Category: PART I

We find that i’th’East Indies¹ stars there be,
Which we in our horizon ne’er did² see;
Yet we do take great pains in glasses clear
To see what stars do in the sky appear.
But yet the more we search, the less we know,                  5
Because we find our work doth endless grow.
For who knows, but those stars³ we see by night
Are suns which to some other worlds give light?
But could our outward senses pace the sky,
As well as can⁴ imaginations high,⁵                                     10
If we were there, we might as little⁶ know
As those which stay, and never up do⁷ go.
Then let no⁸ man in fruitless pains life spend:
The most we know is, Nature death will send.

As water rarified doth make⁹ winds blow,
So winds when rarified¹⁰ do colder grow.
For if they thin are¹¹ rarified, then they
Do further blow, and spread out every way.
So cold they are, and sharp as needle points,¹²                          5
For by the thinness breaks and disunites,¹³
Into such¹⁴ atoms fall, sharp figures be,¹⁵
Which porous bodies pierce, if we could¹⁶ see.
Yet some will think, if air were parted so
The winds could not have such strong force to blow.             10
’Tis true, if atoms all were blunt and flat,¹⁷
Or round like rings, they could not pierce, but pat.¹⁸
But by dividing, they so sharp do grow,¹⁹
That²⁰ through all porous bodies they do go.²¹
But when the winds are soft, they intermix,                             15
As water doth, and in one body fix.
They rather²² wave than blow as fans are spread,
Which ladies use to cool their cheeks when red,
Or like as water drops that disunite²³
Feel harder than when mixed they²⁴ on us light,                     20
Unless such streams upon our heads do²⁵ run,
As we a shelter seek, the wet to shun.
But when a drop congealèd is with cold,
As hailstones are, then it more strength²⁶ doth hold.
For²⁷ flakes of snow may have more quantity                          25
Than hailstones, yet not have more²⁸ force thereby.
They fall so soft that they scarce²⁹ strike our touch;
Hailstones we feel and know their weight too much.
But figures that are flat are dull and slow,
Make weak impressions³⁰ wheresoe’er they go.                      30
For let ten times the quantity of steel
Be beaten thin,³¹ no hurt by that you’ll feel.
But if that one will take a needle small,
Whose point is sharp, and prick³² the flesh withal,
Straight it shall hurt, and put the flesh to pain,                        35
Which greater strength doth not of what is³³ plain.
For though³⁴ you press it hard against the skin,
’T may³⁵ heavy feel, but cannot³⁶ enter in.
And so³⁷ the wind that’s thin and³⁸ rarified
May press³⁹ us down, but never⁴⁰ pierce the side.                   40
Or take a blade that’s flat, though strong and great,
And with great strength upon one’s head it⁴¹ beat:
You’ll break the skull, but not knock out his⁴² brains,
Which arrows sharp soon do, and with less pains.
Thus what is small is subtler and more⁴³ quick,                       45
For all small points⁴⁴ in porous bodies stick.
Winds broken small to atoms, when they⁴⁵ blow,
Are colder much than when they⁴⁶ streaming flow,
For all which knit⁴⁷ and united close⁴⁸
Much stronger are, and give⁴⁹ the harder blows.                     50
This shows what’s closest in itself⁵⁰ to be,
Although an atom in⁵¹ its small degree.
Take quantity, for quantity alike,
Union⁵² more than mixture hard shall strike.

Who knows, but thunders are great winds which lie
Within the middle vault above the sky?
Which wind⁵³ the sun on⁵⁴ moisture cold begot,
When he was⁵⁵ in his region Cancer hot.
This child⁵⁶ is thin and subtle, made by heat;                    5
Its voice is strong⁵⁷ and makes a noise that’s great.
Its thinness makes it agile, agile strong,
And⁵⁸ by its force doth drive the clouds along.
And when the clouds do meet, they each do strike,
Flashing out fire, as do flints⁵⁹ the like.                              10
Thus in the summer thunder’s caused by wind,
For vapor drawn up⁶⁰ high no way can find⁶¹
To pass; in winter time,⁶² when clouds⁶³ are loose,
Then doth the wind on Earth keep rendezvous.

 

⁶⁴

How can we think winds come from th’Earth⁶⁵ below,
When from the sky they⁶⁶ down upon us blow?
If they came⁶⁷ from the Earth, they must ascend,⁶⁸
And back again their strength against it bend.⁶⁹
They cannot freely blow, lest⁷⁰ Earth were made                     5
Like to a bowling-green, and⁷¹ level laid.
But there are rocks, and hills, and mountains great
Which stop their ways and make them soon retreat.
Then sure it is, the sun draws vapor out
And makes⁷² it thin, then blows it all⁷³ about.                            10
By⁷⁴ heat condensed, it turneth⁷⁵ into rain,
And by its weight falls to the Earth again.
Thus moisture and the sun do cause the winds,
And not the crudities in hollow mines.⁷⁶

The Earth, we find, is very cold and dry,
And must therefore have fire and water nigh
To wash and bathe, then dry herself without,
Else she would useless be, without all doubt.

⁷⁷
When heat and moisture join⁷⁸ with equal merit,
They get a body⁷⁹ thin of air, or spirit,
Which is a smoke or steam begot from both.
If Mother Moisture⁸⁰ rule, ’tis full of sloth,
But if the⁸¹ Father Fire predominates,                       5
Then it is active, quick, and elevates.
This airy child is sometimes good or bad
According to the nourishment it had.

⁸²

If hay be not quite dry, but stacked up wet,
That moisture will in time⁸³ a fire beget.
This proves that fire may from moisture grow;⁸⁴
We proof have none, moisture from fire flow.⁸⁵
This shows that fire in itself is free:⁸⁶                           5
No other element in it can be.
For fire is pure and still doth keep⁸⁷ the same;
Where oily moisture’s not, no fire can flame.

All that doth flow we cannot liquid name,⁸⁸
Or else would fire and water be the same,⁸⁹
But that is liquid which is moist and wet;
Fire that property can never get.
Then ’tis not cold that puts the fire⁹⁰ out,                     5
But ’tis the wet that makes it die, no doubt.

⁹¹

Like as the tide, so flame doth⁹² ebb and flow,
For it will sink⁹³ and then straight higher grow.
And if suppressed, it in a rage breaks⁹⁴ out,
Spreading⁹⁵ itself in several parts about.
Some think the salt doth make⁹⁶ the sea to move,⁹⁷              5
If so, then salt in flame the like may prove.
And if it be that⁹⁸ salt all motions makes,
Then life, the chief, from salt its motion⁹⁹ takes.

Nothing is so like fire, as a fly’s sting,
If we compare th’effect which both do bring.
For flies when they sting the flesh,¹⁰⁰ no blood they¹⁰¹ draw,
But blisters raise, the skin made red, the flesh raw.¹⁰²
Were there as many stings as fiery atoms small,¹⁰³             5
Would pierce into the flesh, bones turn to ashes all.¹⁰⁴
Thus we find flies do carry everywhere
Fire in their tails, yet do their breech¹⁰⁵ not fear.