1from this to the other yet bigger of Saturn, whoſe period is of
thirty years, it is neceſſary, I ſay, that you paſſe to another
Sphere incomparably greater ſtill than that, and make this to
compliſh an entire revolution in twenty four hours. And this yet is
the leaſt diſorder that can follow. For if any one ſhould paſſe
from the Sphere of Saturn to the Starry Orb, and make it ſo
much bigger than that of Saturn, as proportion would require, in
reſpect of its very ſlow motion, of many thouſands of years, then
it muſt needs be a Salt much more abſurd, to skip from this to
another bigger, and to make it convertible in twenty four hours.
But the motion of the Earth being granted, the order of the
riods will be exactly obſerved, and from the very ſlow Sphere of
Saturn, we come to the fixed Stars, which are wholly
ble, and ſo avoid a fourth difficulty, which we muſt of neceſſity
mit, if the Starry Sphere be ſuppoſed moveable, and that is the
immenſe diſparity between the motions of thoſe ſtars themſelves;
of which ſome would come to move moſt ſwiftly in moſt vaſt
cles, others moſt ſlowly in circles very ſmall, according as thoſe
or theſe ſhould be found nearer, or more remote from the Poles;
which ſtill is accompanied with an inconvenience, as well becauſe
we ſee thoſe, of whoſe motion there is no queſtion to be made,
to move all in very immenſe circles; as alſo, becauſe it ſeems to
be an act done with no good conſideration, to conſtitute bodies,
that are deſigned to move circularly, at immenſe diſtances from
the centre, and afterwards to make them move in very ſmall
cles. And not onely the magnitudes of the circles, and
quently the velocity of the motions of theſe Stars, ſhall be moſt
different from the circles and motions of thoſe others, but
(which ſhall be the fifth inconvenience) the ſelf-ſame Stars
ſhall ſucceſſively vary its circles and velocities: For that
thoſe, which two thouſand years ſince were in the Equinoctial,
and conſequently did with their motion deſcribe very vaſt
cles, being in our dayes many degrees diſtant from thence, muſt
of neceſſity become more ſlow of motion, and be reduced to
move in leſſer circles, and it is not altogether impoſſible but that
a time may come, in which ſome of them which in aforetime had
continually moved, ſhall be reduced by uniting with the Pole, to
a ſtate of reſt, and then after ſome time of ceſſation, ſhall return
to their motion again; whereas the other Stars, touching whoſe
motion none ſtand in doubt, do all deſcribe, as hath been ſaid,
the great circle of their Orb, and in that maintain themſelves
without any variation. The abſurdity is farther enlarged (which
let be the ſixth inconvenience) to him that more ſeriouſly
neth the thing, in that no thought can comprehend what ought to
be the ſolidity of that immenſe Sphere, whoſe depth ſo ſtedfaſtly
thirty years, it is neceſſary, I ſay, that you paſſe to another
Sphere incomparably greater ſtill than that, and make this to
compliſh an entire revolution in twenty four hours. And this yet is
the leaſt diſorder that can follow. For if any one ſhould paſſe
from the Sphere of Saturn to the Starry Orb, and make it ſo
much bigger than that of Saturn, as proportion would require, in
reſpect of its very ſlow motion, of many thouſands of years, then
it muſt needs be a Salt much more abſurd, to skip from this to
another bigger, and to make it convertible in twenty four hours.
But the motion of the Earth being granted, the order of the
riods will be exactly obſerved, and from the very ſlow Sphere of
Saturn, we come to the fixed Stars, which are wholly
ble, and ſo avoid a fourth difficulty, which we muſt of neceſſity
mit, if the Starry Sphere be ſuppoſed moveable, and that is the
immenſe diſparity between the motions of thoſe ſtars themſelves;
of which ſome would come to move moſt ſwiftly in moſt vaſt
cles, others moſt ſlowly in circles very ſmall, according as thoſe
or theſe ſhould be found nearer, or more remote from the Poles;
which ſtill is accompanied with an inconvenience, as well becauſe
we ſee thoſe, of whoſe motion there is no queſtion to be made,
to move all in very immenſe circles; as alſo, becauſe it ſeems to
be an act done with no good conſideration, to conſtitute bodies,
that are deſigned to move circularly, at immenſe diſtances from
the centre, and afterwards to make them move in very ſmall
cles. And not onely the magnitudes of the circles, and
quently the velocity of the motions of theſe Stars, ſhall be moſt
different from the circles and motions of thoſe others, but
(which ſhall be the fifth inconvenience) the ſelf-ſame Stars
ſhall ſucceſſively vary its circles and velocities: For that
thoſe, which two thouſand years ſince were in the Equinoctial,
and conſequently did with their motion deſcribe very vaſt
cles, being in our dayes many degrees diſtant from thence, muſt
of neceſſity become more ſlow of motion, and be reduced to
move in leſſer circles, and it is not altogether impoſſible but that
a time may come, in which ſome of them which in aforetime had
continually moved, ſhall be reduced by uniting with the Pole, to
a ſtate of reſt, and then after ſome time of ceſſation, ſhall return
to their motion again; whereas the other Stars, touching whoſe
motion none ſtand in doubt, do all deſcribe, as hath been ſaid,
the great circle of their Orb, and in that maintain themſelves
without any variation. The abſurdity is farther enlarged (which
let be the ſixth inconvenience) to him that more ſeriouſly
neth the thing, in that no thought can comprehend what ought to
be the ſolidity of that immenſe Sphere, whoſe depth ſo ſtedfaſtly