and Servant.
[XI.]
MADAM,
Your new Author endeavours to prove, that Water in its own proper nature is thicker then Earth; which, to my sense and reason, seems not probable; for although water is less porous then earth in its exterior figure, yet 'tis not so thick as earth in its interior nature: Neither can I conceive it to be true, that water in its own nature, and as long as it remains water, should be as hard as Crystal, or stone, as his opinion is; for though Elements are so pliant (being not composed of many different parts and figures) as they can change and rechange their exterior figures, yet they do not alter their interior nature without a total dissolution; but your Author may as well say, that the interior nature of man is dust and ashes, as that water in its interior nature is as thick as earth, and as hard as Christal, or stone; whereas yet a man, when he becomes dust and ashes, is not a man; and therefore, when water is become so thick as earth, or so hard as stone, it is not water; I mean when it is so in its interior nature, not in its exterior figure; for the exterior figure may be contracted, when yet the interior nature is dilative; and so the exterior may be thick or hard, when the interior is soft and rare. But you may say, that water is a close, and heavy, as also a smooth and glossy body. I answer: That doth not prove its interior nature to be hard, dense, thick, or contracted; for the interior nature and parts of a body may be different from the exterior figure or parts; neither doth the close joyning of parts hinder dilatation; for if so, a line or circle could not dilate or extend: But this close uniting of the parts of water is caused through its wet and glutinous quality, which wet and sticking quality is caused by a watery dilatation; for though water hath not interiously so rare a dilatation as Air, Fire, and Light, yet it hath not so close a contraction as Earth, Stone, or Metal; neither are all bodies that are smooth and shining, more solid and dense, then those that are rough and dark; for light is more smooth, glossy, and shining, then Water, Metal, Earth, or Transparent-stones, and yet is of a dilative nature. But because some bodies and figures which are transparent and smooth, are dense, hard, and thick, we cannot in reason, or sense, say, that all bodies and figures are so. As for Transparency, it is caused through a purity of substance, and an evenness of parts: the like is glossiness, onely glossiness requires not so much regularity, as transparency. But to return to Water; its exterior Circle-figure may dilate beyond the degree of the propriety or nature of water, or contract beneath the propriety or nature of water. Your Author may say, Water is a globous body, and all globous bodies tend to a Center. I answer: That my sense and reason cannot perceive, but that Circles and Globes do as easily dilate, as contract: for if all Globes and Circles should endeavour to draw or fall from the circumference to the Center, the Center of the whole World, or at least of some parts of the World, would be as a Chaos: besides, it is against sense and reason, that all Matter should strive to a Center; for humane sense and reason may observe, that all Creatures, and so Matter, desire liberty, and a Center is but a Prison in comparison to the Circumference; wherefore if Matter crowds, it is rather by force, then a voluntary action. You will say, All Creatures desire rest, and in a Center there's rest. I answer; Humane sense and reason cannot perceive any rest in Nature: for all things, as I have proved heretofore, are in a perpetual motion. But concerning Water, you may ask me, Madam, Whether congeal'd Water, as Ice, if it never thaw, remains Water? To which, I answer: That the interior nature of Water remains as long as the Ice remains, although the outward form is changed; but if Ice be contracted into the firmness and density of Crystal, or Diamond, or the like, so as to be beyond the nature of Water, and not capable to be that Water again, then it is transformed into another Creature, or thing, which is neither Water, nor Ice, but a Stone; for the Icy contraction doth no more alter the interior nature of Water, which is dilating, then the binding of a man with Chains alters his nature from being a man; and it might be said as well, that the nature of Air is not dilating, when inclosed in a bladder, as that Water doth not remain Water in its interior nature, when it is contracted into Ice. But you may ask, Whether one extreme can change into another? I answer: To my sense and reason it were possible, if extremes were in Nature; but I do not perceive that in Nature there be any, although my sense and reason doth perceive alterations in the effects of Nature; for though one and the same part may alter from contraction to dilation, and from dilation to contraction; yet this contraction and dilation are not extremes, neither are they performed at one and the same time, but at different times. But having sufficiently declared my opinion hereof in my former Letters, I'l add no more, but rest,
Madam,
Your faithful Friend
and Servant.