Bulk and Selvage of the World, Title page – Dedication
A TREATISE OF THE BƲLK and SELVEDGE OF THE WORLD.
WHEREIN The GREATNESS, LITTLENESS and LASTINGNESS of BODIES are freely Handled.
With an Anſwer to Tentamine de Deo, By S. P. D. D.
By N. Fairfax, M. D.
LONDON, Printed for Robert Boulter, at the Turks-Head in Cornhill, over againſt the Royal Exchange, MDCLXXIV.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Sir William Blois, Knight.
S Ʋch is that wonderful and moſt comely Chain of Beings, which winds up into World, that if the ſmall and lowermoſt things therein make ſhift to ſhow themſelves, 'tis alwayes by the leave, or with the help of the Bigger and the Higher. That rotten wood may give its glimmerings, the Sun muſt take away its light: And if the Flowers will needs be riſing out of their colder beds, or the Fryes of Wrigglers and ſwarms of Quicklings or Inſects, peep out of their Graves and Dungeons, they muſt wait upon the Sun to bring about thoſe beams of his that make the Spring; whence they may have their Priſon doors unlockt, their fetters taken off, and be tickled into ſuch a laughing briskneſs, and judged up into ſuch a smirkiſh livelineſs, as may laſt as long as the Summers warmth holds on to cocker them, and the days heat to frigge and chafe them. Now I reckon that I muſt bethink my ſelf in this Addreſs, how far I am taken in here, and be well aware how Woodbridge ſtands ſo near to Grundsborough Hall, that if ſuch an underly Shrub in Knowledge, and unthrifty Sucker in Philoſophy as I am, ſhall ſtrive to put forth this Spring time here, I can do no leſs than ask the good liking of ſuch a neighbouring Cedar, under whoſe ſhade I muſt needs creep up, befann'd from next Dogs-day ſcorchings, and within the boſom of whoſe ſhrowdings I muſt be cloakt from wind and weather. Nor ſhould I ever aim to blow up any Fire-light of uſeful Knowlege in this place, were it not that you have thought meet to withhold thoſe Sun-like beams of yours, that would ſoon bedim its fainter twinklings, and ſhine out all its dying glitter. Indeed you have purchaſed ſo fair a Lordſhip of Knowledge in theſe Parts, that I fear I ſhould wrong your Freedoms, and encroach upon your Royalties, if I ſhould put in any Claims but Ʋnder ones, or own any other Hamlet ſo near you, but what is a limb of your Townſhip. Nor is it but meet that I ſhould hold all my Natural knowledge of your Mannor, and become Tenant to ſo good a Landlord in Philoſophy. So that paying this acknowledgment, ſhould be nothing but doing my bounden Homage, and bringing in my Lady Rent-charge; while the Lord of the Soyl holds nextly of the King, and does his devoir in a Regi Sacrum.
Thus however it may be thought by others, I have miſcarried in the Thing I treat of; I am ſure I have not miſtook the Man I addreſs to. And though it may ſeem but a wooden come off, and like that of the ſorry numb-skull'd Ruſſes, who when they are pincht with a hardneſs beyond the learning of Horn-book, are wont to anſwer, that God and the Great Duke knows all things: Yet I being bound ſo far by the laws of Mine and Thine as I have been free in acknowledging it; muſt ſpring as much from a rightful mind in me, to deal out to the Greater Owner his Greater Share, as it does from a ſhotten brain in any of them, to tell another, I know not who can anſwer I know not what.
Sure I am, if I ever felt my ſelf at all, 'tis in my breaſt to woo Dame Kind with as buſie a warmth and hearty earneſtneſs as any man; but 'tis not in my Cheſt to endow her with that Fulneſs that he can, whoſe mind is as Great and Wealthy as his Love can be ſtrong and flaming, and whoſe endowments have made him to be as much ſtared at by the Yeomen, as indeared to men of skill and breeding. And I cannot think I miſtook my ſelf in Courtſhip, while I waited upon the youngeſt and moſt Houſewifely Daughter of Philoſophy, named Workful, ſo long as I hapned of ſuch a Rival in the Parlor with her. I do believe, Sir, that your ſelf as well as I, had ſo much rather be a Well-willer to a Bricklayer, than a Philoſopher taking name from Ariſtotles Phyſicks, by how much the more 'tis behoving Mankind, to have houſes on the earth for ſettled and eaſeful dwelling, than ſuch capering Caſtles in the Air, whoſe Groundſils are laid with Whims, their Overwayes with Dreams, and rooft with Cream of thinking. I muſt needs ſay, that I do think my ſelf ſo much more better'd by a Philoſophical Tranſaction of a MonethMonth, or Journal des Scavans of a Fortnight, than by a Mercury Gallant of half a Year, by how much the more I like my ſelf, when I am kindly and ſteadily knowing, above what I do, when I feel that I am Gay and Towring. And I think our Royal Society at London is as much before that Des belles Lettres at Paris, as the Hiſtory of that Body of Worthies outſtrips the Academy of Complements. In that narrow Chat that I have had with Outlanders, it has been hugely to my liking, that hard upon the firſt greeting, I have been plyed with ſo many good words for our R. S. in the whole, and Mr. Boyle alone. Nor can I find, that either your ſelf, or I, or any man elſe, that has kenn'd the drift and bounds of that undertaking, have made leſs reckonings of their growing worth and works already known, or abated our hopes for time to come; for all the Tee hees that have been broke by Men of Droll, or dirt that has been thrown from Daring ſpight. And it goes a great way with me, to mark, that the ſame-kidneyed men, who have either a ſharp flowt at the end of their tongue, or a bitter hate in the middle of their heart, for the wary Experimenter, have another of the ſame in their Budget, for the Book that is named from its Holineſs, or indeed for any thing elſe, but what is fleſh on the one ſide, and air on the other. Nor can any man gheſs it ſhould be otherwiſe, but that he who had a ſneer or grudge for the Book of Gods Works; the Print that he has given us of his Almighty Power and houndleſs leſs Wiſdom: ſhould have no leſs for that other of his Word; the likeneſs he has drawn for us of his truth and holineſs.
Whence I have ſomewhat the more wondred how it could ever get into the heads or hearts of Men of inſight or holineſs, that a right knowledge of the Works which God has done, ſhould lead from the knowledge of, or leſſen the love for, that boundleſs Wiſdom and Goodneſs who brought thoſe things about. As if ſhewing the Coats and garments which Dorcas made, before the holy Mourners, had been to wheadle off their thoughts from the Work-woman to the Works, and drown their ſorrows for the jewel that was loſt, in the floudings of of their joy for the Cabinet that was left. Can the ſame train of holy ends which God has fram'd for Mankinds bliſs, be leſs indearing, for that they are known to be as skilfully rang'd as lovingly aim'd? How others may have been wrought upon by that doing Knowledge, which now ſpreads amongſt us like love amongſt the Youth, kindly and takingly, I cannot tell: But if I were now to die, and knew it ſo, I muſt ſpeak it from within me, That I have found my ſelf more warmly ſhined upon by the Father of Lights, and breathing into more becoming flames, from the reading of Malpighius about the hatching of an Egg, or Dr. Grew about the ſprouting of a Bean, (a thing ſet at nought to a by-word;) than ever I could do from the ſhelves full of thoſe Books, that have ſtruck fire for the Government of Churches and ſome other things, bearing their religious weight in their Names, and their light in their Newneſs, in the late dayes of Blame, and years of Topſie-turvy. Wherein, when men had wrought up all the Woman within them that was feeble and glowing, into a fine-ſpun thread, they play'd the Men only, when they had done, in pelting on't with the diſtaff. I can eaſily taſt the ſweetneſs of God through the bitterneſs of wormwood; but could never feel the ſweetneſs of the Christian through the bitterneſs of the Man. And I love the New Philoſophy ſo much the more; For why, It ſets the hand a working not a ſtriking, and anſwers the noiſe of Talking by the ſtilneſs of Doing, as the Italians clam rowt and tattle into nodding and beckning. Yet 'tis not to be lookt for, that the Bulk of men amongſt us, ſhould love that which they neither know nor care to know. It will be enough for thoſe that have betrothed the Way, that many are the hands heads and hearts of ſuch worthy and unwearied Gentlemen as are Going along with them. And I ſhall ever think with that Great part of the R. S. the Great Mr. Oldenburg, that Sound Philoſophers are each to other ſufficient Theaters. The kindneſs and good greetting that is of one ſort, is wont to be enfolded mainly within the rank or ſtock Guild or kinred of the ſame. And that man who can find what 'tis to love knowingly and beſeemingly, will never feel himſelf leſs at eaſe for being wedlockt but to one. Which I do not ſpeak as if I gheſs'd you had your Philoſophy to chooſe, any more than your Religion; or that you could ſhift the former with as much ſleight as ſome others do the latter. I believe you deal in Holdfaſts as well as Truths, and can foretel what you ſhall be, as well as tell what you are. But becauſe there are a great many ſo much upon the ſpur, that they cannot ſtay ſo long till the writing can be fetcht which is graven with the finger of God: but grow ſo hot on't, as to melt down their thoughts forthwith, and fall a graving of them into Calviſh likeneſſes, that may go blazing before them in the wilderneſs they are got into; that however they miſs wool they may have noiſe, ſomething loud, though nothing uſeful. I was ſo forward to chide ſuch a raſh piece of Will-worſhip, that I ſlipt into ſpeaking of while I was ſpeaking to. But 'tis indeed time to remember, that I have ſpoken enough of one and other. I am ſure he whom I ſpeak to, is too much taken with things to be over fond of words; and 'tis a misbecomingneſs to have a doing Philoſophy ſet forth by a talking Philoſopher. That Manly knowledge that is now in the Chair, is to be trim'd ſilently. And 'tis well for me that neither Man nor Thing wants gilding. For I could never open my mouth Charmwiſe, nor breath out Spells to bind down men. I never drew from, nor matcht to the Houſe of Peacock. Gay and I are nothing a kin, nor like to be, but all that dwells at my home is homely. My brain is not wont to go big with flower. When ever I ſpy one 'tis aloof to be ſure: So I leave both to ſhine for themſelves, and outſhine others. And I know whatever is a Noneſuch, will draw enough as 'tis, without the Hogow of the ſtifling Haulers. To be joy'd of praiſe-worthineſs, is more than to be lifted up by the Hoiſt of breath, or to be rung with a peal of Hum and Outcry. It will be more than enough for me, though I cannot raiſe nor greaten, the height and ſpreadingneſs of your Worth, by ſayings that are big and lofty, if it may not be thought a lowning and leſſening of it, to take into the Liſt of your Menials
SIR, Your moſt bounden Homager Natha. Fairfax. Woodbridge, Mar. 25. 1678.