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Then the Emperess asked them, Whether by their
sensitive perceptions they could observe the interior
corporeal, figurative motions both of Vegetables and
Minerals? They answer'd, That their senses could
perceive them after they were produced, but not before;
Nevertheless, said they, although the interior,
figurative motions of natural Creatures are not subject
to the exterior, animal, sensitive perceptions, yet by
their rational perception they may judg of them, and
of their productions if they be regular: Whereupon
the Emperess commanded the Bear-men to lend them
some of their best Microscopes; at which the Bear-men
smilingly answered her Majesty, that their Glasses
would do them but little service in the bowels of the
Earth, because there was no light; for, said they, our
Glasses do onely represent exterior objects, according
to the various reflections and positions of light; and
wheresoever light is wanting, the glasses wil do no good.
To which the Worm-men replied, that although
they could not say much of refractions, reflections, inflections,
and the like; yet were they not blind, even in
the bowels of the Earth; for they could see the several
sorts of Minerals, as also minute Animals, that lived
there, which minute animal Creatures were not blind
neither, but had some kind of sensitive perception that
was as serviceable to them, as sight, taste, smell, touch,
hearing, &c. was to other animal Creatures: By which
it is evident, That Nature has been as bountiful to those
Creatures that live under ground, or in the bowels of
the Earth, as to those that live upon the surface of the
Earth, or in the Air, or in Water. But howsoever,
proceeded the Worm-men, although there is light in
the bowels of the Earth, yet your Microscopes will do
but little good there, by reason those Creatures that
live under ground have not such an optick sense as those
that live on the surface of the Earth: wherefore, unless
you had such glasses as are proper for their perception,
your Microscopes will not be any ways advantagious
to them. The Emperess seem'd well pleased with this
answer of the Worm-men; and asked them further,
whether Minerals and all other Creatures within the
Earth, were colourless? At which question they could
not forbear laughing; and when the Emperess asked
the reason why they laught; We most humbly
beg your Majesties pardon, replied they; for we
could not chuse but laugh, when we heard of a colourless
body. Why, said the Emperess, colour is onely
an accident, which is an immaterial thing, and has no
being of it self, but in an other body. Those, replied
they, that informed your Majesty thus, surely
their rational motions were very irregular; For how
is it possible, that a natural nothing can have a being in
Nature? If it be no substance, it cannot have a being,
and if no being, it is nothing; Wherefore the distinction
between subsisting of it self, and subsisting in another
body, is a meer nicety, and non-sense; for there
is nothing in Nature that can subsist of, or by it self, (I
mean singly) by reason all parts of Nature are composed
in one body, and though they may be infinitely
divided, commixed and changed in their particulars,
yet in general, parts cannot be separated from parts as
long as Nature lasts; nay, we might as probably affirm,
that Infinite Nature would be as soon destroyed,
as that one Atome could perish; and therefore your
Majesty may firmly believe, that there is no body without
colour, nor no colour without body; for colour,
figure, place, magnitude and body, are all but one
thing, without any separation or abstraction from each
other.
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