_MADAM,_
_Understanding_ says your Author,[1] _is nothing else but Conception
caused by speech, and therefore, if speech be peculiar to man, (as, for
ought I know, it is) then is understanding peculiar to him also._ Where
he confineth Understanding onely to speech and to Mankind; But, by his
leave, _Madam_, I surely believe, that there is more understanding in
Nature, then that, which is in speech, for if there were not, I cannot
conceive, how all the exact forms in Generations could be produced,
or how there could be such distinct degrees of several sorts and
kinds of Creatures, or distinctions of times and seasons, and so many
exact motions and figures in Nature: Considering all this, my reason
perswadeth me, that all Understanding, which is a part of Knowledg, is
not caused by speech, for all the motions of the Celestial Orbs are not
made by speech, neither is the knowledg or understanding which a man
hath, when sick, as to know or understand he is sick, made by speech,
nor by outward objects, especially in a disease he never heard, nor
saw, nor smelt, nor tasted, nor touched; Wherefore all Perception,
Sensation, Memory, Imagination, Appetite, Understanding, and the like,
are not made nor caused by outward objects, nor by speech. And as for
names of things, they are but different postures of the figures in
our mind or thoughts, made by the Rational matter; But Reasoning is
a comparing of the several figures with their several postures and
actions in the Mind, which joyned with the several words, made by the
sensitive motions, inform another distinct and separate part, as an
other man, of their minds conceptions, understanding, opinions, and the
like.
Concerning Addition and Subtraction, wherein your _Author_ sayes
Reasoning consists, I grant, that it is an act of Reasoning, yet it
doth not make Sense or Reason, which is Life and Knowledge, but Sense
and Reason which is self-motion, makes addition and subtraction of
several Parts of matter; for had matter not self-motion, it could not
divide nor compose, nor make such varieties, without great and lingring
retardments, if not confusion. Wherefore all, what is made in Nature,
is made by self-moving matter, which self-moving matter doth not at all
times move regularly, but often irregularly, which causes false Logick,
false Arithmetick, and the like; and if there be not a certainty in
these self-motions or actions of Nature, much less in Art, which is
but a secundary action; and therefore, neither speech, words, nor
exterior objects cause Understanding or Reason. And although many parts
of the Rational and Sensitive Matter joyned into one, may be stronger
by their association, and over-power other parts that are not so well
knit and united, yet these are not the less pure; onely these Parts and
Motions being not equal in several Creatures, make their Knowledge and
Reason more or less: For, when a man hath more Rational Matter well
regulated, and so more Wisdom then an other, that same man may chance
to over-power the other, whose Rational Matter is more irregular, but
yet not so much by strength of the united Parts, as by their subtilty;
for the Rational Matter moving regularly, is more strong with subtilty,
then the sensitive with force; so that Wisdom is stronger then
Life, being more pure, and so more active; for in my opinion, there
is a degree of difference between Life and Knowledge, as my Book of
_Philosophical Opinions_ will inform you.
Again, your _Author_ sayes, _That Man doth excel all other Animals in
this faculty, that when he conceives any thing whatsoever, he is apt
to enquire the Consequences of it, and what effects he can do with
it: Besides this_ (sayes he) _Man hath an other degree of Excellence,
that he can by Words reduce the Consequences he finds to General Rules
called Theoremes or Aphorisms, that is, he can reason or reckon not
onely in Number, but in all other things, whereof one may be added
unto, or substracted from an other._ To which I answer, That according
to my Reason I cannot perceive, but that all Creatures may do as much;
but by reason they do it not after the same manner or way as Man, Man
denies, they can do it at all; which is very hard; for what man knows,
whether Fish do not Know more of the nature of Water, and ebbing and
flowing, and the saltness of the Sea? or whether Birds do not know
more of the nature and degrees of Air, or the cause of Tempests? or
whether Worms do not know more of the nature of Earth, and how Plants
are produced? or Bees of the several sorts of juices of Flowers, then
Men? And whether they do not make there Aphorismes and Theoremes by
their manner of Intelligence? For, though they have not the speech of
Man, yet thence doth not follow, that they have no Intelligence at
all. But the Ignorance of Men concerning other Creatures is the cause
of despising other Creatures, imagining themselves as petty Gods in
Nature, when as _Nature_ is not capable to make one God, much less so
many as Mankind; and were it not for Mans supernatural Soul, Man would
not be more Supreme, then other Creatures in Nature, _But_ (says your
_Author_) _this Priviledge in Man is allay'd by another, which is, No
living Creature is subject to absurdity, but onely Man._ Certainly,
_Madam_, I believe the contrary, to wit, that all other Creatures do
as often commit mistakes and absurdities as Man, and if it were not to
avoid tediousness, I could present sufficient proofs to you: Wherefore
I think, not onely Man but also other Creatures may be Philosophers and
subject to absurdities as aptly as Men; for Man doth, nor cannot truly
know the Faculties, and Abilities or Actions of all other Creatures,
no not of his own Kind as Man-Kind, for if he do measure all men by
himself he will be very much mistaken, for what he conceives to be
true or wise, an other may conceive to be false and foolish. But Man
may have one way of Knowledge in Philosophy and other Arts, and other
Creatures another way, and yet other Creatures manner or way may be
as Intelligible and Instructive to each other as Man's, I mean, in
those things which are Natural. Wherefore I cannot consent to what
your _Author_ says, _That Children are not endued with Reason at all,
till they have attained to the use of Speech_; for Reason is in those
Creatures which have not Speech, witness Horses, especially those which
are taught in the manage, and many other Animals. And as for the weak
understanding in Children, I have discoursed thereof in my Book of
Philosophy; The rest of this discourse, lest I tire you too much at
once, I shall reserve for the next, resting in the mean time,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend,_
_and Servant._
[1] _Leviathan, part._ 1. _c._ 4.