_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._