_MADAM,_
Your _Author_ relating how he dissents from the _false Doctrine_, as
he terms it, _of the Schools_, concerning the Elements, and their
Mixtures, Qualities, Temperaments, Discords, &c. in order to Diseases,
is pleased to say as follows:[1] _I have sufficiently demonstrated,
that there are not four Elements in Nature, and by consequence, if
there are onely three, that four cannot go together, or encounter; and
that the fruits which Antiquity hath believed to be mixt bodies, and
those composed from a concurrence of four elements, are materially of
one onely Element; also that those three Elements are naturally cold;
nor that native heat is any where in things, except from Light, Life,
Motion, and an altering Blas: In like manner, that all actual moisture
is of Water, but all virtual moisture from the property of the seeds:
Likewise, that dryness is by it self in the Air and Earth, but in
Fruits by reason of the Seeds and Coagulations; and that there are not
Contraries in Nature._ To give you my opinion hereof, first I think it
too great a presumption in any man, to feign himself so much above the
rest, as to accuse all others of ignorance, and that none but he alone
hath the true knowledg of all things as infallible and undeniable,
and that so many Learned, Wise and Ingenious Men in so many ages have
been blinded with errors; for certainly, no particular Creature in
Nature can have any exact or perfect knowledg of Natural things, and
therefore opinions cannot be infallible truths, although they may seem
probable; for how is it possible that a single finite Creature should
know the numberless varieties and hidden actions of Nature? Wherefore
your _Author_ cannot say, that he hath demonstrated any thing, which
could not be as much contradicted, and perhaps with more reason, then
he hath brought proofs and demonstrations: And thus when he speaks of
Elements, that there are not four in Nature, and that they cannot go
together, or encounter, it may be his opinion; but others have brought
as many reasons to the contrary, and I think with more probability; so
as it is unnecessary to make a tedious discourse thereof, and therefore
I'le refer you to those that have treated of it more learnedly and
solidly then I can do. But I perceive your _Author_ is much for Art,
and since he can make solid bodies liquid, and liquid bodies solid, he
believes that all bodies are composed out of the Element of Water, and
that Water therefore is the first Principle of all things; when as
Water, in my opinion, is but an Effect, as all other natural Creatures,
and therefore cannot be a cause or principle of them. Concerning the
_Natural coldness of Water, Air, and Earth,_ it may be, or not be so,
for any thing your _Author_ can truly know; but to my sense and reason,
it seems probable that there are things naturally hot and moist, and
hot and dry, as well as cold and moist, and cold and dry: But all these
are but several effects produced by the several actions of Natural
Matter, which Natural Matter is the onely Principle of all Natural
Effects and Creatures whatever; and this Principle, I am confident
your _Author_ can no more prove to be Water, then he can prove that
Heat, Light, Life, Motion, and _Blas_, are not material. Concerning
what he saith, That _Native Heat is no where in things, except from
Light, Life, Motion, and an altering Blas_: I believe that motion of
life makes not onely heat, but all effects whatsoever; but this native
heat is not produced onely from the motions of Particular lives in
particular Creatures, but it is made by the motions of Natures life;
which life, in all probability, is the self-moving Matter, which no
doubt, can and doth make Light and Blas without Heat, and Heat without
Light or Blas; Wherefore Light and Blas are not principles of native
Heat, no more then native Heat is the principle of Light and Blas.
Neither is Water the Principle of Actual moisture, nor the propriety
of seeds the Principle of all Virtual moisture; but self-moving Matter
is the Principle of all, and makes both actual and virtual moisture,
and there is no question but there are many sorts of moistures. As for
_Dryness_, which he says, _is by it self in the Air and Earth, and
in Fruits by reason of the Seeds and Coagulations_: I cannot conceive
how any thing can be by it self in Nature, by reason there is nothing
alone and single in Nature, but all are inseparable parts of one body:
perchance, he means, it is naturally and essentially inherent in Air
and Earth; but neither can that be in my reason, because all Creatures
and Effects of Nature are Intermixt, and there is as much dryness in
other Creatures, as in Air and Earth. Lastly, as for his opinion, That
_there are no Contraries in Nature_; I believe not in the essence
or nature of Matter; but sense and reason inform us, that there are
Contraries in Natures actions, which are Corporeal motions, which cause
mixtures, qualities, degrees, discords, as also harmonious conjunctions
and concords, compositions, divisions, and the like effects whatsoever.
But though your _Author_ seems to be an enemy to the mixtures of
Elements, yet he makes such a mixture of Divinity, and natural
Philosophy, that all his Philosophy is nothing but a meer Hotch-potch,
spoiling one with the other. And so I will leave it to those that
delight in it, resting,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend_
_and Servant._
[1] _In his Treatise called_, A passive deceiving of the Schools of the
Humourists.