In obedience to your commands, I here send you also an explanation and clearing of those places and passages in my Book of Philosophy, which in your last Letter you were pleased to mark, as containing some obscurity and difficulty of being understood.
First, When I say,[1] Nature is an Individable Matter, I do not mean as if Nature were not dividable into parts; for because Nature is material, therefore she must also needs be dividable into parts: But my meaning is, that Nature cannot be divided from Matter, nor Matter from Nature, that is, Nature cannot be Immaterial, nor no part of Nature, but if there be any thing Immaterial, it doth not belong to Nature. Also when I call Nature a Multiplying Figure;[2] I mean, that Nature makes infinite changes, and so infinite figures.
Next, when I say,[3] There are Infinite Divisions in Nature; my meaning is not, that there are infinite divisions of one single part, but that Infinite Matter has Infinite parts, sizes, figures, and motions, all being but one Infinite Matter, or corporeal Nature. Also when I say single parts, I mean not parts subsisting by themselves, precised from each other, but single, that is, several or different, by reason of their different figures. Likewise, when I name Atomes, I mean small parts of Matter; and when I speak of Place and Time, I mean onely the variation of corporeal figurative motions.
Again: when I say,[4] Nature has not an absolute Power, because she has an Infinite power; I mean by absolute, as much as finite, or circumscribed; and in this sense Nature cannot have an absolute power, for the Infiniteness hinders the absoluteness; but when in my former Letters I have attributed an absolute Power onely to God, and said that Nature has not an absolute power, but that her power, although it be Infinite, yet cannot extend beyond Nature, but is an Infinite natural power; I understand by an absolute Power, not a finite power, but such a power which onely belongs to God, that is, a supernatural and divine power, which power Nature cannot have, by reason she cannot make any part of her body immaterial, nor annihilate any part of her Creatures, nor create any part that was not in her from Eternity, nor make her self a Deity; for though God can impower her with a supernatural gift, and annihilate her when he pleases, yet she is no ways able to do it her self.
Moreover, when I say,[5] That one Infinite is contained within another; I mean, the several sorts of Infinites, as Infinite in number, Infinite in duration; as also the Infinite degrees, motions, figures, sizes, compositions, divisions, &c. all which are contained in the Infinite body of Nature, which is the onely Infinite in quantity or substance, neither can the parts of Nature go beyond Infinite.
Also when I say,[6] That Matter would have power over Infinite, and Infinite over Matter, and Eternal over both; I mean, that some corporeal actions endeavour to be more powerful then others, and thus the whole strives to over-power the parts, and the parts the whole: As for example, if one end of a string were tied about the little finger of ones hand, and the other end were in the power of the other whole hand, and both did pull several and opposite ways; certainly, the little finger would endeavour to over-power the hand, and the hand again would strive to over-power the little finger: The same may be said of two equal figures, as two hands, and other the like examples may be given. And this is also my meaning, when I say, that some shapes have power over others, and some degrees and temperaments of matter over others; whereby I understand nothing else, but that some parts have power over others. Also when I say,[7] that outward things govern, and a Creature has no power over it self, I mean, that which is stronger, by what means soever, is superior in power.
When I say,[8] That the Animate part of Matter is not so gross an Infinite as the Inanimate, I do not attribute an Infiniteness to a part, as if animate matter considered as a part were infinite; but my meaning is, that the Animate matter produces infinite effects: For, it being the Designer, Architect, and Creator of all Figures, as also the Life and Soul of all Creatures, it must needs be infinite in its effects, as also infinite in its duration. But you may object, That a part cannot produce infinite effects. I answer, It is true, if animate matter should be considered in it self without the inanimate, it could not produce infinite effects, having nothing to work upon and withal; but because there is such a close and inseparable conjunction of those parts of matter, as they make but one body, and that Infinite, none can be or work without the other, but both degrees of matter, which make but one infinite Nature, are required in the production of the infinite effects and figures in Nature: Nevertheless, since the Animate part of Matter is the onely architect, creator, or producer of all those effects, by reason it is the self-moving part, and the Inanimate is onely the instrument which the Animate works withal, and the materials it works upon, the Production of the infinite effects in Nature is more fitly ascribed to the Animate then the Inanimate part of matter; as for example, If an architect should build an house, certainly he can do nothing without materials, neither can the materials raise themselves to such a figure as a house without the help of the architect and workmen, but both are of necessity required to this artificial production; nevertheless, the building of the house is not laid to the materials, but to the architect: the same may be said of animate and inanimate matter in the production of natural effects. Again, you may reply, That the animate and inanimate parts of matter are but two parts, and the number of Two is but a finite number, wherefore they cannot make one infinite body, such as I call Nature or natural Matter. I answer, Madam, I confess, that a finite number is not nor cannot make an infinite number; but I do not say, that the animate and inanimate parts or degrees of matter are two finite parts each subsisting by it self as circumscribed, and having its certain bounds, limits and circumference; for if this were so, certainly they being finite themselves, could not produce but finite effects; but my meaning is, that both the animate and inanimate matter do make but one Infinite bulk, body, or substance and are not two several and dividable bodies in themselves, and thus they may be divided not into two but into Infinite parts; Neither are they two different Matters, but they are but one Matter; for by the animate Matter I do understand self-motion; and that I call this self-motion Matter, the reason is, that no body shall think as if self-motion were immaterial; for my opinion is, that Nature is nothing but meer Matter, and that nothing is in Nature which is a part of Nature, that is not material; wherefore to avoid such a misapprehension (seeing that most learned men are so much for abstractions and immaterial beings) I called self-motion animate matter, or the animate part of matter; not as if they were two several matters, but that all is but one natural Matter, or corporeal Nature in one bulk, body, or substance, just like as the soul and body do make but one man; and to avoid also this misapprehension, lest they might be taken for several matters, I have upon better consideration, in this volume of Philosophical Letters, call'd the animate matter corporeal self-motion, which expression, I think, is more proper, plain, and intelligible then any other: Neither would I have you to scruple at it, when I say, that both parts or degrees of animate and inanimate matter do retain their own interior natures and proprieties in their commixture, as if those different natures and proprieties, where one is self-moving, and the other not, did cause them to be two different matters; for thus you might say as well, that several figures which have several and different interior natures and proprieties, are so many several matters. The truth is, if you desire to have the truest expression of animate and inanimate matter, you cannot find it better then in the definition of Nature, when I say, Nature is an infinite self-moving body; where by the body of Nature I understand the inanimate matter, and by self-motion the animate, which is the life and soul of Nature, not an immaterial life and soul, but a material, for both life, soul and body are and make but one self-moving body or substance which is corporeal Nature. And therefore when I call Animate matter an Extract,[9] I do it by reason of its purity, subtilty and agility, not by reason of its immateriality. Also when I name the word Motion by it self, and without any addition, I understand corporeal Motion; and when I name Motion, Matter and Figure, I do not mean three several and distinct things, but onely figurative corporeal motion, or figurative self-moving matter, all being but one thing; the same when I speak of Place, Time, Magnitude, and the like.
Concerning Natural Production or Generation; when I say,[10] The same matter or figure of the producers doth not always move after one and the same manner in producing, for then the same producers would produce one and the same creature by repetition, I do not mean the very same creature in number, unless the same motions and parts of matter did return into the producers again, which is impossible; but I understand the like creature, to wit, that one and the same sort of particular motions would make all particular figures resemble so, as if they were one and the same creature without any difference.
When I say,[11] Sensitive and Rational knowledg lives in sensitive and rational Matter, and Animate liveth in Inanimate matter, I mean they are all several parts and actions of the onely infinite matter inseparable from each other; for wheresoever is matter, there is also self-motion, and wheresoever is self-motion, there is sense and reason, and wheresoever is sense and reason, there is sensitive and rational knowledge, all being but one body or substance, which is Nature.
When I say,[12] The death of particular Creatures causes an obscurity of Knowledge, and that particular Knowledges increase and decrease, and may be more or less, I mean onely that parts divide themselves from parts, and joyn to other parts; for every several Motion is a several Knowledge, and as motion varies, so doth knowledge; but there is no annihilation of any motion, and consequently not of knowledge in Nature. And as for more or less knowledge, I mean more or less alteration and variety of corporeal figurative motions, not onely rational but sensitive, so that that creature which has most variety of those perceptive motions is most knowing, provided they be regular, that is, according to the nature and propriety of the figure, whether animal, vegetable, mineral, or elemental; for though a large figure is capable of most knowledge, yet it is not commonly or alwayes so wise or witty as a less, by reason it is more subject to disorders and irregularities; like as a private Family is more regular and better ordered then a great State or Common-wealth. Also when I say, That some particular Knowledge lasts longer then some other, I mean that some corporeal motions in some parts do continue longer then in others.