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The Conferences of the Chymists being finished,
the Emperess made an Assembly of her Galenical Physicians,
her Herbalists and Anatomists; and first she
enquired of her Herbalists the particular effects of several
Herbs and Drugs, and whence they proceeded:
To which they answered, that they could, for the most
part, tell her Majesty the vertues and operations of
them, but the particular causes of their effects were unknown;
onely thus much they could say, that their operations
and vertues were generally caused by their
proper inherent, corporeal, figurative motions, which
being infinitely various in Infinite Nature, did produce
infinite several effects. And it is observed, said they,
that Herbs and Drugs are as wise in their operations, as
Men in their words and actions; nay, wiser; and their
effects are more certain then Men in their opinions; for
though they cannot discourse like Men, yet have they
sense and reason, as well as Men; for the discursive faculty
is but a particular effect of sense and reason in some
particular Creatures, to wit, Men, and not a principle
of Nature, and argues often more folly then wisdom.
The Emperess asked, Whether they could
not by a composition and commixture of other Drugs,
make them work other effects then they did, used
by themselves? They answered, That they could
make them produce artificial effects, but not alter their
inherent, proper and particular natures.
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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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