SAGR. And why ſhould they be vain and uſeleſſe?
SIMPL. Becauſe we cleerly ſee, and feel with our hands, that
all generations, corruptions, &c. made in the Earth, are all
ther mediately or immediately directed to the uſe, convenience,
and benefit of man; for the uſe of man are horſes brought forth,
for the feeding of horſes, the Earth produceth graſſe, and the
Clouds water it; for the uſe and nouriſhment of man, herbs, corn,
fruits, beaſts, birds, fiſhes, are brought forth; and in ſum, if
we ſhould one by one dilligently examine and reſolve all theſe
things, we ſhould find the end to which they are all directed, to be
the neceſſity, uſe, convenience, and delight of man. Now of what
uſe could the generations which we ſuppoſe to be made in the
Moon or other Planets, ever be to mankind? unleſſe you ſhould
ſay that there were alſo men in the Moon, that might enjoy the
benefit thereof; a conceit either fabulous or impious.
all generations, corruptions, &c. made in the Earth, are all
ther mediately or immediately directed to the uſe, convenience,
and benefit of man; for the uſe of man are horſes brought forth,
for the feeding of horſes, the Earth produceth graſſe, and the
Clouds water it; for the uſe and nouriſhment of man, herbs, corn,
fruits, beaſts, birds, fiſhes, are brought forth; and in ſum, if
we ſhould one by one dilligently examine and reſolve all theſe
things, we ſhould find the end to which they are all directed, to be
the neceſſity, uſe, convenience, and delight of man. Now of what
uſe could the generations which we ſuppoſe to be made in the
Moon or other Planets, ever be to mankind? unleſſe you ſhould
ſay that there were alſo men in the Moon, that might enjoy the
benefit thereof; a conceit either fabulous or impious.
The generations &
mutations
ing in the Earth,
are all for the good
of Man.
mutations
ing in the Earth,
are all for the good
of Man.
SAGR. That in the Moon or other Planets, there are
ted either herbs, or plants, or animals, like to ours, or that there
are rains, winds, or thunders there, as about the Earth, I
ther know, nor believe, and much leſſe, that it is inhabited by
men: but yet I underſtand not, becauſe there are not
ted things like to ours, that therefore it neceſſarily followeth,
that no alteration is wrought therein, or that there may not be
other things that change, generate, and diſſolve, which are not
onely different from ours, but exceedingly beyond our
tion, and in a word, not to be thought of by us. And if, as I
am certain, that one born and brought up in a ſpatious Forreſt,
amongſt beaſts and birds, and that hath no knowledg at all of the
Element of Water, could never come to imagine another World
to be in Nature, different from the Eatth, full of living
tures, which without legs or wings ſwiftly move, and not upon
the ſurface onely, as beaſts do upon the Earth, but in the very
bowels thereof; and not onely move, but alſo ſtay themſelves
and ceaſe to move at their pleaſure, which birds cannot do in the
air; and that moreover men live therein, and build Palaces and
Cities, and have ſo great convenience in travailing, that without
the leaſt trouble, they can go with their Family, Houſe, and
whole Cities, to places far remote, like as I ſay, I am certain,
ſuch a perſon, though of never ſo piercing an imagination, could
never fancy to himſelf Fiſhes, the Ocean, Ships, Fleets,
do's at Sea; thus, and much more eaſily, may it happn, that in
the Moon, remote from us by ſo great a ſpace, and of a
ſtance perchance very different from the Earth, there may be
ters, and operations, not only wide off, but altogether beyond
all our imaginations, as being ſuch as have no reſemblance to
ours, and therefore wholly inexcogitable, in regard, that what we
ted either herbs, or plants, or animals, like to ours, or that there
are rains, winds, or thunders there, as about the Earth, I
ther know, nor believe, and much leſſe, that it is inhabited by
men: but yet I underſtand not, becauſe there are not
ted things like to ours, that therefore it neceſſarily followeth,
that no alteration is wrought therein, or that there may not be
other things that change, generate, and diſſolve, which are not
onely different from ours, but exceedingly beyond our
tion, and in a word, not to be thought of by us. And if, as I
am certain, that one born and brought up in a ſpatious Forreſt,
amongſt beaſts and birds, and that hath no knowledg at all of the
Element of Water, could never come to imagine another World
to be in Nature, different from the Eatth, full of living
tures, which without legs or wings ſwiftly move, and not upon
the ſurface onely, as beaſts do upon the Earth, but in the very
bowels thereof; and not onely move, but alſo ſtay themſelves
and ceaſe to move at their pleaſure, which birds cannot do in the
air; and that moreover men live therein, and build Palaces and
Cities, and have ſo great convenience in travailing, that without
the leaſt trouble, they can go with their Family, Houſe, and
whole Cities, to places far remote, like as I ſay, I am certain,
ſuch a perſon, though of never ſo piercing an imagination, could
never fancy to himſelf Fiſhes, the Ocean, Ships, Fleets,
do's at Sea; thus, and much more eaſily, may it happn, that in
the Moon, remote from us by ſo great a ſpace, and of a
ſtance perchance very different from the Earth, there may be
ters, and operations, not only wide off, but altogether beyond
all our imaginations, as being ſuch as have no reſemblance to
ours, and therefore wholly inexcogitable, in regard, that what we