A DISCOURSE Written to a LEARNED FRIAR, BY M. DES FOURNEILLIS; SHOWING, That the SYSTEME of M. DES CARTES, and particularly his Opinion concerning BRUTES, does contain nothing dangerous; and that all he hath written of both, seems to have been taken out of the First Chapter of GENESIS.  
To which is annexed the SYSTEME GENERAL Of the same CARTESIAN PHILOSOPHY.  
By Francis Bail, Dr. of Physic at Tholose.  
Englished out of French.  
LONDON, Printed, and are to be sold by Moses Pitt at the White Hart in Little Britain, 1670.   

A DISCOURSE  
Written to a Learned Friar, showing that the Systeme of M. Des Cartes, and particularly his Opinion concerning Brutes, does contain nothing dangerous; and that all he hath written of both, seems to have been taken out of the First Chapter of GENESIS.  
My Reverend Father,  
I Know very well, that Moses hath not written his Genesis with a design to explain to men the Secrets of Nature; but I do also know, that being inspired by God, as he was, he could say nothing about the production of the World, which is not true. And therefore I esteem, that to find the Principles of Natural Philosophy infallible, they are not to be sought but in that History which He hath given us of the Creation of the World; or at least, that we ought to esteem false whatever is said of Nature, when it cannot be reconciled with all the Circumstances of this History.  
Do not wonder therefore that I so often refer you to Genesis, and that I lay so much weight upon the Principles of Monsieur Des Cartes. Most of his Tenets are so conform to what Moses hath said, that it seems, he became a Philosopher only by the Reading of this Prophet. But that you may the more easily apprehend how great an agreement there is between that Sacred Writing and his Philosophy, I intent to expound unto you the first Chapter of Genesis literally; and you'll see, that in doing so, I shall discourse to you almost the same things which I told you last, when I explained to you the Principles of M. Des Cartes.  
The only difference you'll find is, that M. Des Cartes writeth things more particularly, and with a design to make them known what they are in themselves; whereas Moses writeth like an Historian, who discourseth of Nature only so far as was needful to make us admire the power of the Author thereof. Thus the one speaketh only of the principal things, and the other dives more into particulars; and yet all these particulars are clearly nothing else but a more ample explication, and a Sequel of those main things which Moses hath recited in so concise, so bold, and so true a manner.  
I told you the other day, that M. Des Cartes in the beginning of his Principles useth much reasoning to show, That there is a God: That all what is, is only by him: That he begun this great piece of Workmanship, which we call the World, by creating Bodies: That from that time he moved them, and that he still continues to move them. I also told you, that among so many differences, which the Figures may make between Bodies, M. Des Cartes takes notice of three principal ones; that he shows, there is a very great Number, of such as are round like little Balls; others, subtle enough to fill the spaces left by these Balls between themselves; and others again, whose irregular Figures do so entangle them one with another, that they may compose the greater Masses.  
I added, that examining the several changes, which the Matter or the Aggregate of all these Bodies may have suffered successively, M. Des Cartes showeth, that there may have been form many Masses of different bignesses, of a figure approaching to that of the Earth; above which he showeth, that there was to remain a number of particles, some like those which compose the Water, and others like those which compose the Fire: That this Aggregate of Earth, Water, and Air, was to be mixed, and surrounded with an almost infinite number of those little Bodies made in the form of Globules, and with these other subtler ones that were to fill up their intervals. And that, lastly, M. Des Cartes repeats often, that God entertains in a continual motion this subtle matter, which else could not be moved.  
Now all this, if you mark it, is nothing else, than to describe Philosophically and exactly (for the making out of the least circumstances of it) the same wonders which Moses hath described Historically in these few Lines; God created in the beginning Heaven and Earth. Now the Earth was void, and brought forth nothing, because it was covered with deep waters; Darkness was upon the face of this Abyss, and the Lord moved a subtle matter upon the Waters.  
He that shall well examine what the Prophet hath said, will find that 'tis the same thing which the Philosopher hath endeavoured to explain.  

The FIRST DAY.  
IF we shall follow the one in the progress of his Reasonings, and the other in the progress of his History; we may judge, that it is of Moses, that Des Cartes hath learned, that the Light was made before the Sun; at least it will appear, that this place of Genesis, which for so many ages hath perplexed men's spirits, is found happily cleared, according to the Letter, by the Principles of M. Des Cartes.  
Moses having showed that the Earth was infertile because of the Waters encompassing it, and the Celestial matter useless, because the motions of it were not regulated; he goes on to show, that God, who does nothing in vain, began, for the ordering of all these things, with the Creation of Light: He expresseth himself magnificently, as he is wont to do; and maketh the Almighty speak on this occasion in such a manner, which is capable all alone to persuade, that it is the Lord himself that made him speak thus.  
Behold his Expressions; And God said, Let there be Light, and there was Light. He adds, That God saw, his work was good; that he divided the Light from the Darkness; and that he gave the name of Day to the Light, and the name of Night to Darkness  
There is no man of good sense, who sees not, that Moses, having declared, that in the beginning God created Heaven & Earth, & that certain Bodies, subtle enough to be called Spirits, were carried to and fro, does signify, that all the Bodies were already created; and that God did maintain from that time in the whole mass of matter as much motion, as he conserveses in it now; and that what he hath made in all the following six days, was only to put those Bodies in order, and to regulate all their motions.  
So that, if speaking like an Historian, Moses hath marked out the first day of this admirable Contrivance by the formation of Light, this signifies only to us, that God disposed the Bodies, as they ought to be, to produce this wonderful effect; which was sufficient for an Historian; but the Philosopher was to make it out, how these Bodies were to be disposed for that purpose.  
Wherefore choosing from among all the Figures those, which might be most proper for the little Bodies which cause Light, and seeing that those, which he had described as Globules, being moved in a certain manner, would be satisfactory to all that is known of the Rays which are made by the Light; M. Des Cartes hath supposed, that there were form divers Vortexes or Whirlpools of these little round Bodies, and that many of them turning round about one and the same Centre, a part of the matter, which fills up their intervals, was gathered towards the Centre, whence it did propel the Globules which surrounded it; so that this pressure of the Globules made Light in all those places, where was found a sufficient conflux and heap of subtle matter.  
But he adds, that as in this beginning there was not yet a great plenty of these more subtle parts in the Centres of the Whirlpools, the action, which pressed the Globules, did not reach far; so that the places, which its effect could not reach to, remained in darkness, whilst the other were already enlightened: which agreeth admirably with the effect, which Moses ascribeth to the first Word of the Lord, which did separate the Light from the Darkness, from the time it began to form it: From thence also we may say, according to Genesis, that the Night was where the Darkness had remained; and the Day, where the Light had begun.  
You will observe, that by the Word Light, we are here to understand nothing else but that, which is the cause, that the Bodies, called Luminous, excite in us the sentiment,, which makes us perceive them, and not the sentiment itself.  
Men do often confound these two things, and 'tis certainly from thence that all the doubts proceed that are met with on this Subject. But me thinks, that in what Moses hath written of Light, 'tis evident, that he would only speak of what is found on the part of the Bodies, and not of the Effect which it produceth in such Subjects as are capable to have the sense of it; since it is certain, according to Moses, that when that, which is called Light, was created, there was yet none of the other Creatures which are esteemed capable to perceive it.  
I desire you to observe by the by another thing, which is; That this sentiment, which we have from Luminous Bodies, is in such a manner on the part of our Soul, and hath such a necessary respect to the motion of certain parts of our Brain, that very often, without the excitation of the nerves of our Eyes by any Luminous body, we have the sense of Light. Thus in Dreams, the fortuitous course of the Spirits moving those parts of our Brain, the agitation whereof is designed to excite in us that sentiment, maketh us clearly see Objects that are not present: And by the same reason those, who marching in a very obscure place hurt their head against the Wall, are subject to see a thousand Fires; whence we are to conclude, that those motions of the Brain which have nothing that resembleth the thoughts which arise in the Soul on their occasion, may be excited by other Bodies than those we call Luminous. But it was very proper, not to give this name but to Bodies, whose figure and motion were so proportionate to the fineness and tenderness of our Eyes, that their nerves might be moved by them without pain, and without danger to the other parts of our Body. Wherein, me thinks, M. Des Cartes hath succeeded admirably well; it being not possible to assign to Luminous Bodies a fitter Figure than that which he hath given them, nor a motion more convenient, than that which he hath ascribed to them.   

The SECOND DAY.  
MOses relating what passed the Second Day, for the formation of the Firmament, expresseth himself in these terms; God said, let the Firmament be in the midst of the Waters, and let it separate the one from the other. He adds, that the Firmament was presently made, and the Waters were separated from the Waters, so that there were some of them above and some under the Firmament, which he called Heaven.  
To understand how the Waters were separated one from the other by the formation of the Firmament, according to the sentiment of M. Des Cartes, we shall need only to relate what he teacheth of the Waters and of the Firmament.  
Those who have read what he hath written thereof, do know, that after he had considered all the effects of Water, he conceived that the particles, which compose it, must be smooth, long and pliant; and that by this supposition alone he hath rendered a reason of all what is observed in Water, whether it be running, or whether it enlarge itself in a Vessel, or whether we see it in drops, or in the form of a Scum, or whether it rise in Vapours, or whether, remaining without motion, it appear in Ice or Snow.  
We know also, that he supposeth, that there hath been a great number of these particles very smooth and very pliant, mingled with other bodies, a great part of which had figures so embarassing, that their Aggregate could form no other but hard Masses.  
Lastly, We know, that he supposeth these last particles have been the matter of many Masses almost like the Earth; and forasmuch as these Masses could not be very solid & very hard, but by an extreme pressing of the Branchy particles which compose them, it is evident, that the particles of water which were mixed therewith, were driven out of it, and that so the surfaces of those great Masses were to be altogether covered with it.  
This being supposed, it is now to be observed, that, according to M. Des Cartes, the formation of the Firmament is nothing else but a perfect disposition and ranging of all the Whirlpools, of which I have already spoken in the Subject of Light: Their number is so great, and the space they fill so vast, that the word Firmament, according to the truest interpretation, signifieth a vast extension. There is nothing that deserveth more this name, than their Aggregate. But as we ought to mark the time of the formation of every thing, only from the moment which giveth it its perfection; M. Des Cartes having supposed, that the Aggregate of all the whirlpools was not yet well ordered, when the Light began, nor their motion very free, doth mark the time of the formation of the Firmament, then only, when they were so well adjusted, that the Ecliptic of the one answering to the Poles of the other, they began to move among themselves with a motion altogether free, and so proportioned, that not any one received a Let from all those, which encompassed it.  
'Tis at this instant, that, according to Des Cartes' Hypothesis, the Masses, which were in the same Vortex, where the Earth was, began to be separated from it by the matter of that Vortex, which insinuated itself betwixt them, and which kept them more or less distant from the Centre, according to the difference of their grossness or solidity. Now, as we have noted, that they were all covered with their Waters, and that the matter of the Vortexes (which, according to this Doctrine, is the matter of the Firmament) separated them from the Earth, it was true to say, following the same Doctrine as well as that of Genesis, that the Waters were severed from the Waters, by the formation of the Firmament.  
Thus M. Des Cartes, who seems always to follow Moses, disposeth the Waters so, that they are some above, and some under the Firmament. For we know, that what the Prophet calls in this place Under, is the Earth we inhabit; and all that is severed from it by the Celestial matter, may be said, in respect of us, to be above the Firmament.  
I do not explain this more at large, nor do I examine, how well these different Conservatories of Waters, which M. Des Cartes placeth in several parts of Heaven, do represent those Cataracts, whence the Lord drew forth, at the time of his wrath, what served to overwhelm the Earth.  
Neither do I make reflection upon the Changes, which have happened to the Earth by this super-abundance of Waters. This is perhaps the cause of the Clouds, Rains, and the first apparition of that admirable Phaenomenon, which the Lord made use of to secure Noah against the apprehensions of a new Deluge, when he promised him to shut up for ever those Cataracts, which he had opened for his vengeance; but this would carry us too far.   

The THIRD DAY.  
THe Third Day Moses observeth, that, the Waters covering the Globe of the Earth, it was convenient to gather them together into certain places, to the end that the other parts thereof remaining discovered, the Earth might produce Herbs, Plants and Trees of all kinds. He saith, that the same word, which had operated the wonders of the precedent days, wrought that also. To which he adds, that what appeared dry, was called Earth, and the collection of the Waters, Sea.  
Now it is evident, that if the Earth had remained perfectly round, the waters could not have been gathered into places, to leave others dry. We must therefore believe, that the same day, which saw the separation of the Waters from the Earth, saw also the formation of the Hills, and that certain parts of the Earth being raised above others, left Valleys betwixt them for Beds to the waters, and Cavities under their Elevations, to receive a quantity of water, approaching to that which should appear no more. 'Tis thus, that M. Des Cartes explicateth the matter. He declareth also, how the Earth was enabled to produce herbs, plants and trees, and how the different Juices, which run within the bosom of the Earth insinuate themselves into several Seeds, whose pores are adapted to their figure.  
I desire you in this place to observe, that Moses saith not, that God made any Soul for Plants; he only saith, that the Earth, rendered fertile by the word of the Lord, did produce them. But those Philosophers who have always had recourse to Souls, when they would explicate the effects of certain Organical Bodies, of which they could not discover the Springs, have given one to every Plant. They have believed, that it was impossible, to give an account of Vegetation without it. But M. Des Cartes, without adding any thing to the Scripture, where Moses speaketh of Plants, of their Seeds, of their increase and fruit without speaking of any Soul, hath believed, there needed none to be supposed to give a reason of their Nutrition; and he hath so clearly showed, that Vegetation is performed by the local motion of the parts which come in afresh, and by the fitness of their figure to the pores of that plant, which they are proper to increase, that I think I may assure, that there is none, how little soever accustomed to Ratiocination, but will acknowledge, after he hath examined what he saith on this Subject, that there remains not the least probability to maintain, that Plants have Souls.  
Yet you know, that there are yet some who will defend, that there are Vegetative Souls. But what, I pray, can authorise them? Not Reason surely. That tells us all, that things ought not to be multiplied without necessity; and since we do manifestly see, that Figure and Motion may be the entire cause of Vegetation, we ought not to no purpose have recourse to Souls. Nor can it be the Authority either of Man, or of the H. Scripture; for that of Man cannot be considerable against the evidence of natural Notions, and against the Experiments by which this Error is convinced. As to that of Sacred Writ, it is manifest, that that is not on their side, and nothing appears there that may come near to what they would attribute to Plants, viz. a Vegetative Soul.   

The FOURTH DAY.  
THe Fourth Word did form two great Luminaries in the Firmament, to divide perfectly the Day from the Night, and to mark the difference of Days, Seasons and Years. The same Word form also the Stars, according to the History of Moses.  
M. Des Cartes explaining this as a Naturalist, saith, that the several Vortexes, which had been form of all the Celestial matter, having been adapted to one another, as was most convenient for the continuation of their motions, there flowed so much of the most subtle matter towards the Centre of each of them, by the pressure of the Globules, which tended to recede from it, that at length each of the Whirlpools came to have in his middle so great a quantity of this matter, that it was able to propel the globules to the extremities ' of the Whirlpool, and by this action to form such Rays, as those are, whose force makes us see the shining Sun.  
He adds, that this subtle matter, gathered at the Centre of each Vortex, may have force enough to thrust the Globules of the Neighbouring Vortexes, and to make there its action sensible. So that, according to this Author, the shining collection of subtle matter, which was made in the Centre of this Vortex wherein was the Earth, was, in respect of it, the greatest Luminary, that is, the Sun: Those that were made in the other Vortexes, were Stars; and that of all the great Masses, which was found nearest, and most disposed to propel towards it the Light of the Sun, was the lesser Luminary, that is, the Moon. I shall say no more of it; and 'tis so well known, that the difference of Days, Nights and Seasons comes from the different situation, wherein the Earth, the Sun & other Stars are found, that I should be tedious to repeat here what M. Des Cartes hath written on this Subject.   

The FIFTH & six DAY.  
THe Fifth Day God said; Let the Waters produce the Moving Creature that hath a living Soul, and Fowl that fly above the Earth. And the Sixth Day he said, Let the Earth bring forth the Living Creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping things, and Beasts of the Earth. I do not add the rest; for it is enough to say, that God would have it so, to let men know, that it was so.  
This Place teaching us, that if it may be said, that Fish and the other Brute Animals have Souls, these Souls are produced by the Waters and the Earth; M. Des Cartes had reason to believe, that what is here called Soul, is nothing else but little Bodies so adjusted to the Organs of Fishes and other Brutes, that they make them live, move and grow.  
He hath admirably explained upon this Subject the Circulation of the Blood; the manner how it is heated in the Heart; how it runs into the Arteries, whose different pores let out the particles, which their figure maketh fit for the nourishment of the Members; and how the finest parts of all extricate themselves from the rest, to go to the Brain, whence they are distributed into Muscles, where they serve for the motion of the whole Body.  
He doth give such an accurate account of all these things only by the figure and the motion of the little Bodies, and the disposition of the Organs, that there can remain no doubt of them. And that it may not seem a wonder, what he saith of the heat of the Blood, which he maketh the chief Spring of all those Functions, commonly called Vital and Animal, he proves, that they must necessarily be performed by Bodies, without the need of any Soul; adding to his Reasons the example of certain Liquors, which are cold to the touch when they are asunder, but grow presently hot, even to a degree of ebullition, when they are blended together. As this effervescence happens to Liquors, which are not so much as suspected to have Souls, M. Des Cartes hath, me thinks, advanced nothing but what is rational, when he saith, That the heat of the Blood, joined to the disposition and the dependence of the Organs, is able without a Soul to cause the nutrition and motion of Brutes.  
Me thinks also, that he had reason, since, what the Vulgar Translation calls a Living Soul, was produced by the Waters and the Earth, to believe, that this kind of Souls were only Bodies. And indeed there are so many places, whereby we may know, that this was the meaning of Moses, that 'tis a wonder to me to find men still doubting thereof.  
I should tyre you to recite them all to you; let me only desire you to reflect a little on Leu. 17. 11. where you will plainly find what it is that enlivens Flesh and Beasts; The Soul of all Flesh is in the Blood. The same saith M. Des Cartes. But Deut. 12. 23. Moses expresseth himself yet more clearly, to make us understand, that Beasts have no other Souls than the Blood: Only be sure that thou eat not the Blood: for the Blood is the Soul. And that it might be yet more understood, he adds; And therefore thou mayst not eat the Soul, but shalt pour it upon the Earth as water. Is there not then all the reason in the world, that those Souls, which the earth produceth, which may be eaten, and poured out upon the earth as water, should be counted among Bodies?  
I grant indeed, that the blood, when it is heated, is exhaled in very subtle parts, and that these fine parts are those, which do nourish and move. But how subtle soever they be, they are Bodies, and they have nothing more of spiritual in them, than flame, composed of parts yet more subtle, which yet never any man was so unadvised as to call spiritual.  
I wonder for my part, that those who have given Souls to all that is nourished, have given none to a Flame, which converts into it all the bodies it lays hold on. And (what is more) I wonder, how men could come to attribute to Souls the cause of Nutrition and Motion, whereas we see nothing but Body that is capable to be moved, and that Nutrition is nothing else but an addition of Bodies to Bodies. But without insisting so much upon Ratiocination, is it not visible, that Moses (who certainly ought to be believed) acknowledges no other thing for the cause of the motion and nutrition of Beasts, but the blood? I think not, that any man, who considers it, will contend about it any longer.  
But that you may the better know the force of all these passages, which hitherto I have only taken according to the Vulgar Translation, and which, according to this version, leave no difficulty, although the word Soul have been there employed; I shall now make use of a means, which will prevail upon your spirit, and better persuade you than any other.  
You know more than one Language; and among others you know the Hebrew, which I understand not. I shall tell you then, that a while ago, reflecting on that place of Scripture, where is described the work of the Fifth, and that of the Sixth Day, there appeared to me so great a difference betwixt the manner, in which the formation of Brutes, and that of Man was made, that I believed, what word soever was used in the Vulgar, there must be used very differing Expressions in the Hebrew.  
I saw, that the Vulgar said, that the Beasts have a Living Soul, and that the same Translation used the same word to signify the Life of Man: But I found withal, that besides that living Soul, which the Vulgar gives to Man, as it doth to Brutes, 'tis added, that Man was made to the Image of his Maker, whom I knew to be a pure Spirit. Whence I concluded, that since this Resemblance could not be drawn from the Body, the Creator having none, it must needs be taken from something of a superior order, and, in a word, from the Spirit. To this I added, what the Vulgar expresseth, speaking of Man in the Second Chap. of Gen. Where I saw, that the Lord, who had made him a living Creature, as the Beasts, had breathed into him something which Beasts had not, and which, me thought, should be in him the Principle of a Life altogether different from theirs, and the cause of that advantageous resemblance, which he was to have with his Maker.  
All these things did already sway much with me for the advantage of Man; but believing that I might yet better discover the sense of those places, by getting the Interpretation of the Hebrew, I consulted Monsieur de Compiegne, who is known to be the ablest we have in this Language. I prayed him to give me the Version of the first and second Chapter of Genesis; and in this Version I found the full proof of what I always thought, and of what M. Des Cartes had written on this Subject. For I saw, that in the place, which speaks of the Production of Fishes and other Brutes, where the Vulgar saith, Let the Waters and the Earth bring forth Living Souls, my Interpreter said, Let the Earth and the Water produce Living Individuals: which carrieth with it a very good sense, and expresseth the thing in a far more conceivable manner: For, it is very intelligible, that the Earth and Waters have produced living Individuals, that is, that they have been so fitted and disposed by the Almighty hand of the Lord, as to form Organical Bodies, which being fit for Nutrition and Motion (in which consists all the Life of Bodies) were to be called Living; but forasmuch as they could not be divided without being quite destroyed, were to be called Individuals.  
Secondly, I see in the place which speaks of the formation of Man, that not only he was form out of the Earth by the hands of the Lord, and that thereby he was become a Living Individual, as Beasts are; but above that, I see, that besides this Individual or Body Organick, which maketh him feed & move like Beasts, he hath received another thing, which my Interpreter calls men's, and which I call Spirit, or Thought.  
So that, as there is nothing spoken of a Soul for Plants in the Vulgar (as I have already observed) so there is neither in the Hebrew for Brutus'. Neither is it said, that Brutes have Sense, (which I also desire you to note) but this only is said, that they have Life and Motion. And because this Life and this Motion do depend upon the disposition and correspondence of many Organs, the Division of which would hinder the effect; Moses, to signify this Aggregate by one word, useth that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth Individual.  
But that, which we ought to consider above all, is, what the same sacred Writer so well declareth; That Man hath a Body organised as Brutes have, and that this Body liveth by the same Principles which give life to Brutes; that having said, that the Individuum of every Beast was produced by the Waters and the Earth, he saith, that that of Man was also produced of the Earth. And to make us understand, that this dust of the earth, which before was divisible without danger, was so disposed that it became an Individual, as every one of the other living bodies; he expresseth himself by the same word he used speaking of Beasts; and at the same time adds, that the Lord inspired into this living Individual, of which he would make a man, that which he expresseth by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, a Spirit, or Thought.  
This seems to me so strong, that I think there can remain no more scruple about this point, viz. what we are to believe henceforth of Brutes and of Man. Moses hath given us clearly to understand, that Brutes live and move, because the Blood and the contrivance of their Organs maketh of each of them an Individual Body, which remains fit for those two effects, as long as that contrivance lasts: And why should we attribute any other thing to them but this individual body, by which an account can be given of their Life and Motion?  
But then, Moses saith not, that they have Sense. Why should we devise, that they have any? Or, at least, what danger is there to assert, that they have none?  
Lastly, this Man, inspired by God, teacheth us, that the Brutes have nothing but what a Body may have, and that we have a body as they. But he adds, that we have besides a Spirit; or, if you will, a Soul, which we know is alone capable of having sense, of judging, of willing, and of all the other ways of thinking. Why then should we not assert, that the brute Animals have nothing but Body, and that they have no sentiment? And why should we not affirm, that besides a body, like unto that which they have, (which maketh us not resemble our Maker) we have a Soul, which giveth us that admirable advantage to resemble him as much as a Creature is capable to do?  
If after all this you shall still tell me, that the opinion of M. Des Cartes is dangerous, in that it maketh Brutes live and move without a soul; I shall answer you, that then the History of Moses is dangerous, forasmuch as it teacheth us the same thing.  
But if, after you have seen, how well Moses doth separate that in Man, which maketh him live and move, from that which maketh him think, you shall examine, how the Creed of S. Athanasius, which we read every day as the Symbol of our Faith, defineth Man, you'll see, that he saith, that the Flesh, and the Rational Soul make all what he is: To which he adds, that, as these two substances, how different soever they be, constitute but one man; so God and Man make but one and the same Christ. But as in our Lord Jesus Christ it is not allowed, whatever the Union of his two Natures be, to confound them so, as to attribute to the one what comes from the other; so there is always great danger to confound in Man the two Substances which do compose him, and the Functions which depend from each of them.  
Those that give to the Body sentiment or other perceptions, which cannot belong but to the Soul, are subject to believe, that Man, as a Beast, hath nothing but Body. On the other hand, those who think, that the Soul is that which causeth Nutrition and Motion in Man, are liable to believe, that the Beasts, which feed and move, have a Soul as Man hath; and when there is no other difference betwixt Souls than that of more or less, there is an Axiom, which saying, That more or less changeth not the Essence, maketh, that Men will soon accustom themselves to believe, that if all perisheth in Beasts by death, there remains also nothing in Man, when he hath lost his Life.  
As for me, I doubt not at all, but what hath been said of Vegetative and Sensitive Souls, which are attributed to Plants and to Beasts, hath made impious men believe, that those which are given to men, may be of the same nature.  
If my Discourse were not too prolix already, I could explain to you the most wonderful operations of Brutes by the sole Construction of their Organs, as all the operations of a Watch are made out to you by the contrivance of its parts; and show you, that there is no difference betwixt Artificial and Natural Engines, but in this, that the Author of Nature is a far more excellent Artist than Men are, and that he hath known to apply such parts to one another, as are much subtler and much nimbler than those are of which we commonly compose our Machine's. I could alse demonstrate to you, that there is nothing known to us in Brutes, even in the Ape itself, which may not be explicated from Bodies; and that in Man there are Thoughts, which all the diversities imaginable in Figures and Motions cannot give an account of. But I should exceed the Bounds I have prescribed to myself, and it sufficeth me to have showed you, that M. Des Cartes hath always followed Moses, to make you aver, that his Philosophy contains nothing dangerous.  
Mean time I shall acknowledge, that the formation of the World according to M. Des Cartes, seems to have something different from that of Moses. But when you shall have considered the Design of the Prophet, and also that of the Philosopher, you will confess that this difference ought not to make us say, that they have receded from one another.  
Moses hath delivered the thing as 'twas done. He saith, that God created the Earth, the Waters, the Celestial Parts, than the Light, and the rest; so that, when the Sun was created, the Earth was already enriched with Fruits, and adorned with Flowers. Whereas M. Des Cartes maketh the Sun the Cause, not only of the Fruits, and Flowers, but also of the gathering together of many inward parts of the Earth. The same also maketh the Earth to have been form a long time after the Sun, although the Scripture noteth, that it was created before.  
But here we are to take notice of 2 things: The one is, that M. Des Cartes hath said himself, that his Hypothesis was false in this, that he supposeth that the formation of each Being is made successiuly; assuring, that this way not being so proper for God, we are to believe, that his Omnipotency hath put every thing in the most perfect condition it could be in, from the first moment of its production.  
The other is, that M. Des Cartes was, like a Philosopher, to explicate only the reason, why things are conserved as they are, and the different effects we now admire in Nature. Now, as 'tis certain, that things are naturally conserved by the same means which hath produced them; so it was necessary for to find, whether the Laws, which he supposeth Nature follows to conserve herself, are true, that he should examine, whether the same Laws could have disposed it as now it is: And finding, that according to the History of Moses itself, although the Sun was form after the Earth, it is yet by the Sun, that God conserveth the Earth as now it is, the heat thereof being cause of all the Productions and Changes therein; M. Des Cartes was to show, that this same Sun could have put it into that state we now find it in, if the great Creator had not put it there in an instant by his Omnipotent power.  
'Tis true indeed, that the manner, in which M. Des Cartes describeth, that the Sun hath disposed the Earth, is successive, which he acknowledgeth (as I have already noted) to be not so suitable to God in producing things: But however, as that which God doth in conserving the World, is successive, and must be so, that every thing may have a certain duration; it was proper for our Philosopher to examine, whether the Principles which he laid down to give an account of the duration of all Natural Being's, could have produced them by succession of time; which he hath done with an exactness, which seems to me incomparable. And so M. Des Cartes hath therein done nothing, contrary to the Design of Moses.  
Moses knew, that 'tis by the Sun that God conserveth the Earth and the Natural Being's, those at lest which are nearest unto us; but lest it should be thought, that that Luminary was the cause of all, he would have us know, that Light, which depends most of all from the Sun, was made before the Sun. And this was necessary to give notice of to those who were to know these Wonders, that God hath wrought them all by his sole will; and if he conserveth them now with a kind of mutual Dependency, yet they do not owe their Being nor their Conservation to one another, but to God alone.  
M. Des Cartes on his part, being to explain that correspondence, which God hath put between the things of Nature, and being to give an account by the Sun of all that is done in that part of the World which is most known to men, could not better declare to us, how well the Sun is fitted and disposed by the First Power to maintain the natural state of all we see, than by showing, that, following this same disposition, the Sun could have in progress of time put our World into the condition 'tis in, if it had not been more proper to form all the Creatures in an Order altogether contrary to that, which was required by the dependence that now is between them, and to produce each Being in a way, which might show, that as the Author of the World had need of nothing to make all things, so he needed no time to bring forth any of the things we admire.  
Lastly, If you consider, that that Wisdom, which put the first Man into his most perfect state from the first moment of his Production, did subject his Conservation to the same Laws, from which he hath made to depend the formation of those that are born of him, and that, for the right knowledge of the Nature of Man, it would be much more proper to examine the different Changes, which happen in the Seed from the time of Conception, unto the Birth of those that are generated, than to examine the miraculous formation of him, whom Omnipotency finished in beginning him; you will doubtless find, that for the well knowing, whether what is taught of the Laws, which conserve the order of Nature, be true, there is no better way, than to consider, whether those Laws could have produced the same.  
I will not examine here, whether what is commonly believed of the stability of the Earth, is better explicated by the Hypothesis of M. Des Cartes, than by those which have preceded him.  
Neither shall I examine, whether it be more true than others; himself hath said (as I have already noted) that it may be false. And certainly among an Infinity of ways, which God may use to make one and the same thing, it is difficult to assure, which that is he hath taken actually. But me thinks, that Men have reason to be content, when they have found one of them, which can give an account of all the Phaenomena, and is not contrary to what the H. Scripture and the Church propose to us. M. Des Cartes hath been so shy to advance any thing not conform to what they declare to us, that he hath expressly submitted to the one, what he seems to have wholly taken out of the other.  
Thus whosoever shall read his Writings with the same Spirit, wherein he wrote them, will not be in any danger of being deceived, and will be always ready to acknowledge his Errors, as soon as those that are to direct his Belief shall make him understand them. As for me, I am persuaded, that if we should condemn what M. Des Cartes hath written touching the manner in which the several Aspects of the Sun & the Earth are made, and that upon judging, it would not be a sufficient stability for the Earth, to remain always at rest in the midst of all the Celestial matter, which is found between the Body of the Moon and it, we should come to determine, that the Circle which M. Des Cartes makes all that matter run through in 1. year about the Sun, is contrary to what we ought to believe of the rest of the Earth; his greatest Followers, imitating his submission, would submit themselves first of all. For in short, as they know by evident Demonstrations, not only that 'tis God that is the Cause of the motion in the least portion of the Matter, but also that it is his Omnipotent hand which directs ordereth it throughout; it would be much more easy for them than others, to conceive, that the same Hand can direct the Motions of the Sun, and of all the Celestial Matter about the Earth, so as it should not receive the least shaking from it.  
For the rest, I think I cannot repeat too often, that M. Des Cartes hath not pretended, that his Hypothesis was true in all, and hath even acknowledged, that it was not so in certain things. But once more, I esteem, he had reason to think, that it was allowable for Men to make suppositions, and that they were all receivable, so they did satisfy all the Appearances, and were not contrary to Religion.  
You'll find in some of his Letters, that he took much pains, when he was about to advance certain Propositions, to know, whether they had been condemned. It is by the Motives of this discreet apprehension, that he dedicated his Meditations to the Doctors of the Sorbon. And in short, it appears in his whole Conduct, that he would not for all the knowledge and Honour of the World, run the hazard of an Anathema. I must tell you also, that I think I know some of the best Wits, which are much addicted to his Tenets; and I know not one of them, that would not abandon them, if they had been condemned. I doubt, whether the same would be done by those that follow Aristotle, if his Opinions should be condemned anew: I say anew, because you know, that they have been so by the Laws, and even by a Council: And yet, although nothing have been changed since in the Canons about it, many think they may follow him notwithstanding. My chief Design is not to blame Aristotle; I intent only to justify M. Des Cartes, and I think I have done it sufficiently, I am,  
Reverend Father, Your Humble and Obedient Servant, Des FOURNEILLIS. At Paris, Nou. 6. 1669.    

THE GENERAL SYSTEME OF THE CARTESIAN PHILOSOPHY:  
By Francois bail, Dr. of Physic at Tholose.  
Englished out of French.  
LONDON, Printed, and are to be sold by Moses Pitt at the White Hart in Little Britain, 1670.   

A TABLE of the HEAD'S of this SYSTEME.  

I. OF Metaphysics.  
II. Of Logic.  
III. Of Physiology, in general.  
IV. Of the Productions in the Bowels of the Earth.  
V. Of Meteors.  
VI Of Sensible Qualities.  
VII. Of Plants.  
VIII. Of Animals.  
IX. Of Man.  
X. Of the Passions.  
XI. Of Morals, and the Sovereign Good of Nature.    

THE GENERAL SYSTEME OF THE CARTESIAN PHILOSOPHY.  

Of METAPHYSICS.  
HE that will have a Metaphysical certainty of the Existence of things, may with reason, and even ought to call in question all which the Senses represent to us, because they do ordinarily deceive us: But whilst he doubts of the existence of the Objects of the Senses, he cannot possibly doubt that he or that part of himself, we call Soul, which doubteth and thinketh, exists.  
And because Thinking alone maketh the Soul know its existence, she is convinced, that she is a Substance, whose Essence or Nature is to Think, and nothing else; and consequently that she thinks always. Whence it also follows, that the Soul is more assured of her Existence, than of that of any other thing, and that she knows herself better than any other thing, since she cannot discover any propriety of it, but she must discover in herself a new one, that is, the faculty or propriety to know it.  
If the Soul makes reflection upon the Idaea's or Conceptions she hath, she will find one of them, which represents to her a Being infinitely perfect, which is God. And observing that this Idea contains by representation an Infinity of Perfections, she will be constrained to acknowledge, that this Idea could not be in her, if this infinitely perfect Being, which she represents, had not lodged it there, and consequently, that this Being, which is God, exists.  
And because this very same Idea contains the external Existence of this infinitely perfect Being, which she represents, the Soul is obliged, by a new conviction to avow, that Existence belongs to the Essence of God, and by consequence, that he exists necessarily.  
Lastly, Forasmuch as the Soul knows, that there is not any necessity for her to exist to day because she did exist yesterday, she is thence convinced, that she needs to be conserved: and because Conservation is nothing but a continual Production, she must needs confess, that God, to whom alone belongs this Production, exists, and that 'tis in vain here to have recourse to a progress in infinitum, because the matter in question is the present Conservation, the first cause of which must exist.  
The Idea we have of God, whereby we apprehend him to be a Being sovereignly perfect, although it be not complete, because it comprehends not explicitly all that is intelligible of him, yet it is very clear, and very distinct, because it clearly shows us his whole Nature; just as we say, that a man knows the whole Nature of a Triangle, when he knows a Superficies bounded by three Lines; although he do not know many of its Proprieties, which perhaps will never be all known to the best Geometers.  
Being most assured, that there is a God, and his Nature being such, that he cannot deceive us, we are certain, that we shall never err in things we know clearly and distinctly. Wherefore having clear and distinct Idaea's of the Corporeal Nature, or of Substance in general, and also in particular of some Bodies which present themselves daily to our mind by the Senses; and knowing besides, that we are not the Causes of those Idaea's, since we often have them against our will; we must necessarily conclude, that they are excited in us by sensible Being's that are without us and actually exist in the World; and that these Being's are really distinct from the Soul, because that her Nature is altogether different from theirs; whence it follows that she is Immortal.  
And because the Ideas, which we have of things corporeal, are often different, we have cause to believe, that the Being's which produce them, are different also. And because these Idaea's are sometimes renewed, after they have ceased to be for some time, and that we have no reason to believe, that a thing which is once, should be annihilated, we are obliged to hold that there are Being's, which last even when they are not felt; and this is the only means we have to assure our selves of the existence of the Number and Duration of Sensible Being's.  
We are not only assured of the Existence of Bodies, but also, that there is one, which is more properly ours than all others, because it accompanies us every where, and the Motions made therein excite some Thoughts in our Soul, and the Thoughts of our Soul produce reciprocally some Motions in the Body. Which convinceth us of the Union there is between the Soul and the Body, which consists not only in their mutual presence, but in a true mode, which in its nature is such, that we cannot comprehend it by our Understanding, nor by our Imagination; but we infer it only by the Experiments of the Senses.  
Our Errors proceed from the ill use of our Freedom, in that our Will being in some manner of a vaster extent than our Understanding, we do not contain that within the Bounds of this, but we either judge of things we do not clearly conceive, or we judge of them otherwise than we conceive them. For it belongs to the Understanding alone, to conceive or to represent Objects simply, whereas the Judgement and all other determination is an Act of the Will.  
The chief perfection of Man consists in the good use of his Freedom, and in never judging otherwise of things than he conceives them; which is so proper to every one, that even those who have their Understanding less enlightened, may altogether possess this perfection, forasmuch as 'tis always in their power to suspend their Judgement, that is, to keep themselves from asserting or from denying a thing, of which they have not clear and distinct Idaea's: which is to be understood of those only that belong to the Instruction of the Mind; for very often we ought not to look for evidence in things which concern the Conduct of our Life, and less in those which pertain to Religion, because knowing evidently, that God cannot deceive us, and that there are infinite things in him, which are above the reach of our Spirit, his Authority ought to produce in us a certainty, which surpasseth that of the greatest Evidence.  
We may distinguish three degrees in each sense. In the first, we are to consider nothing but the Motion, which the external Objects do immediately cause in the corporeal Organ; and 'tis this alone, we have common with Brutes. The second contains all that results immediately in our Mind, because it is united to the Corporeal Organ, moved and disposed by those Objects: Such are the Sentiments of Heat, of Titillation, etc. And this is all we ought to refer to Sense, if we will exactly distinguish it from the Understanding. The third comprehends all the Judgements, which we have been accustomed to make from our Infancy concerning things that are about us, upon the occasion of the Impressions, that are made in the Organs of our Senses; and 'tis in these Judgements, that our principal Errors do consist; so that when we say that the certainty of our Understanding is greater than that of our Senses, we mean nothing else, than that the judgements we form in a riper age, by reason of some new Observations we have made, are more certain than those, we have form from our Infancy, without having reflected on them.   

Of LOGIC.  
IT cannot be said, that the Precepts which are commonly taught in Schools, are to be altogether rejected or despised, since they are established upon very good Reasons; nor that a great number of Questions, which are treated therein, and which at first sight appear odd enough, are of no use. For although it be not valuable, to know the truths which they explain, yet the difficulty there is in examining them exerciseth the Mind, and renders it more able to penetrate and to clear up the Difficulties which are met with in weighty matters; provided, Men use this Caution, that by too much applying the Mind to those things which subsist no otherwise than in an Idea, they be not taken for real Being's, and such as do exist without the Understanding.  
Thus Geometricians make themselves capable, promptly to explicate the most difficult Problems in those matters which are of use in the life of Man, by exercising themselves in the most knotty and the most abstract Questions of Algebra, and by making Magical Squares and other things, which are of no use in themselves.  
But, to speak precisely, no man of good sense, that acts candidly, and labours only to find out Truth, either alone or jointly with others, without any design of deceiving them, and without any ground of fearing to be deceived himself by any Sophism, needs any other Precepts of Logic, but these four ensuing.  
The first is, never to receive any thing for true, which is not evidently known to be such, that is, never to take in more into our Judgements, than what presents itself so clearly and so distinctly, that we cannot at all doubt thereof.  
The second, to divide each of the difficulties, which we discuss into as many small parts as is possible, and necessary for examining them the better.  
The third, orderly to conduct our Thoughts, by beginning with the most simple and the most easily knowable Objects, and so by degrees to ascend to the knowledge of the more compounded.  
The fourth, to make throughout such complete Enumerations, and such universal Reviews, that we be assured, we omit nothing.   

Of NATURAL PHILOSOPHY.  
Of the Systeme of the World, and the Causes of the Disposition and Order of the most considerable parts thereof.  
THE extension into length, breadth and thickness, is that, we call Body or First Matter; and whosoever shall attentively consider the Idea he hath of this Matter, will be convinced, that a Vacuum is impossible; that Rarefaction is made only by the acquisition of some new Matter, and Condensation by the loss of some other; that the interior place of a Body is not different from that Body; that the World is indefinite; that 'tis repugnant, there be more Worlds than one, although there may be many Bodies that may be inhabited as our Earth is; that the Matter of the Heavens and that of things Sublunary are of the same kind; Lastly, that a Cubique Foot of Lead holds not more Matter than a Cubique Foot of Cork.  
Divisibility, Figure, and Impenetrability are the Essential Proprieties of Matter. Motion, Light, Colours, etc. are its common Accidents. That which Philophers call the Quantity of a Body, is not the extension of that Body precisely, but its Extension as such, that is, forasmuch as it may be measured by such and such a number of Feet, Fathoms, or the like measure.  
Divisibility is the most fertile of all the proprieties of Matter; 'tis from thence, that the several Magnitudes and Figures of her parts are derived; and from the different disposition of these do proceed all the different Being's, which make up the World. The Matter cannot be actually divided but by Local Motion; and this, being taken formally, is nothing else but the successive application of a Body, in all it hath outwardly, to the several parts of the Bodies which touch it immediately. Motion, which is called Efficient, consists in the force or power of moving, which God from the beginning hath put into the parts of the Matter, and which he still conserveth therein in the same quantity; for which cause he is called the First Mover. The parts of the Matter, according as they differ in Magnitude and Figure, are called the Second Causes of this same Motion, forasmuch as they communicate it mutually to one another, or retain it, according as they have the power of it; and that is done following these Rules.  

1. All Body which is moved and meets with another quiescent Body in its way, if it propels it, communicateth to the same of its own motion in proportion to its Bulk.  
2. When the Motion of a Body is made in a curve Line, each of its parts in particular tends always to continue its Motion in a straight Line, and effectually continueth it, if it can separate itself from the rest.  
3. All Body which is moved, and communicateth nothing of its Motion to another Body, which it meets, must reflect, that is, lose its determination, without losing any thing of its Motion; whence it follows, THAT that Body must not rest, as they speak, in the point of Reflection; and that the direct Motion and the Motion reflected are not contrary, but only their Determinations are so.  
4. When an hard Body falls perpendicularly upon another hard Body which it moveth not, the Reflection must be made in the same Line, in which the Incidence is made. And when an hard Body falleth obliquely upon another hard Body, which it moveth not, the Reflection must be made at equal Angles.  
5. When a Body passeth obliquely out of one Medium into another which it penetrateth more easily, it must be diverted by approaching to the Perpendicular: On the contrary, it must be farther removed from the same, when it penetrateth the second Medium more difficultly.   
There is no Motion differing from the Local, not even that which is called the Motion of Generation; whence it follows, that 'tis useless to admit Substantial Forms in Being's merely Material.  
Being assured, that God hath put into the Matter, of which the World is composed, a certain quantity of Local Motion, and that he always conserveth the same; we are also assured, that, although God had not produced the World all at once, it would have come to pass by the Rules of Motion, we have laid down, that in the indefinite Extension of the Matter there would have been formed a great number of Vortexe, or Whirlpools, which would have continued to move of themselves without the succours of any Intelligence, and kept always the same Situation in respect to one another.  
It is likewise evident, that many parts of the Matter which composeth each Vortex, of what Figure soever you suppose them, must, in hitting one against the other, have broken their Angles, until they were made near round, and so form the Matter, which we call the Second Element.  
The Matter, that is come away from about the parts made round, must necessarily have acquired a Motion much swifter than that of the said round ones. Whereunto if you add, that those parts being extremely small, their smallness must make, that they can change their Figure every Moment, to adapt themselves to the Figure of the places where they are to pass; you have that, we call the First Element.  
The third and last Element is nothing else but the Surplus of the parts of the Matter, that are insensible, but yet grosser than those of the first and second Element, and which having kept the entangling Figures they had in the beginning, have been proper, more easily to be joined many together, and to compose great Bodies, as the Planets, than to be made round.  
'Tis superfluous to admit other Elements than these three, because there are no other Bodies in the whole Universe, that are simple, that is, the Forms of which do not contain any Qualities, that are contrary.  
From thence, that all the Matter of each Vortex turns round, & striveth to recede from the Centre, it must come to pass that the Matter of the second Element does recede farther from it, than that of the first; which consequently must take up the space which is at the Centre of every Vortex: Whence striving still to recede, it thrusts from all sides the second Element; and adds to its force the impression, which is requisite to move the Optic Nerve, the Motion of which passing afterwards into the Brain, giveth the Soul occasion to produce the Sentiment of Light.  
As to the Great Bodies that were form of the third Element, and are called Planets, they were to follow the Circular Motion of the first and second, and to range themselves in each Vortex the nearer to, or the farther from the Centre, the more or less solidity they had; and because the more solid are actually gone farther from it, they also take up, in making a Revolution, so much the longer time, the greater their distance is from the Centre.  
But although the Planets do without resistance follow the course of the Matter of the Heavens which carrieth them about Circularly, yet we must not therefore say, that they move altogether as swift; whence it comes to pass that the Matter of the Heavens not being able to continue its course in the degree which its swiftness requireth, by reason of the Encounter of these great Bodies, it is forced to turn about them, and to make a particular Vortex, which maketh them wheel about their Centre the same way wherein it turns itself.  
And because all things continue in the state wherein they are, and by the same means, they were put into it; it follows, that the Vortex or Systeme, wherein we are, still maintains and keeps itself by the Rules above declared.  
The Sun takes up the Centre of our Vortex, as every Star possesseth that of some other. He turns continually about the Axe of the Ecliptic: And because he is made up of the most subtle Matter, it may be said, that he is made up only of that of the first Element; the Heavens, of the second; and the Earth with the Planets, of that of the third: Whence it follows, that there can be no composed Bodies, but on the surface of these last.  
After the Sun follows Mercury, which is distant from the Sun 200 Diameters of the Earth, and maketh his Revolution in about 8 Months. The Earth is distant above 600 such Diameters, and maketh her conversion about the Sun in one year, and about her own Centre in 24 hours. Mars is remote from the Sun about 900 Diameters, and maketh his Revolution in 12 years. Saturn is about 6000 Diameters off from the Sun, and finisheth his period in 30 years.  
The Earth carrieth about in her Vortex the Moon, which maketh a Revolution in 27 days and some hours. All the Matter, which extends itself from the Earth unto the Moon, is called the Elementary Matter; and because this Matter contains many parts, which are moved much swifter than others, 'tis consequent that all are unequally determined to recede from the Centre of the Motion; and that those, which move swiftest, receding from it with more force than the rest, are able to beat them downwards; which maketh some appear lighter, and others heavier.  
It cannot be doubted, but that the Systeme, in which we are, is such as hath been declared, since of so many, which Philosophers have fancied, there is none but this, which agrees perfectly with that, delivered by Moses. Besides that therein we find, in a very natural and very simple motion, not only the Causes of the general Phaenomena, as are the Direction, Station and Retrogradation of the Planets, of the Motion of the Spots of the Sun; of the Motion of the Planets about their Centre, of the Vicissitudes of Days and Nights; and of the Diversity of the Seasons, but also of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, of all the Proprieties observed in the Magnet, and in short, of all the Appearances in the particular Bodies.  
Of all the Systemes there is none, that deserveth so much to be rejected, as that of Ptolemy. For, besides that from the Aggregate of all the parts thereof, there results a Whole that is monstrous, it is not able to give an account, why Venus appears sometimes increasing, and sometimes full; why Mars, Jupiter & Saturn, are always in the lower part of their Epicycle at the time when they are retrograde; why the Moon respects us always from the same side; why Saturn appears to us under different Shapes, now round, then oval; nor give a reason of many Appearances more.   

Of the PRODUCTIONS, made in the Bowels of the Earth.  
THE Diversity of the Pores of the Earth is the Cause, that the Matter of the first Element, passing through them, taketh the Form of so many several Juices, Salts, and Oils, of which are afterwards form all the Metals and Minerals, which are found in the Bowels of the same.  
The Magnet hath the propriety to draw Iron, or Iron to draw the Magnet, only from this Cause, that the Pores of them are so disposed, that the striate or channelled Matter, (as the Philosopher calls it) which comes from the Poles of the Elementary Mass, and continues its way thorough the Pores, which are parallel to the Axe of the Earth, pasing more easily through the pores of the Loadstone and of Iron, than through those of all the other Bodies, drives away by this means all the Air met with between both: And because this Air finds no place to pass into (because all is full) but into that, which the one or the other of these two Bodies quitteth, there is a necessity, that the Iron should be thrust towards the Loadstone, or the Loadstone towards the Iron.  
The Sea furnishes Water to all Fountains; those that are on the tops of Mountains, are form of Waters, that are reduced into Vapours by the heat, which is found in the Entrails of the Earth.  
The subterraneous Fires differ nothing at all from those that are kindled in our Chimneys. They come from this, that where there are Mines of Sulphur or Bitumen, there are raised Exhalations, which lighting upon subterraneous Cavities, fasten to the Roofs, as Soot does to the inside of our Chimneys, and there make a kind of Crust, which hath a great disposition to take Fire; and which taketh flame actually, either by the attrition of its parts, which their weight loosens from one another, or by the fall of some great Stone, which tumbling down from the top of the Vault, sets it on fire, as the Pestle doth Gunpowder, when being very dry, 'tis too violently stamped.   

Of METEORS.  
Winds do principally come from nothing but the dilatation of Vapours. And this dilatation depends from the presence of the Sun, or from the heat he hath left in the Earth, or in the Waters. When the Sun riseth, we feel an Easterly wind; when he setteth, a Westerly; about Noon, a Northerly; and about Midnight, a Southerly. Men seldom fail to find these four sorts of Wind every day upon the great Seas; but they are not in the same order observed upon Land, by reason of the Mountains, and of the variety of Climates, which hinder it.  
Mists and Clouds are nothing else but the same Vapours, that made the Winds, which having lost their agitation, stop in great number in certain places, and thereby hinder the action of the Rays of Light.  
Rain is nothing else, but the same Vapours, that made the Clouds, which are converted into many little drops of Water by the action of the Air, which a wind hath carried upwards after it had been considerably heated near the Earth.  
The parts of the Clouds, which meet only with cold Air to pass through, after that they are loosened, do come unto us in the same state, and by this means do make that Substance, we call Snow.  
Hail is nothing else but some portions of a Cloud, which having been melted in part, do meet with a cold Air, that congealeth them afresh.  
Thunder depends from this, that in the Air there are divers Stories of Clouds, of which the higher fall upon the lower; the Air, driven out from between them, being determined to produce a sound for the same reason, that another Air produces one in Musical Organs.  
Lightning proceeds ordinarily from this, that the Exhalations, which are between two Clouds, whereof the one falls upon the other, are so pressed, that there is some part of those Exhalations, which swims but in the sole Matter of the first Element, and consequently taketh the form of Fire.  
A Thunderbolt is nothing else but a portion of these kindled Exhalations, which moveth down to the Earth, where it must needs strike high Bodies, rather than lower ones; and produce so many different and wondrous Effects, as we see, according to the Nature of the Exhalations, of which this Thunderbolt is form.  
A Rainbow is nothing else but many drops of Rain, which receiving the Rays of the Sun, break them many different ways, and which, after they have thus broken them, return them to our Eyes with the modifications requisite to excite in us all the sentiments of the Colours, we perceive in this Meteor.   

Of SENSIBLE QUALITIES.  
Heard Bodies are those, all whose parts are at rest one by another.  
Liquid Bodies are such as have all their parts moving separately; whence it comes, that these latter have the propriety of dissolving the former. And if a Liquid is unable to dissolve an Hard Body, or if it have the force to dissolve one rather than another, that proceeds from hence, that its parts are more or less gross or agitated, and from this that the configuration of the Pores of the Bodies, which are to be dissolved, is different.  
All the diversities of Liquors consist in the different sizes and shapes of their parts. Those that have irregular and entangling figures, do compose Liquors that are called Fat; and those, whose figures are very well polished and very smooth, make those, we call Lean. All Liquors are kept in motion by the matter of the first and second Element, which slides into their Pores, and moveth always of itself, ever since it was first put in motion in the beginning of the World.  
The constrained Figure, given to the Pores of Hard Bodies when we bend them, is the dispositive Cause of the force they have of redressing themselves, and the Matter of the second Element, passing through these Pores, is the Efficient Cause of the same. The Suppleness of hard Bodies consisteth in the texture and connection of their parts. Their Fragility in that their parts do but immediately touch, without being otherwise locked in with one another.  
The Heat of hot Bodies consists in the agitation of all their insensible parts about their own Centre; whence it follows, that the greater this agitation is, the stronger is the heat, and consequently there can be nothing hotter than a Flame, there being nothing more agitated, as Experience confirms it. All the diversities of Flames proceed from this, that the parts which compose them are more or less gross, and consequently more or less capable to agitate the Bodies, which are the Subject of their Action. The propriety of Heat is always to dissipate, and never to congregate but by accident. Forasmuch as it consists in Motion, it must rarify certain Bodies, and condense others at the same time, according as the parts of those Bodies are equal or unequal, and diversely ranged and disposed.  
Cold consists in whatsoever can make an hot Body lose that kind of Motion wherein Heat consists; and because one Body cannot take from another Body the Motion it hath, without losing the same itself, it follows from thence, that whatever Body refrigerates another, must grow hot itself.  
Odours in scenting Objects are nothing else than the insensible parts of the same, which being severed from one another swim up and down in the Air, and being taken in together with the inspired Air, excite a Motion in the extremities of the Olfactory Nerves; which they do so many several ways, as we find several kinds of Smells.  
Tastes in savoury Bodies consist only in the parts of the same, forasmuch as they are subtle enough, and sufficiently agitated to penetrate the Pores of the Tongue, and to move the Nerves serving for the Organ of Taste. All the diversity of Tastes depends upon the size, shape, and motion of the Savoury Bodies.  
Sound is double, the one from the Body resonant, which is called the primitive cause of Sound; and the other from the Medium, which ordinarily is the Air. The Sound of this latter consists only in a simple tremulous Motion of the Air, which striketh our Ear, and exciteth the Organ of Hearing. The Sound from the resonant Body consists in general in the force it hath to excite that trembling in the Air; but in particular, this force depends upon many Modes of Being, which are very different, as appears in Bells and strings of Instruments. A sharp sound comes from thence, that the trepidations of the Air do closely follow one upon another. The grave, that those Motions of the Air are less frequent. The Consonancies and Dissonancies depend upon this, that the impressions, which several resonant Bodies make in the Air at the same time, do meet, or not meet at all.  
Light in luminous Bodies consists in an actual Motion of all their parts; and in transparent Bodies, it depends upon this, that the Matter of the second Element which is in their Pores, and which reacheth to our Eyes, is thrust forward by the parts of the luminous Body; whence it follows, 1. That it is not so much a Motion, as an inclination to Motion. 2. That it passeth in an instant to all sorts of distances. 3. That it is nothing material in the Medium, through which it passeth, and that it doth but mark, in what manner the Luminous Body acts against that, which it enlightens. 4. That many Lights do not confound one another. 5. That Light must refract and reflect, and, in short, have all those proprieties, that are observed in it.  
Colours in general are nothing else, but Light itself modified by the Surface of the Bodies, we call coloured. The White Colour particularly consists in this, that the Superficies of the white Body is asperated by innumerable small Surfaces of an almost specular nature, which are so placed, that some looking this way, and some that way, they yet reflect the Rays of Light falling on them, not towards one another, but outwards to our Eyes.  
The Black consists in this, that the Surface of the Black Body is asperous after such a manner, that it altogether deads' the Rays of Light which fall upon it, and keeps them from reflecting back again to the Spectators eyes. All other Colours consist in this, that the Superficies of the Bodies thus coloured are in such a manner unequal, that the little Globes of the second Element, which enter into the composition of the Rays, encountering them, do reflect, losing a part of their direct Motion, and acquiring in stead of it somewhat of a Circular Motion. And 'tis also in the several proportions, to be met with between these two Motions, that all the several Colours do consist: And because these Proportions may be changed a thousand different ways, 'tis no wonder we see so many different Colours.  
The Humours which compose our Eyes, are contrived by Nature to determine the Rays, that come from one and the same point of the Object, to reunite in one and the same point of the Retina; whence 'tis, that it may be said, that there is form a true Image of the Object on the bottom of the Eye. Yet this Image doth not consist in a resemblance to the Object, but only in this, that it is capable to give to the Soul an occasion to perceive all the several Qualities of the Objects, which it relateth to; which it doth by the simple Motions wherein it consists.  
Although one only Object imprints two Images at once in the two Eyes, yet we do not therefore see double, because the Eyes are not the immediate Organs of Sight, but the Brain alone, in which the two Impressions made in the Eyes do reunite by the intervention of the Sympaticall strings of the Optic Nerves, before the Soul perceives it.   

Of PLANTS.  
THE form of Plants consists in the particular texture of their Fibres, and in the size, shape, and disposition of the parts which compose them: Whence do result in Plants such Channels and Tubes, as are fit to receive those Juices, which are proper for them, and no other; and the Matter of the first and second Element is determined to make those Juices to run, to be variously agitated and fermented, to concoct and prepare them, that they may serve, according to their several parts, for Matter to nourish the Wood, Pith, and Bark, and to produce Leaves, Flowers, and Fruits.  
The Vicissitude of Day and Night, of Winds warm and cold, dry and moist, contributeth much to cause the Juice, which from the Root of the Plant hath passed into the Bark, to be attenuated, to run with more force, to jelly and fix, and to run afresh: As the vicissitude of the Seasons of the Year maketh, that this Juice runs more plenteously sometimes to the Body and Branches, and sometimes towards the Roots.  
When this Juice is too copious, it relaxeth the texture of the Fibres of Plants, and suffocates their natural Heat, which depends upon the quantity of the first Element, agitating that Juice, whose force ceaseth, assoon as the Interstices of the Fibres do considerably change their natural state.  
If this Juice be in too small a quantity, the Plant is dried up little by little; but if it be too copious, or if the shapes of its parts are very different from those of the Pores of the Plant, it spoils and destroys the woof of the fibres in the Bark of the Roots, or maketh it degenerate into another Plant, especially in its first rise, by changing this same texture, and thereby making it fit to receive the Juice, by which that Plant is nourished, into which 'tis made to degenerate. Whence it is, that certain Seeds are infallibly corrupted, when they are cast into certain Earth's; and that others degenerate in them; as Wheat sometimes produces Tares, or Barley, or Oats.  
It is not at all necessary, that there should be a Soul in Plants, to cause the Juice, which serveth them for nourishment, to be distributed into all the parts to increase them, and to form Flowers and Fruits; no more than there needs a Soul, to make Liquors rise to a considerable height in filtration, or in a little Tube of Glass, against their own weight, & variously to fix themselves according to the diversity of their parts, and of the Channels through which they run. Plants have their life potentially, or in the first act, as the Schools speak, by the sole contrivance and structure of their parts; but they live actually when the Juice runs through their Pores, etc.   

Of ANIMALS.  
THE Form of Animals, as that of Plants, consists in the Magnitude, Figure and Structure of the parts, of which they are composed; with this difference, that the nature of Animals is of a more complicated and more excellent contrivance, by reason of the manifold and more particular functions they have need of for their conservation. For, they not being fixed to the Earth, as Plants are, to draw thence their nourishment, it was requisite, that they should be able to move to and fro, for finding their necessary food, and that they should be composed so artificially, that the little particles, which exhale out of Bodies, or the Light which results thence, striking certain Organs, might be able to determine them to pursue after that, which should be convenient for them, & to flee from, or to repel that, which should be noxious to them.  
Forasmuch as most of the Motions, that are observed in Animals, are accompanied in us with some knowledge, it hath been believed, that there was in Animals a principle of knowledge, which is called the Sensitive Soul, that produced them; without considering, that the same Motions are very often made in us without our Soul's contributing any thing to them, seeing she doth not think on them, and that at times they are made against her will. And those can hardly disabuse themselves, who do not know, that God hath put motion into Matter in general, that he hath contrived the Bodies of Animals after a certain way, and that he hath established certain Rules of Motion. But those, that have this knowledge, observing that they see nothing but Motion in brute Animals, they find the true cause of it in the general state of the world, and the determination in the particular structure of the the Body of Brutes, and they know by the Laws of the Mechanics the necessity there is, it should be done in such a manner.  
What concerns the Nutrition of Animals; the Food, they have swallowed, is digested and changed into Chyle in the Stomach by a gentle fermentation, which is wrought by the mixture made of the Aliments, and spital, and the acid Juice, which is distil d into the Stomach, and of the remainder of the precedent Food. There is also made in the small Intestines another fermentation, by the means of the Gall, and the Pancreatique Juice, which maketh the Chyle more fluid, and causeth the good to be more easily separable from what is useless and gross.  
The Chyle is changed into Blood in the Heart by a special fermentation, which is there made by the means of a Fire that shineth not, and of the fermented Blood, which remains in the Heart; to which the mixture of the Lympha contributeth not a little, which comes from above, and that of the Gall, which comes from beneath, together with the Blood, which is conveyed by the Vena Cava into the right Ventricle of the Heart. The Ears of the Heart, (two Muscles of an admirable structure, which shows their use) do propel the Blood in the Ventricles of the Heart, when this relaxeth or subsideth; and the Heart, closing itself after the Blood is ratified and fermented, thrusts it towards all the parts of the Body by the Arteries (which then make the motion called the Pulse) for Nutrition. But what sticks not to the parts, is carried from the Lungs to the Heart by the Venal Artery, and from the rest of the Body by the Vena Cava.  
The most spirituous part of the Blood is carried to the Brain, where the Spirits are separated from it to serve for the functions, called Animal; whence flowing into the Nerves that pass to the Organs of Sense, and filling them, they keep their fibres tense whilst the Animal is awake. Hence it is, that the impressions of the Objects can be transmitted into the Brain, and there change the disposition of the extremities of the Nerves, that are distributed in certain Muscles, and determine the Spirits to flow there, to make them swell, and to move the Members, to which these Muscles are fixed.  
And because there may be an infinite variety in the Impressions, made by the Objects upon the Senses, there may also be an innumerable variety in the determinations of the Spirits to flow into the Muscles, and by consequence an infinite variety in the Motions of Animals; and that the more, because there is a greater variety of parts, and more contrivance and Art in the structure.  
During Sleep, the Nerves of the Organs of the Senses not being full, nor their fibres tense, the impressions of the Objects, unless they be very violent, are not transmitted to the Brain, to determine there any Motion.  
There are five outward Senses, and they all receive the impression of the Objects by mediate or immediate contact. The grossest Sense is called the Touch, to which all the Membranous and Nervous parts serve for Organ.  
The Taste hath it Seat in that woof of Nervous Filaments which is spread over the Tongue and palate; but chiefly upon the end of the Tongue.  
The Smell hath its Residence in that fine Membrane which is extended in the cavity of the Nostrils.  
The Hearing hath for its Organ small Nerves, which end in the extremities of that Membrane, we call the Tympanum or Drum.  
The Sight hath for its Organ the Retina, more particularly, the other parts of the Eye making the Rays of Light or Colours which come from divers points of the Objects, to affect divers points of the Retina.  
There are three inward particular Senses; that of Thirst, which hath its Seat in the Throat; that of Hunger, in the Stomach; that of the Passions, in the Heart.  
The Sense, called the Common Sense, hath its Seat in the Brain; and because the Animal Motion, and the Functions of all the Senses depend upon the Spirits that come from the Blood, 'tis therefore that the Scripture saith, that the Soul of the Beasts is in the Blood.   

Of MAN.  
MAn is made up not only of a Body, which, as that of Animals, hath a peculiar structure of Organs, wherein consists, in some sense, the Form of this Body; but also of a Soul, which is the true and essential Form of Man, or of the Humane Body as such, after the manner that Aristotle taketh this Word Form in his First Book of Generation, Chap. 10.  
By reason of the Union, which is between the Soul and the Body, the Impressions, which the Objects make upon the Senses, are cause that there do result in the Soul certain Sensations. And not only the Soul perceiveth many Motions that are made in the Body, but she also is able to produce or to hinder them. 'Tis true that this is only done by variously determining the Motion of the Animal Spirits by her Thoughts.  
Man hath as many Exterior and Interiour Senses as Animals, but with this difference, that in these, all the Action of the Senses consists in the Motion of the Corporeal Organ, whereas in Man the motion of the Organ is accompanied with a Thought or Perception of the Soul, which is called the Sentiment of Sound, of Light, of Colour, etc.   

Of the PASSIONS.  
MAn hath also his Passions, which are perceptions of the Sentiments or Commotions of the Soul, which are referred particularly to her, and which are caused, entertained, and fortified by some Motion of the Spirits.  
Admiration is a sudden surprisal of the Soul, which maketh that she is carried, with attention to consider the Objects, that seem rare and extraordinary to her.  
Love is a perception or motion of the Soul, caused by the motion of the Spirits, inciting her to join herself by the Will to the Objects, which appear agreeable to her.  
Hatred is a motion caused by the Spirits, which inciteth the Soul to a separation from the Objects, which present themselves as disagreeable or hurtful to her.  
Desire is an agitation of the Soul caused by the Spirits, which disposeth her to will future things which she represents to herself as suitable and beneficial.  
Joy is an agreeable commotion of the Soul, caused by the enjoyment she finds in a good, which the Impressions of the Brain represent to her as hers.  
Sadness is an unpleasing Languor, caused by the Incommodities which the Soul receiveth of the Evil of Defect, which the Impressions of the Brain represent to her as concerning herself.  
These six Passions are primitive, and all the Genus', whose Species all the others are.  
According to the Institution of Nature, all the Passions refer to the Body, and are not given to the Soul, but forasmuch as she is joined to 〈◊〉. So that their natural use consists only in this, that they fortify and make lasting in the Soul those Thoughts, which 'tis good she should conserve, and by which she is incited to consent and to contribute to the Actions that may serve to keep the Body, or to render it in some manner more perfect: As also all the Evil, which they can occasion, consists in that they strengthen and entertain thoughts more than needs; or else, that they keep others, which it is not good to indulge to.   

Of MORALITY.  
Of the Sovereign Natural Good.  
IF we consider Goodness with relation to ourselves, the Sovereign Good of the Soul of every one in particular, consists in a firm and constant will to do well, and in the contentment produced thereby. And 'tis herein, that all Virtues do consist.  
Justice, for example, is nothing but a constant Will to give to every one what we judge to belong to him.  
Boldness, nothing but a constant Will to execute things dangerous, when we believe them to be the best.  
Humility, nothing but a constant Will, never to prefer ourselves before others, and to think, that others have their Free Will as well as we, & can use it as well as we, etc. Now 'tis this alone, which deserveth Praise and Honour; 'tis from hence alone, that the greatest and most solid Contentment of Life results, and consequently wherein the Sovereign Good consists.  
There are two sorts of Indifference, which appertain to humane Liberty: One is from the Object's part, and this is not Essential; on the contrary we are never more free, than when we are less indifferent. The other consists in the real and positive faculty, we have to determine ourselves to the one or the other of two Contraries; and this is always found in the Will, and agreeth perfectly well with all the impressions, that are caused in her from God's part, although we do not conceive, how this agreement is made.  
The Angels, and the Saints in Heaven, do love God freely; but their Liberty consists not, as Ours doth, in a positive faculty to determine themselves to the one or the other of two Contraries; but only in this, that seeing God Sovereignly Good, they love him in such a manner, that they feel not any exterior force, constraining them thereto.   
FINIS.