Galilei, Galileo, The systems of the world, 1661

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              <s>
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              be eſteemed a great imperfection to be alterable, generable,
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              table,
                <emph type="italics"/>
              &c.
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              It is my opinion that the Earth is very noble and
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              mirable, by reaſon of ſo many and ſo different alterations,
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              tations, generations,
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              &c.
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              which are inceſſantly made therein;
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              and if without being ſubject to any alteration, it had been all
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              one vaſt heap of ſand, or a maſſe of
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              Jaſper,
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              or that in the time
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              of the Deluge, the waters freezing which covered it, it had
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              continued an immenſe Globe of Chriſtal, wherein nothing had
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg131"/>
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              ever grown, altered, or changed, I ſhould have eſteemed it a
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              lump of no benefit to the World, full of idleneſſe, and in a
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              word ſuperfluous, and as if it had never been in nature; and
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              ſhould make the ſame difference in it, as between a living and
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              dead creature: The like I ſay of the
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              Moon, Jupiter,
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              and all the
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              other Globes of the World. </s>
              <s>But the more I dive into the
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              ſideration of the vanity of popular diſcourſes, the more empty
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              and ſimple I find them. </s>
              <s>And what greater folly can there be
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              imagined, than to call Jems, Silver and Gold pretious; and Earth
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              and dirt vile? </s>
              <s>For do not theſe perſons conſider, that if there
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg132"/>
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              ſhould be as great a ſcarcity of Earth, as there is of Jewels and
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              pretious metals, there would be no Prince, but would gladly give
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              a heap of Diamonds and Rubies, and many Wedges of Gold,
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              to purchaſe onely ſo much Earth as ſhould ſuffice to plant a
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              mine in a little pot, or to ſet therein a
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              China Orange,
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              that he might
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              ſee it ſprout, grow up, and bring forth ſo goodly leaves, ſo
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              riferous flowers, and ſo delicate fruit? </s>
              <s>It is therefore ſcarcity and
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg133"/>
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              plenty that make things eſteemed and contemned by the vulgar;
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              who will ſay that ſame is a moſt beautiful Diamond, for that it
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              reſembleth a cleer water, and yet will not part with it for ten
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              Tun of water: Theſe men that ſo extol incorruptibility,
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg134"/>
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              rability,
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              &c.
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              ſpeak thus I believe out of the great deſire they
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              have to live long, and for fear of death; not confidering, that
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              if men had been immortal, they ſhould have had nothing to do
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              in the World. </s>
              <s>Theſe deſerve to meet with a
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              Meduſa
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              's head,
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg135"/>
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              that would transform them into Statues of
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              Dimond
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              and
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              Jaſper,
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              that ſo they might become more perfect than they are.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
                <margin.target id="marg129"/>
              * Impatible.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
                <margin.target id="marg130"/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The Earth very
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              noble, by reaſon of
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              the many
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              ons made therein.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
                <margin.target id="marg131"/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The carth
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              ſitable and full of
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              idleneſſe, its
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              rations taken away
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              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
                <margin.target id="marg132"/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              The Earth more
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              noble than Gold
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              and Jewels.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
                <margin.target id="marg133"/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Scarcity and
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              ty enhanſe and
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              baſe the price of
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              things.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              Incorruptibility
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              ſteemed by the
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              gar out of their
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              fear of death.
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              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="margin">
              <s>
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              The diſparagers of
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              corraptibility
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              ſerve to be turned
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              into Statua's.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              </s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>SALV. </s>
              <s>And it may be ſuch a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Metamorphoſis
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              would not be
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              together unprofitable to them; for I am of opinion that it is
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              ter not to diſcourſe at all, than to argue erroniouſly.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>SIMPL. </s>
              <s>There is not the leaſt queſtion to be made, but that
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              the Earth is much more perfect, being as it is alterable, mutable,
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                <emph type="italics"/>
              &c.
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              than if it had been a maſſe of ſtone; yea although it were
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              one entire Diamond, moſt hard and impaſſile. </s>
              <s>But look how mueh
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                <arrow.to.target n="marg136"/>
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              theſe qualifications enoble the Earth, they render the Heavenly
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              bodies again on the other ſide ſo much the more imperfect, in
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              which, ſuch conditions would be ſuperfluous; in regard that the </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
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    </archimedes>
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