wish lists
recipes
resume
linked in
facebook
|
After this, the Emperess enquired, whether they
had observed that all animal Creatures within the Seas
and other waters, had blood? They answered, That
some had blood, more or less, but some had none; In
Crea-fishes and Lobsters, said they, we perceive but
little blood; but in Crabs, Oisters, Cockles, &c. none
at all. Then the Emperess asked them in what part of
their bodies that little blood did reside? They answered,
in a small vein, which in Lobsters went through
the middle of their tails, but in Crea-fishes was found
in their backs: as for other sorts of Fishes, some, said
they, had onely blood about their gills, and others in
some other places of their bodies; but they had not as
yet observed any whose veins did spread all over their
bodies. The Emperess wondering that there could be
living Animals without blood, to be better satisfied,
desired the Worm-men to inform her, whether they
had observed blood in all sorts of Worms? They
answered, That as much as they could perceive, some
had blood, and some not; a Moth, said they, had no
blood at all, and a Lowse had but like a Lobster, a little
vein along her back: Also Nits, Snails, and Maggots,
as well as those that are generated out of Cheese
and Fruits, as those that are produced out of Flesh, had
no blood. But replied the Emperess, If those mentioned
creatures have no blood, how is it possible they
can live; for it is commonly said, that the life of an
Animal consists in the blood, which is the seat of the
Animal spirits? They answered, That blood was not
a necessary propriety to the life of an animal, and that
that which was commonly called animal spirits, was
nothing else but corporeal motions proper to the nature
and figure of an animal. Then she asked both the
Fish- and Worm-men, whether all those Creatures
that have blood, had a circulation of blood in their
veins and arteries? But they answered, That it was
impossible to give her Majesty an exact account thereof,
by reason the circulation of blood was an interior
motion, which their senses, neither of themselves, nor
by the help of any optick instrument could perceive;
but as soon as they had dissected an animal Creature to
find out the truth thereof, the interior corporeal motions
proper to that particular figure or creature were altered.
Then said the Emperess, if all animal Creatures have
not blood, it is certain, they have neither all muscles,
tendons, nerves, &c. But, said she, Have you ever
observed animal Creatures that are neither Flesh, nor
Fish, but of an intermediate degree between both.
Truly, answered both the Fish-and Worm-men, We
have observed several animal Creatures that live both
in water, and on the Earth indifferently, and if any,
certainly those may be said to be of such a mixt nature,
that is, partly flesh, and partly fish: But how is it
possible, replied the Emperess, that they should live
both in Water, and on the Earth, since those Animals
that live by the respiration of air, cannot live within
Water, and those that live in Water, cannot live by the
respiration of Air, as experience doth sufficiently witness.
They answered her Majesty, That as there were
different sorts of Creatures, so they had also different
ways of respirations; for respiration, said they, was
nothing else but a composition and division of parts, and
the motions of nature being infinitely various, it was
impossible that all Creatures should have the like motions;
wherefore it was not necessary, that all animal
Creatures should be bound to live either by the air, or
by water onely, but according as Nature had ordered it
convenient to their species. The Emperess seem'd very
well satisfied with their answer, and desired to be further
informed, Whether all animal Creatures did continue
their species by a successive propagation of particulars,
and whether in every species the off-spring did
always resemble their Generator or Producer, both in
their interior and exterior figures? They answered
her Majesty, That some species or sorts of Creatures,
were kept up by a successive propagation of an offspring
that was like the producer, but some were not;
of the first rank, said they, are all those animals that
are of different sexes, besides several others; but of the
second rank are for the most part those we call insects,
whose production proceds from such causes as have no
conformity or likeness with their produced effects; as
for example, Maggots bred out of Cheese, and several
others generated out of Earth, Water, and the
like. But said the Emperess, there is some likeness
between Maggots and Cheese, for Cheese has no
blood, and so neither have Maggots; besides, they
have almost the same taste which Cheese has. This
proves nothing, answered they; for Maggots have a
visible, local, progressive motion, which Cheese hath
not. The Emperess replied, That when all the
Cheese was turned into Maggots, it might be said to
have local, progressive motion. They answered, That
when the Cheese by its own figurative motions was
changed into Maggots, it was no more Cheese. The
Emperess confessed that she observed Nature was infinitely
various in her works, and that though the species
of Creatures did continue, yet their particulars
were subject to infinite changes. But since you have
informed me, said she, of the various sorts and productions
of animal Creatures, I desire you to tell me
what you have observed of their sensitive perceptions?
Truly, answered they, Your Majesty puts a very
hard question to us, and we shall hardly be able to give a
satisfactory answer to it; for there are many different
sorts of Creatures, which as they have all different
perceptions, so they have also different organs, which
our senses are not able to discover, onely in an Oyster-shell
we have with admiration observed, that the common
sensorium of the Oyster lies just at the closing of the
shells, where the pressure and reaction may be perceived
by the opening and shutting of the shells every tide.
|