is not requisite that the natural motions of natural bodies should be onely Circular. Next, I do not understand, why a Circular Motion cannot be gotten naturally without a precedent right motion; for, in my opinion, corporeal motions may be round or circular, without being or moving straight before; and if a straight line doth make a circle, then an imperfect figure makes a perfect; but, in my opinion, a circle may as well make a straight line, as a strait line a circle; except it be like a Gordian knot, that it cannot be dissolved, or that Nature may make some corporeal motions as constant as she makes others inconstant, for her motions are not alike in continuance and alteration. And as for right motion, that naturally it cannot be perpetual; my opinion is, that it cannot be, if Nature be finite; but if Nature be infinite, it may be: But the circular motion is more proper for a finite, then an infinite, because a circle-figure is perfect and circumscribed, and a straight line is infinite, or at least producible in infinite; and there may be other worlds in infinite Nature, besides these round Globes perceptible by our sight, which may have other figures; for though it be proper for Globes or Spherical bodies to move round, yet that doth not prove, that Infinite Matter moves round, or that all worlds must be of a Globous figure; for there may be as different Worlds, as other Creatures. He says, That a Right motion is impossible in the World well ordered; But I cannot conceive a Right motion to be less orderly then a Circular in Nature, except it be in some Particulars; but oftentimes that, which is well ordered in some cases, seems to some mens understandings and perceptions ill ordered in other cases; for man, as a part, most commonly considers but the Particulars, not the Generals, like as every one in a Commonwealth considers more himself and his Family, then the Publick. Lastly, Concerning the simplicity of Motions, as that onely circular and straight motions are simple motions, because they are made by simple Lines; I know not what they mean by simple Lines; for the same Lines which make straight and circular figures, may make as well other figures as those; but, in my opinion, all motions may be called simple, in regard of their own nature; for they are nothing else but the sensitive and rational part of Matter, which in its own nature is pure, and simple, and moves according to the Nature of each Figure, either swiftly or slowly, or in this or that sort of motion; but the most simple, purest and subtillest part is the rational part of matter, which though it be mixed with the sensitive and inanimate in one body, yet it can and doth move figuratively in its own matter, without the help or assistance of any other. But I desire you to remember, Madam, that in the compositions and divisions of the parts of Nature, there is as much unity and agreement as there is discord and disagreement; for in Infinite, there is no such thing, as most, and least; neither is there any such thing as more perfect, or less perfect in Matter. And as for Irregularities, properly there is none in Nature, for Nature is Regular; but that, which Man (who is but a small part of Nature, and therefore but partly knowing) names Irregularities, or Imperfections, is onely a change and alteration of motions; for a part can know the variety of motions in Nature no more, then Finite can know Infinite, or the bare exterior shape and figure of a mans body can know the whole body, or the head can know the mind; for Infinite natural knowledg is incorporeal; and being corporeal, it is dividable; and being dividable, it cannot be confined to one part onely; for there is no such thing as an absolute determination or subsistence in parts without relation or dependance upon one another. And since Matter is Infinite, and acts wisely, and all for the best, it may be as well for the best of Nature, when parts are divided antipathetically, as when they are united sympathetically: Also Matter being Infinite, it cannot be perfect, neither can a part be called perfect, as being a part. But mistake me not, Madam; for when I say, there is no perfection in Nature, as I do in my Philosophical Opinions,[1] I mean by Perfection, a finiteness, absoluteness, or compleatness of figure; and in this sense I say Nature has no perfection by reason it is Infinite; but yet I do not deny, but that there is a perfection in the nature or essence of Infinite Matter; for Matter is perfect Matter; that is, pure and simple in its own substance or nature, as meer Matter, without any mixture or addition of some thing that is not Matter, or that is between Matter and no Matter; and material motions are perfect motions although Infinite: just as a line may be called a perfect line, although it be endless, and Gold, or other Mettal, may be called perfect Gold, or perfect Metal, although it be but apart, And thus it may be said of Infinite Nature, or Infinite Matter, without any contradiction, that it is both perfect, and not perfect; perfect in its nature or substance, not perfect in its exterior figure. But you may say, If Infinite Matter be not perfect, it is imperfect, and what is imperfect, wants something. I answer, That doth not follow: for we cannot say, that what is not perfect, must of necessity be imperfect, because there is something else, which it may be, to wit, Infinite; for as imperfection is beneath perfection, so perfection is beneath Infinite; and though Infinite Matter be not perfect in its figure, yet it is not imperfect, but Infinite; for Perfection and Imperfection belongs onely to Particulars, and not to Infinite. And thus much for the present. I conclude, and rest,
Madam,
Your Ladiships
most obliged Friend
and humble Servant.
[1] Part. 1. c. 14.
[V.]
MADAM,
The Author, mentioned in my former Letter, says, That Quietness is the degree of Infinite slowness, and that a moveable body passing from quietness, passes through all the degrees of slowness without staying in any. But I cannot conceive that all the Parts of Matter should be necessitated to move by degrees; for though there be degrees in Nature, yet Nature doth not in all her actions move by degrees. You may say, for example, from one to twenty, there are eighteen degrees between One, and Twenty; and all these degrees are included in the last degree, which is twenty. I answer; That may be: but yet there is no progress made through all those degrees; for when a body doth move strong at one time, and the next time after moves weak; I cannot conceive how any degrees should really be made between. You may say, by Imagination. But this Imagination of degrees, is like the conception of Space and Place, when as yet there is no such thing as Place or Space by it self; for all is but one body, and Motion is the action of this same body, which is corporeal Nature; and because a particular body can and doth move after various manners, according to the change of its corporeal motion, this variety of motions man call's Place, Space, Time, Degrees, &c. considering them by themselves, and giving them peculiar names, as if they could be parted from body, or at least be conceived without body; for the Conception or Imagination it self is corporeal, and so are they nothing else but corporeal motions. But it seems as if this same Author conceived also motion to be a thing by it self, and that motion begets motion, when he says, That a body by moving grows stronger in motion by degrees, when as yet the strength was in the matter of the body eternally; for Nature was always a grave Matron, never a sucking Infant: and though parts by dissolving and composing may lose and get acquaintance of each other, yet no part can be otherwise in its nature, then ever it was; Wherefore change of corporeal motions is not losing nor getting strength or swiftness; for Nature doth not lose force, although she doth not use force in all her various actions; neither can any natural body get more strength than by nature it hath, although it may get the assistance of other bodies joyned to it. But swiftness and slowness are according to the several figurative actions of self-moving matter; which several actions or motions of Nature, and their alterations, cannot be found out by any particular Creature: as for example, the motions of Lead, and the motions of Wood, unless Man knew their several causes; for Wood, in some cases, may move slower then Lead; and Lead, in other cases, slower then Wood. Again: the same Author says, That an heavy moveable body descending, gets force enough to bring it back again to as much height. But I think, it might as well be said, That a Man walking a mile, gets as much strength as to walk back that mile; when 'tis likely, that having walked ten miles, he may not have so much strength as to walk back again one mile; neither is he necessitated to walk back, except some other more powerful body do force him back: for though Nature is self-moving, yet every part has not an absolute power, for many parts may over-power fewer; also several corporeal motions may cross and oppose as well as assist each other; for if there were not opposition, as well as agreement and assistance amongst Nature's parts, there would not be such variety in Nature as there is. Moreover, he makes mention of a Line, with a weight hung to its end, which being removed from the perpendicular, presently falls to the same again. To which, I answer: That it is the appetite and desire of the Line, not to move by constraint, or any forced exterior motion; but that which forces the Line to move from the Perpendicular, doth not give it motion, but is onely an occasion that it moves in such a way; neither doth the line get that motion from any other exterior body, but it is the lines own motion; for if the motion of the hand, or any other exterior body, should give the line that motion, I pray, from which doth it receive the motion to tend to its former state? Wherefore, when the Line moves backwards or forwards, it is not, that the Line gets what it had not before, that is, a new corporeal motion, but it uses its own motion; onely, as I said, that exterior body is the occasion that it moves after such a manner or way, and therefore this motion of the line, although it is the lines own motion, yet in respect of the exterior body that causes it to move that way, it may be called a forced, or rather an occasioned motion. And thus no body can get motion from another body, except it get matter too; for all that motion that a body has, proceeds from the self-moving part of matter, and motion and matter are but one thing; neither is there any inanimate part of matter in Nature, which is not co-mixed with the animate, and consequently, there is no part which is not moving, or moved; the Animate part of matter is the onely self-moving part, and the Inanimate the moved: not that the animate matter doth give away its own motion to the inanimate, and that the inanimate becomes self-moving; but the animate, by reason of the close conjunction and commixture, works together with the inanimate, or causes the inanimate to work with it; and thus the inanimate remains as simple in its own nature, as the animate doth in its nature, although they are mixt; for those mixtures do not alter the simplicity of each others Nature. But having discoursed of this subject in my former Letters, I take my leave, and rest,