But if by Likenesse of Parts they mean onely fitnesse of Parts for figure and motion, they both being so framed and moderated, that upon external warmth their agitation will necessarily cast them to lock one with another, and to be linked into this admirable and useful frame of the body of an Animal; that Artifice would be so particularly nice and curious, that it is utterly unconceiveable but that it must imply either the attendance, or at least first contrivance, of a Knowing Principle, that put the Matter into so wonderful an order, as to be able by such precise laws of Figure and Motion to exhibite so noble Objects to our Sense and Understandings: And thus our Adversaries will gain nothing by this supposal.
But though this may seem barely possible, yet I conceive it is very improbable that such an infinite number of particles that must concur to make up a Fœtus, should have such a particular figuring and law of Motion impress'd upon each of them, as to enable it to take its right station or posture in the structure of a living Creature. ** See my Treatise of the Immortality of the Soul, Book 3. Ch. 12, and 13. For methinks this is going about the bush, whenas the more compendious way would be to make some Immaterial Substance, such as are conceived to be the Seminal Forms of Plants and Animals, or the Archei, as others call them. For this Form or Archeus is a thing more simple and plain, and requires a more simple and plain qualification of the subject it works upon, to wit, that it be onely homogeneal, and ductile, or yielding to the tender assaults of that Substantial power of life that resides in it.
9. Nor is this opinion of the Archei or Seminal Formes intangled in any such difficulties, but may be easily answered.
For as for those many pretended intricacies in the instance of the efformation of Wasps out of the Carcase of a Horse, I say, the Archei that framed them are no parts of the Horse's Soul that is dead, but several distinct Archei that do as naturally joyn with the Matter of his body so putrefied and prepared, as the Crowes come to eat his flesh.
But you demand where these Archei were before. To which I answer, Can there want room for so small pieces of Spirituality in so vast a compass as the comprehension of the Universe? I shall rather reply, Where were they not? the World of life being excluded out of no place, and the sundry sorts of Souls being as plentiful and as obvious there, as those Magnetick particles are in this corporeal world; and you can scarce place your Loadstone and Iron any where, but you will finde their presence by the sensible effects of them: Or if you will have a grosser comparison, they are as cheap and common as dust flying in the Aire in a dry and windy Summer.
To the last puzzle propounded, whether these Archei be so many sprigs of the common Soul of the world, or particular subsistences of themselves; there is no great inconvenience in acknowledging that it may be either way. For it does not follow that if they be so many branches or distinct ** This is the usual phrase of the Ancients, but how farre justifiable, see Immortal. Book 3. ch. 16. sect. 8. rayes of the great Soul of the world, that therefore they are that very Soul it self; and if they be not, they may have their pleasures and pains apart distinct from one another: And what is pleasure and pain to them, may haply be neither to their Original, moving her no more then the chirping of a Cricket does those that are attentive to a full
