Poems, and phancies written By the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, And Excellent Princess The Lady Marchioness of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Impression, much Altered and Corrected |
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Of the Elements.
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 | Poems, and phancies |  |
Of the Elements.
Some hold four perfect Elements there be,Which do surmount each other by degree;
And some Opinions think that One is all,
The rest from that and to that One do fall;
And that this Element it self doth turn
To several qualities, as Fire to burn,
Then Water moist to quench that heat, and then
To subtile Air, and so to Earth agen:
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To Snow or Ice, its outward form has lost,
But when as Heat doth melt that Icy chain,
Then into Water it doth turn again;
Or like as Vapour thick, which doth ascend
From th'Earth, and to thin Air it self doth spend,
Or else it self condenseth into Rain,
And by its weight falls to the Earth again;
So what is very Thin, doth Subtile grow,
Turns into Fire and a bright Flame doth show;
But what is Dull, Heavy, and Slow to move,
Of a Cold quality doth often prove.
Thus by Contracting and Dilating parts,
Is all the Skil of Nature's working Arts.
| Poems, and phancies | |