SAGR. I am what ever pleaſeth Salviatus, but I pray you,
let us not ſally out into another kind of digreſſion complemental;
for at this time I am a Philoſopher, and in the Schools, not in the
Court.
let us not ſally out into another kind of digreſſion complemental;
for at this time I am a Philoſopher, and in the Schools, not in the
Court.
SALV. Let our contemplation begin therefore with this
deration, that whatſoever motion may be aſcribed to the Earth,
it is neceſſary that it be to us, (as inhabitants upon it, and
quently partakers of the ſame) altogether imperceptible, and as if
it were not at all, ſo long as we have regard onely to terreſtrial
things; but yet it is on the contrary, as neceſſary that the ſame
motion do ſeem common to all other bodies, and viſible
jects, that being ſeparated from the Earth, participate not of the
ſame. So that the true method to find whether any kind of motion
may be aſcribed to the Earth, and that found, to know what it
is, is to conſider and obſerve if in bodies ſeparated from the
Earth, one may diſcover any appearance of motion, which
qually ſuiteth to all the reſt; for a motion that is onely ſeen, v. gr.
in the Moon, and that hath nothing to do with Venus or Jupiter,
or any other Stars, cannot any way belong to the Earth, or to
any other ſave the Moon alone. Now there is a moſt general and
grand motion above all others, and it is that by which the Sun,
the Moon, the other Planets, and the Fixed Stars, and in a word,
the whole Univerſe, the Earth onely excepted, appeareth in our
thinking to move from the Eaſt towards the Weſt, in the ſpace of
twenty four hours; and this, as to this firſt appearance, hath no
obſtacle to hinder it, that it may not belong to the Earth alone,
as well as to all the World beſides, the Earth excepted; for the
ſame aſpects will appear in the one poſition, as in the other.
Hence it is that Ariſtotle and Ptolomy, as having hit upon this
ſideration, in going about to prove the Earth to be immoveable,
argue not againſt any other than this Diurnal Motion; ſave onely
that Ariſtotle hinteth ſomething in obſcure terms againſt another
Motion aſcribed to it by an Ancient, of which we ſhall ſpeak in
its place.
deration, that whatſoever motion may be aſcribed to the Earth,
it is neceſſary that it be to us, (as inhabitants upon it, and
quently partakers of the ſame) altogether imperceptible, and as if
it were not at all, ſo long as we have regard onely to terreſtrial
things; but yet it is on the contrary, as neceſſary that the ſame
motion do ſeem common to all other bodies, and viſible
jects, that being ſeparated from the Earth, participate not of the
ſame. So that the true method to find whether any kind of motion
may be aſcribed to the Earth, and that found, to know what it
is, is to conſider and obſerve if in bodies ſeparated from the
Earth, one may diſcover any appearance of motion, which
qually ſuiteth to all the reſt; for a motion that is onely ſeen, v. gr.
in the Moon, and that hath nothing to do with Venus or Jupiter,
or any other Stars, cannot any way belong to the Earth, or to
any other ſave the Moon alone. Now there is a moſt general and
grand motion above all others, and it is that by which the Sun,
the Moon, the other Planets, and the Fixed Stars, and in a word,
the whole Univerſe, the Earth onely excepted, appeareth in our
thinking to move from the Eaſt towards the Weſt, in the ſpace of
twenty four hours; and this, as to this firſt appearance, hath no
obſtacle to hinder it, that it may not belong to the Earth alone,
as well as to all the World beſides, the Earth excepted; for the
ſame aſpects will appear in the one poſition, as in the other.
Hence it is that Ariſtotle and Ptolomy, as having hit upon this
ſideration, in going about to prove the Earth to be immoveable,
argue not againſt any other than this Diurnal Motion; ſave onely
that Ariſtotle hinteth ſomething in obſcure terms againſt another
Motion aſcribed to it by an Ancient, of which we ſhall ſpeak in
its place.
The motions of
the Earth are
perceptible to its
inhabitants.
the Earth are
perceptible to its
inhabitants.
The Earth can
have no other
tions, than thoſe
which to us appear
commune to all the
rest of the
verſe, the Earth
excepted.
have no other
tions, than thoſe
which to us appear
commune to all the
rest of the
verſe, the Earth
excepted.
The Diurnal
tion, ſeemeth
mune to all the
niverſe, ſave onely
the Earth excepted.
tion, ſeemeth
mune to all the
niverſe, ſave onely
the Earth excepted.
Ariſtotle and
Ptolomy argue
gainſt the
nal Motion
buted to the Earth.
Ptolomy argue
gainſt the
nal Motion
buted to the Earth.
SAGR. I very well perceive the neceſſity of your illation: but
I meet with a doubt which I know not how to free my ſelf from,
and this it is, That Copernicus aſſigning to the Earth another
tion beſide the Diurnal, which, according to the rule even now laid
down, ought to be to us, as to appearance, imperceptible in the
Earth, but viſible in all the reſt of the World; me thinks I may
neceſſarily infer, either that he hath manifeſtly erred in aſſigning
the Earth a motion, to which there appears not a general
ſpondence in Heaven; or elſe that if there be ſuch a congruity
therein, Ptolomy on the other hand hath been deficient in not
futing this, as he hath done the other.
I meet with a doubt which I know not how to free my ſelf from,
and this it is, That Copernicus aſſigning to the Earth another
tion beſide the Diurnal, which, according to the rule even now laid
down, ought to be to us, as to appearance, imperceptible in the
Earth, but viſible in all the reſt of the World; me thinks I may
neceſſarily infer, either that he hath manifeſtly erred in aſſigning
the Earth a motion, to which there appears not a general
ſpondence in Heaven; or elſe that if there be ſuch a congruity
therein, Ptolomy on the other hand hath been deficient in not
futing this, as he hath done the other.
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