Chapter V

As it has formerly been declared, The Parts of my Mind were generally of opinion, That it was, at least, probable, there were such things in Nature as _Restoring-Beds_, or _Wombs_. The next Opinion was, That these Beds were of several Kinds or Sorts, viz. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, and Elemental: so that every Kind or Sort, is a general Restorer of the Lives of their Kind or Sort. As for example, An Animal _Restoring-Bed_, may restore any dead Animal, to his former Animal Life, in case the Animal Roots or Seeds, (which we name, the _Vital Parts_) were not divided and dispersed, but inclosed, or inurned, so that no other Animal could come to feed on those Roots and Seeds of the dead Animal Body; and in case the Body was so closely kept, though dead many years, if it was put into a _Restoring-Bed_, that Animal Creature would reunite to the former Animal Life and Form.

But then there arose this Argument, _That if the Bodies of the dead Animals, did corrupt and dissolve of themselves, as most dead Animal Bodies do; Whether, after their Dissolution, they could be Restored?_

The Minor Part's Opinion was, That those dissolved Bodies, being dissolved, or divided, and their Parts out of their places, could not be restored.

The Major Part's Opinion, was, They might be restored; first, Because, though the Parts may be divided; yet, they were not annihilated. The next, That those divided Parts were not so separated and dispersed, as to be united to other Societies: Wherefore, if all those dead Animal Parts were put into a _Restoring-Womb_, or _Bed_; the Bed would occasion those Parts to place themselves into their proper Order and Form.