[William A. Baurle]

While reading an excellent sonnet sequence by Maxine Kumin, called Sonnets Uncorseted, at the Poetry Foundation website, I was compelled to google a name referenced by Kumin, Margaret Cavendish, and was taken to a site called Emory Women Writers' Resource. This site contains a series called Atomic Poems in a book Cavendish published in 1653 called Poems, and Fancies.

I was amazed, not so much by the versifying, which is very good, but by the scientific and philosophical insights of this enlightened author in an age when it was considered unfeminine for women to engage in writing, even in thinking deeply about the world!

I felt it would be remiss not to offer up a few of Cavendish's poems for perusal by the fine people here at the Sphere. I wonder also if it will strike others, as it struck me, how the very things she is speaking of are being argued about at this very moment on hundreds of bulletin boards across the Internet as well as in the hallowed halls of Academia, where thinkers like Susan Haack, for example (she is one of many), are occasionally held to account for the mere accident of being female.

Here are a few samples of Margaret Cavendish's work, from 1653:

The Infinites of Matter

If all the World were a confused heape,
What was beyond? for this World is not great:
We finde it Limit hath, and Bound,
And like a Ball in compasse is made round:
And if that Matter, with which the World's made,
Be infinite, then more Worlds may be said;
Then Infinites of Worlds may we agree,
As well, as Infinites of Matters bee.

*

In the Center Atomes never Separate


Just at the Center is a point that's small,
Those Atomes that are there are wedg'd in all;
They lye so close, firme in one Body binde,
No other Forme, or Motion can unwinde:
For they are wreath'd so hard about that point,
As they become a Circle without joynt.


*

Motion is the Life of all things.

As darknesse a privation is of Light;
That's when the Optick Nerve is stopt from Light:
So Death is even a cessation in
Those Formes, and Bodies, wherein Motions spin.
As Light can only shine but in the Eye,
So Life doth only in a Motion lye.
Thus Life is out, when Motion leaves to bee,
Like to an Eye, that's shut, no Light can see.


*

Of the Subtlety of Motion

Could we the severall Motions of Life know,
The Subtle windings, and the waies they go:
We should adore God more, and not dispute,
How they are done, but that great God can doe't.
But we with Ignorance about do run,
To know the Ends, and how they first begun.
Spending that Life, which Natures God did give
Us to adore him, and his wonders with,
With fruitlesse, vaine, impossible pursuites,
In Schooles, Lectures, and quarrelling Disputes.
But never give him thanks that did us make,
Proudly, as petty Gods, our selves do take.


*

Motion and Figure

A Figure Spherical, the Motion's so,
Streight Figures in a darting Motion go:
As severall Figures in small Atomes bee,
So several Motions are, if we could see.
If Atomes joyne, meet in another Forme,
Then Motion alters as the Figures turne.
For if the Bodies weighty are, and great,
Then Motion's slow, and goes upon lesse feet.
Out of a Shuttle-cocke a feather pull,
And flying strike it, as when it was full;
The Motion alters which belongs to that,
Although the Motion of the hand do not.
Yet Motion, Matter, can new Figures find,
And the Substantial Figures turne and wind.
Thus severall Figures, severall Motions take,
And severall Motions, severall Figures make.
But Figure, Matter, Motion, all is one,
Can never separate, not be alone.


*

Motion directs, while Atomes dance

Atomes will dance, and measures keep just time;
And one by one will hold round circle line,
Run in and out, as we do dance the Hay;
Crossing about, yet keepe just time and way:
While Motion, as Musicke directs the Time:
Thus by consent, they altogether joyne.
This Harmony is Health, makes Life live long;
But when they're out, 'tis death, so dancing's done.


*

The agreement of some kinde of Motion, with some kinde of Atomes


Some Motion with some Atomes well agree;
Fits them to places right, as just may bee.
By Motions helpe, they so strong joyne each to
That hardly Motion shall againe undo.
Motions inconstancy oft gives such power
To Atomes, as they can Motion devoure.


*

Atomes and Motion fall out

When Motion, and all Atomes disagree,
Thunder in Skies, and sicknesse in Men bee,
Earthquakes, and Windes which make disorder great,
Tis when that Motion all the Atomes beate.
In this confusion a horrid noise they make,
For Motion will not let them their right places take.
Like frighted Flocks of Sheepe together run,
Thus Motion like a Wolfe doth worry them.

- Cavendish, Margaret (Lucas).