difficulty which may be easily guess'd I had to preserve the strict Law of probability in my History will persuade those that shall read it that I envyed Lucian more than once this his so happy Expedient Nor can I but acknowledge the same Yet I must add that a second Consideration would inevitably have determin'd me to a different Choice although decency would have allow'd me to make use of the former I am a Philosopher And the Profession I pretend to bars all admittance unto such a management The Character of a Philospher is always to speak Truth or to think he does at least indeavour to be thought to speak it For me to devest my self of all gayety of Humour and then to affect it to follow the Example of the greatest Enemy the Philosophers have known would have been poorly to support a Quality I extreamly value my self upon So that I should be cautious of using the like Preamble and acquainting my Readers that all they were to expect of me should be false I certify them therefore from this time forward that I have a quite contrary design and that I mean to set off my History with an Air of Truth such as may be able to persuade the most Incredulous did they layby Prejudice in the reading of it that what I say is most undoubtedly true But such is the Nature of Prejudice and Prepossession that after all the pains I have taken to appear credible I am conscious notwithstanding I shall not be believ'd Let it be how it will For after all I will by no means offer violence to the Judgment of my Readers Now see in few Words the design of the Work I therein relate the Particulars of a Voyage which I made to the World of Cartesius I begin the Voyage very advantagiously upon an occasion that Fortune presented me and which seems worthy to be related Through the whole Thred of the History as I fall in with Emergencies I explain with as little difficulty and as pleasantly as the Subject will bear the most principal Points of Cartesius his Philosophy I examine many of them in the way and refute the greatest part of them in a manner clear as I think and intelligible enough and which commonly has in it something new and unreceiv'd I have made it my business to diversify and enliven a Subject naturally dry and melancholy as well by the variety of Accidents which give me occasion to digress upon them as by some peculiar and not incurious Instances of the History of Cartesianism And likewise with some brisk and warm Discourses of such Gentlemen as no one will be uneasy to hear Dispute To conclude my last and most principal Business to the Examination and Discussion of the general System of Cartesius his World and his managery of the chiefest Parts of it as he proposes it in his Book of Principles and in that which is Intituled A Treatise concerning Light or the World of M. Descartes which he mentions so often in his Letters to Father Mersennus but was not printed till after his death And I doubt not in that discussion to establish this one Proposition that hath been often advanc'd but still repuls'd and still I am confident will be as a Paradox to many That there is scarce any Philosophical Hypothesis more unjust and incoherent or whose Conclusions have less connexion with its Principles than that of Cartesius That Proposition I say hath always seem'd a Paradox because it thwarts the generally receiv'd Opinion of that Philosophy No one will deny but that some of his Principles being but meer Suppositions without Proof the Mind cannot find that satisfaction it demands But what they stand upon is That these Suppositions being once receiv'd all the rest doth follow in so direct a Line in so great order and perspicuity that the evidence of the Consqeuences expanding it self as I may say upon the Premises the mind begins of its own accord to imbrace for Truths what were before propos'd as bare Suppositions This may be true of some parts of his Philosophy and particularly of those wherein he treats of the Nature of some Sensible Qualities in which a Man must almost be forc'd to acquiesce that shall read them without Prepossession But I am of opinion it is false in respect of the general Constructure of his World and the Consequences he draws from it 'T is this part of his Philosophy which I shall more throughly examine and it is this of all other that hath hitherto best escap'd the Censure Plenty of Objections have been made against his Metaphysicks against the New Demonstrations he hath pretended to give for the existence of a Deity his distinction of the Soul and Body his System of Light his Rules of Motion as also those concerning Reflection and Refraction Scarce any yet have given him disturbance upon the Hypothesis of his Vortexes which is notwithstanding the Foundation of all he says touching the motion of the Planets the ebbing and flowing of the Sea the gravity and levity of Bodies and of his whole System concerning Light of which he himself has been so very fond I will not say but they have augmented the Difficulties upon each of these last Heads since a great many have attack'd him thereupon But I only say they have seldom or never examin'd them with relation to his general Hypothesis by which I undertake to shew that commonly what he writes of particular Matters is inconsistent with the whole and it is mostly in that the Relation of my Voyage hath something altogether new For what remains if I shall succeed in this last Affair which was almost the only occasion of this Enterprize I shall glory to have been the most mischievous Adversary Cartesius ever met with For that which distinguishes that great Man from all the other Philosophers is not the lucky Explication of some particular Phenomena's in Nature that Praise is shar'd by an abundance of Philosophers both Ancient and Modern but that vastness of Capacity and extent of Genius whereby he could frame an intire System of the World so well contriv'd that taking for granted a few Principles most simple and easy to be understood he could give a reason for all the Occurrencies of Nature It is that Attempt as most believe by which he obtain'd his end and which hath procur'd him so much Honour and Reputation To shew then his System to be full of Contradictions that it is incoherent that one Supposition destroys another is to undertake him in his strongest hold and to wound him in the part that is most sensible We shall see in the pursuit of the History what ought to be our Thoughts of it ERRATA PHaenomena's read Phaenomena where-ever it is p. 2. l. 15. r. lies ib. l. 35. r. scouted p. 18. l. 9. r the. p. 19. l. 8. r. humors all those Natural Functions and all the. ib. l. 27. r. Britanny l. 29. r. of her p. 21. l. 9. r.
Iazed p. 23. l. 15. r. Vortex p. 29. l. 25. r. meet me at l. 34. r. she gave l. 36. r. sad p. 44. l. 2. imagines l. 21. r. utmost p. 45. l. 16. r. merited p. 46. l. 16. r. murder p. 51. l. 2. r. talked p. 58. l. 5. r. could p. 64. l. 2. r. in one l. 25. dele not p. 69. l. 26. r. Euripus p. 73. r. Calisthenes p. 76. l. 5. dele and l. 7. r. Venturer p. 77. r. unimpower'd p. 79. l. 6. dele we p. 83. l. 3. r. and. p. 86. l. 8. r. Placart p. 100. l. 4. r. harsh l. 17. r. Galilaeus p. 112. l. 30. r. hairs p. 118. l. 15. r. Peripapeticism p. 121. l. 12. r. met p. 122. l. 3. r. memoir p. 131. l. 34. r. clawing p. 141. l. 25. r. alone p. 142. l. 20. after to insert be p. 146. l. 10. r. conceiving p. 147. l. 12 r. netted p. 153. l. 21. r. Elaterium p. 155. l. 25. r. sect p. 156. l. 19. r. sheck'd p. 158. l. 9. dele them p. 161. l. 4. r. clearing l. 27. r. not truly p. 162. l. 7. suppos'd to the. end that p. 173. l. 1. r. or p. 179. l. 18. r. Vices p. 182. l. 31. r. Des Arques p. 163. l. 9. r. Tonques p. 193 l. 35. r. petty p. 201. l. 6. r. part l. 34. r. Port. p. 211. l. 12. r. consists p. 220. l. 19. r. Wreck l. 21. r. dissipated p. 245. l. 31. r. resist p. 259. l. 19. dele more BOOKS Printed for and sold by Tho. Bennet at the Half-Moon in S. Paul 's Church-yard A Critical History of the Texts and Versions of the New Testament wherein is firmly establish'd the Truth of those Acts on which the Foundation of Christian Religion is laid By Father Simon of the Oratory Together with a Refutation of such Passages as seem contrary to the Doctrin and Practice of the Church of England Memoirs of the Court of Spain Writ by the ingenious French Lady and Englished by Mr. Tho. Brown Octavo Memoirs of the Court of France By the same Author Octavo The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperor Translated out of Greek into English with Notes by Dr. Casaubon To this Edition is added the Life of the said Emperor with an Account of Stoick Philosophy as also Remarks on the Meditations All newly written by the famous Monsieur and Madam Dacier Aristeae Historia LXXII Interpretum Accessere Veterum Testimonia de eorum Versione e Theatro Sheldoniano The Works of the Learned or an Historical Account and Impartial Judgment of the Books newly Printed both Foreign and Domestick together with the State of Learning in the World Published Monthly by J. de la Crose a late Author of the Universal Bibliotheque This first Volume beginning in August last is compleated this present April with Indexes to the whole The Bishop of Chester's Charge to his Clergy at his Primary Visitation May 5. 1691. Five Sermons before the King and Queen by Dr. Meggot Dean of Winchester A Sermon before the King and Queen by the Lord Bishop of Worcester A Sermon before the House of Commons on the Thanksgiving Day by Dr. Jane Dean of Gloucester Waller's Poems compleat in Two Parts Sir John Denham's Poems A VOYAGE TO The World of Cartesius PART I. IT fares with the World of Monsieur Descartes as with other lately discovered Lands whereof such different Accounts are given as often contradict one another Scarce Mention was made of this New World but an infinite Number of French English and Dutchmen resolve to go see it The Spaniard however zealous for new Discoveries understanding it was barren of Mines of Gold and Silver of Indigo and Ginger seemed not much concerned about it Wherefore those that had most contributed unto it were not a little pleased as believing they had no Reason to apprehend the Inquisition's coming there to disturb them Among other Things in that World the Earth takes a Turn about the Sun as in that of Copernicus And it is known that M. Descartes hath more than once Desc tom 2. lett 43 75. on that occasion reflected on the Misfortune of poor Galileus I cannot tell but it may be on his Account he hath taken so much Pains to prove this Paradox Part. 3. pr. n. 26. That the Earth stands still though at the same Time it is carried about the Sun by that Luminary's Vortex Let it be how it will many of those that give out they have best examined that Country have made their Relations of it but so differently that a Man can scarce yet determine what he must believe If you will credit one Party they 'll tell you It is no World at all but a perfect Chaos That all lie in Disorder and wild Confusion That 't is impossible for a Man to turn himself in it That there is neither Light nor Colours neither Heat nor Cold Drought nor Moisture That Plants and Animals there don't live There you have not only Liberty but positive Orders to doubt of every thing in Nature Some there shall be that will dispute you out of the Name of a Man though you have a Face like other Men though you be made up of Flesh and Bone as they though you Walk and Eat and Sleep and in a Word perform all the Natural Functions of a Man yet I say there are those that shall contest that Title with you until having conversed you and understood you speak consequentially they shall be convinced that you have Reason The Inhabitants look Proud and Scornful and have not the least Respect for Antiquity Aristotle especially is scouled in all Companies and upon all Occasions by them being look'd upon as a Vain Babler and an Antique Teller of Dreams It is said There is neither good Christian nor good Catholick there since they tamper with Principles too Delicate and Dangerous in Matters relating to Religion No Body can tell what to make of their Belief of the Creation of Our World the Production of Matter and the Providence of God who with them had no other Care upon him than to order the Cubical Particles of Matter to whirl about their Center After which he might sit Idle and Unconcerned since all the rest could be managed without the least of his Assistance On the other Side we are assured A most excellent Conduct shines through the whole Composition That all is admirably contrived and founded upon the Rules and Laws of Nature That this World is indeed disburthened of an infinite Swarm of Accidents Qualities and Intentional Species as of an unprofitable Lumber wherewith the Philosophers have imbroiled and incumbred ours But yet notwithstanding it cannot be deny'd but the Senses are subject to the same Impressions there as here only with this Difference that the Causes are more acknowledged and better explain'd As to the Point of Religion nothing seems more justifiable than the Apology of these Gentlemen which perhaps some
said they that granting that Hypothesis the Bread is not at all changed into the Body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist but that after the Consecration the Bread still remains in the Host In order to their Demonstration they demanded of Father Mersennus and the old Gentleman I. Whether by the Principles of Descartes the Matter of all Bodies considered in it self and independently of the different Modifications of its Parts was not of the same Species They answered Yes II. If that which constituted the Specific Difference of Bodies was not according to them the different Configuration the different Situation and the different Motions of the Parts of those Bodies They acknowledged it That supposed said they we 'll evidently prove That the Substance in the Eucharist after its Consecration is nothing else but Bread for the Matter or the Substance which hath the same Configuration of Parts the same Motion and in a Word all the same Modifications that constitute the Essence of Bread is Bread according to the aforesaid Principle But the Substance found in the Dimensions of the Host after the Consecration has all those Modifications and 't is only by the Means of those Modifications we conceive it to have the same Superficies as the Bread taking the Word Superficies in the same Sense Descartes gives it And 't is in vertue of those Modifications that that Superficies makes the same Impressions on our Senses as the Bread did before the Consecration And 't is from the same Reason that it reflects its Light precisely to the same Angles as the Bread That it receives all the same Impulses and the same Determinations of the Matter that pushes it towards the Centre as the Bread That it communicates the same Vibrations to the Nerves of the Tongue as the Bread Therefore the Substance that is in the Space of the Host after the Consecration according to Descartes's Principles has the Form or the Essence of Bread therefore it is Bread which was to be demonstrated And from thence our Catholick Peripateticks concluded It was not without good Ground that Recourse was had to Absolute Accidents in the Explication of that Mystery They made yet one Reflection more upon a Saying Descartes adjoyns to his Explication and which ruines his Answer Notwithstanding says he the Body of Jesus Christ to speak properly is not there as in a Place but Sacramentally For said they What is it for God's sake to be in a Place in proper speaking but entirely to fill a Space to hinder the Passage of other Bodies that present themselves to reflect the Light to be pressed downward to have Motion c. But all this according to Descartes agrees to the Body of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Host And on the contrary the Notion commonly received of a Sacramental Existence attributes not to a Body in that Capacity all those Properties for none of those that have spoke of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament have supposed it was that which reflects the Light c. Nay they say the quite contrary So they concluded deriding the Vanity of the Applause M. Descartes assumes to himself in that Place upon the Intelligible Manner wherewith he pretends to have explained that Mystery and upon the Obligations he has laid on the Orthodox Divines for having furnished them with an Opinion more agreeable with Divinity than those usually received Applause as well grounded as the Prophecy he made a little after by which one Day it shall come to pass that as soon as the World shall be reclaimed from the Prejudices of the School all the Opinions of our Old Philosophers and Divines thereupon shall disappear and vanish as Shadows at the Approach of that Light wherewith those Glorious Principles of the New Philosophy shall fill the Minds of all such as know how well to use them For my part I was of Opinion upon hearing Monsieur Descartes so refuted that he had better have stuck to his general Answer be it as bad as it will That he was a Philosopher and not a Divine and that he pretended not to explain the Mysteties of our Religion by the Principles of his Philosophy I was astonished too in that Occurrence That such sort of Answers had the good Luck to meet with no Reply especially having to do with M. Arnauld who would never willingly take the last Blow in Point of Disputes and Books But I am persuaded I have since found the Solution of that Difficulty in a Letter M. Decsartes wrote to a Father of the Oratory a Sorbon Doctor He says speaking of M. Arnauld That his only Judgment as young a Doctor as he was was of more Weight with him than that of half the Ancient Doctors of the Sorbon Was not a Clearing of that nature able to disarm the most incensed Adversary in the World During that Dispute wherein Father Mersennus and the Old Blade thought it unnecessary to keep to Mood and Figure and were content to evade the Objection by much raillery upon Absolute Accidents alledging they ought to be banish'd to the Desert of Scotus to make up his Train and Attendance with all his little Formalities We crossed the Calm Sea and turning short to the Right we passed through Hipparchus Ptolomeus and the Peninsula of the Stars and from thence we cut through the Sea of Clouds We entred into the Demy-Island of Dreams I mentioned in the beginning so called from the little Mansions in the Globe of the Moon inhabited for the most Part with Chymists that are in Pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone having not been able to find it upon Earth and a World of Judicial Astrologers who still are as great Asses as they were in the other World and spend all their Time in making Almanacks and correcting by exact Supputations the false Horoscopes they made in their Life time Among others we found Cardan who though he was possessed of a good Copy-hold Eastward on the Shoar of the Ocean of Tempests could not yet forbear making frequent Visits of his Brethren of the same Society He passed away his Time but discontentedly having not yet conquered the Shagrin and Melancholy occasioned by that Notable Horoscope of Edward VI. King of England whose most remarkable Fortunes and Adventures he had foretold quite to the Fiftieth Year of his Age who yet had the confounded Luck to die at Fifteen Two other things much of the same Nature entertained his Thoughts in that deep Melancholy The first was the Death of his Son whose Horoscope had proved Faulty he having not foreseen what yet came to pass That he should be executed at Milan in the four and twentieth Year of his Age for poysoning his Wife The other thing was the uncharitable behaviour of Scaliger and Monsieur de Thou in publishing in their Books to all Posterity That he was suffered to dye with Hunger For after all said he to us they are Lyars for were I dead 't was impossible I