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"Grounds of Natural Philosophy," a work by Margaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1623-1673).
GROUNDS OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY
DIVIDED INTO THIRTEEN PARTS WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING FIVE PARTS
The Second Edition, much altered from the First, which went under the Name of PHILOSOPHICAL AND PHYSICAL OPINIONS
Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, and Excellent Princess,
THE DUCHESS of NEWCASTLE
LONDON,
Printed by A. Maxwell, in the Year 1668.
A TABLE of the CONTENTS.
The First Part.
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 herself, 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
The Second Part.
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
The Third Part.
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
The Fourth Part.
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
The Fifth Part.
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
The Sixth Part.
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 singularity 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
The Seventh Part.
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
The Eighth Part.
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
The Ninth Part.
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 Gangrenes
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
The Tenth Part.
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 Gangrenes
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
The Eleventh Part.
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
The Twelfth Part.
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.
The Thirteenth Part.
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,
VIII. Of several sorts of Densities and Rarities, Gravities, and Levities
IX. Of Vegetables
X. Of the production of Vegetables
XI. Of replanting Vegetables
APPENDIX.
The First Part.
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
The Second Part.
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
The Third Part.
The Preamble.
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.
The Fourth Part.
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
The Fifth Part.
Fifteen Sections concerning Restoring-Beds, or Wombs
The Conclusion
