A Nest of Worlds -- in verse by Margaret Cavendish

     Margaret Cavendish (1623-1673) was an English aristocrat, scientist, writer and philosopher.  The following interesting and charming poem by Cavendish I found in A Quark for Mister Mark: 101 Poems about Science, edited by Maurice Riordan and Jon Turney (Faber & Faber, 2000). 

     Of many Worlds in this World    by Margaret Cavendish

     Just like as in a Nest of Boxes round,
     Degrees of Sizes in each Box are found:
     So, in this World, may many others be
     Thinner and less, and less still by degree:
     Although they are not subject to our sense,
     A World may be no bigger than Two-pence.
     NATURE is curious, and such Works may shape,
     Which our dull senses easily escape:
     For Creatures, small as Atoms, may be there,
     If every one a Creature's Figure bear.
     If Atoms Four, a World can make, then see
     What several Worlds might in an Ear-ring be:
     For, Millions of those Atoms may be in
     The Head of one small, little, single Pin.
     And if thus small, then Ladies may well wear
     A World of Worlds as Pendents in each Ear.

Curiosity led me to count the number of poems in A Quark for Mister Mark that are by women; out of 101 poems there are 24.