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TO THE READER.
If you wonder, that I join a work of
Fancy to my serious Philosophical
Contemplations; think not that it is
out of a disparagement to Philosophy;
or out of an opinion, as if this noble
study were but a Fiction of the Mind;
for though Philosophers may err in searching and enquiring
after the Causes of Natural Effects, and many times
embrace falshoods for Truths; yet this doth not prove, that
the Ground of Philosophy is meerly Fiction, but the error
proceeds from the different motions of Reason, which cause
different Opinions in different parts, and in some are more
irregular then in others; for Reason being dividable, because
material, cannot move in all parts alike; and since
there is but one Truth in Nature, all those that hit not
this Truth, do err, some more, some less; for though some
may come nearer the mark then others, which makes their
Opinions seem more probable and rational then others; yet
as long as they swerve from this onely Truth, they are in
the wrong: Nevertheless, all do ground their Opinions
upon Reason; that is, upon rational probabilities, at least,
they think they do: But Fictions are an issue of mans
Fancy, framed in his own Mind, according as he pleases,
without regard, whether the thing, he fancies, be really existent
without his mind or not; so that Reason searches the
depth of Nature, and enquires after the true Causes of
Natural Effects; but Fancy creates of its own accord
whatsoever in pleases, and delights in its own work. The
end of Reason, is Truth; the end of Fancy, is Fiction:
But mistake me not, when I distinguish Fancy from Reason;
I mean not as if Fancy were not made by the Rational
parts of Matter; but by Reason I understand a rational
search and enquiry into the causes of natural effects;
and by Fancy a voluntary creation or production of the
Mind, both being effects, or rather actions of the rational
part of Matter; of which, as that is a more profitable and
useful study then this, so it is also more laborious and difficult,
and requires sometimes the help of Fancy, to recreate
the Mind, and withdraw it from its more serious Contemplations.
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| And if any should like the world I have made,
and be willing to be my subjects, they may imagine themselves such, and they are such—I mean
in their minds, fancies or imaginations. But if they cannot endure to be subjects, they may
create worlds of their own and govern themselves as they please.
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| © 2025 by Sarah Reitmeier, except text from The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing World, published 1666 by Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle.
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