Galilei, Galileo, Mechanics, 1665

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1
No doubt, but that Natures operation in the Motions of Grave
Bodies
is ſuch, that any whatever Body that hath a Gravity in it
hath
a propenſion of moving, being at liberty, towards the Cen­

ter
, and that not only ^{*} by the Right Line perpendicularly, but al­
ſo
(when it cannot do otherwiſe) by any other Line, which ha­
ving
ſome inclination towards the Center goeth more and more
abaſing
.
And thus we ſee the Water not only to fall downwards
along
the Perpendicular from ſome eminent place, but alſo to run
about
the Surface of the Earth along Lines though very little en­
clined
; as we ſee in the Courſe of Rivers, the Waters of which, if ſo
be
that the Bed have any the leaſt declivity, go freely declining
downwards
.
Which very effect, like as it is diſcerned in all Fluid
Bodies
, would appear alſo in hard Bodies, if ſo be, that their Fi­
gure
and other Accidental and Extern Impediments did not hinder
it
.
So that we, having a Superficies very well ſmoothed and poli­
ſhed
, as for inſtance, that of a Looking-glaſs, and a Ball exactly
rotund
and ſleek, either of Marble, or of Glaſs, or of any other
Matter
apt to be poliſhed, this being placed upon that Superficies
ſhall
trundle along, in caſe that this have any, though very ſmall,
inclination
; and ſhall lie ſtill only upon that Superficies which is
exactly
levelled and parallel to the Plane of the Horizon: as is
that
, for example, of a Lake or ſtanding Water being frozen, up­
on
which the ſaid Spherical Body would ſtand ſtill, but in a con­
dition
of being moved by every ſmall Force.
For we having ſup­
poſed
that if that Plane did incline but an hairs breadth only, the
ſaid
Ball would move along it ſpontaneouſly towards the part de­
clining
, and on the oppoſite would have a Reſiſtance, nay, would
not
be able without ſome Violence to move towards the part

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