The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World

The Empress seem'd very well satisfied with their answer, and desired to be further informed, Whether all Animal Creatures did continue their Species by a successive propogation of particulars, and whether in every Species the off-springs did always resemble their Generator or Producer, both in their interior and exterior Figures? They answered, her Majesty, That some Species or sorts of Creatures, were kept up by a successive propagation of an off-spring that was like the producer, but some were not. Of the first rank, said they, are all those Animals that are of different sexes, besides several others; but of the second rank are for the most part those we call Insects, whose production proceds from such causes as have no conformity or likeness with their produced Effects; as for example, Maggots bred out of Cheese, and several others generated out of Earth, Water, and the like. But said the Empress, there is some likeness between Maggots and Cheese; for Cheese has no blood, nor Maggots neither; besides, they have almost the same taste which Cheese has. This proves nothing, answered they; for Maggots have a visible, local, progressive motion, which Cheese hath not. The Empress replied, That when all the Cheese was turned into Maggots, it might be said to have local, progressive motion. They answered, That when the Cheese by its own figurative motions was changed into Maggots, it was no more Cheese. The Empress confessed that she observed Nature was infinitely various in her works, and that though the species of Creatures did continue, yet their particulars were subject to infinite changes. But since you have informed me, said she, of the various sorts and productions of Animal Creatures, I desire you to tell me what you have observed of their sensitive perceptions? Truly, answered they, Your Majesty puts a very hard question to us, and we shall hardly be able to give a satisfactory answer to it; for there are many different sorts of Creatures, which as they have all different perceptions, so they have also different organs, which our senses are not able to discover, onely in an Oystershell we have with admiration observed, that the common sensorium of the Oyster lies just as the closing of the shells, where the pressure and re-action may be perceived by the opening and shutting of the shells every tide.