Foscarini, Paolo Antonio, An epistle to fantoni, 1661

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              of the
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              Antipodes
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              by many of the Antients of approved Wiſ­
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              dome and Learning was held a Paradox no leſs abſurd than this
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              Our Opinion of the
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              Earths Motion
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              may ſeem to be; as likewiſe
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              that of the
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              Habitableneſſe of the Torrid Zone
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              : Of theſe Opini­
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              ons, the firſt was accounted unpoſſible by many, but the latter
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              was abſolutely denyed by the unanimous conſent of all: But
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              later Authors (to the great felicity and perpetual Glory of
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              their Age) have, not ſo much by Authority, as by accurate
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              diligence and indefatigable ſtudy to finde out the truth, pro­
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              ved them both to be undoubtedly true. </s>
              <s>Thus I affirm that
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              the Antients were deceived, and that in too lightly challenging
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              Credid and Authority for their Inventions, they diſcovered too
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              much folly. </s>
              <s>Here for brevities ſake I paſs by many Dreams
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              lately detected, both of
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              Ariſtotle
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              and other of the antient Philo­
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              ſophers; who in all likelihood if they had dived into the Obſer­
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              vations of Modern Writers, and underſtood their Reaſons, would,
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              by changing their Judgements, have given them the precedency,
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              and would have ſubſcribed to their manifeſt Truth. </s>
              <s>Hereby we
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              ſee that we are not to have ſo high a reſpect for the Antiens, that
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              whatever they aſſert ſhould be taken upon truſt, and that Faith
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              ſhould be given to their ſayings, as if they were Oracles and
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              Truths ſent down from Heaven. </s>
              <s>But yet (which indeed is
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              chiefly to be regarded in theſe matters) if any thing be found out
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              that is repugnant to Divine Authority, or to the Sacred Leaves,
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              that were dictated by the Holy Ghoſt, and by His Inſpiration
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              expounded by the Holy Doctors of the Church, in this caſe not
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              onely Humane Reaſon, but even Senſe it ſelf is to ſubmitt:
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              which, though by all manner of weighty Conditions and circum­
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              ſtances it ſhould hold forth any thing contrary to Divine Autho­
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              rity, (which indeed is ſo plain, that there is no way left to evade
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              the right un erſtanding of it) yet is it to be rejected; and we
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              muſt conclude our ſelves deceived by it, and believe that that is
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              not true which Senſe and Reaſon repreſents unto us: For, however
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              we judge of things, we have, both in this and all other caſes, a
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              more certain knowledge, which proceeds from Divine Faith; as
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              S.
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              Peter
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              hath moſt excellently expreſt it: Who though with his
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              Senſes he ſaw, and perceived the Glory of our Lord in his
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              Transfiguration, and heard his words manifeſting his great Pow­
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              er, yet nevertheleſs all theſe things compared with the Light of
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              Faith, he adds: ^{*}
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              We have alſo a more ſure word of Prophecy,
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              &c.
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              Wherefore ſince this Opinion of
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              Pythagoras
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              and
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              Copernicus
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              hath
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              entred upon the Stage of the World in ſo ſtrange a Dreſs, and at
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              the firſt appearance (beſides the reſt) doth ſeem to oppoſe ſun­
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              dry Authorities of Sacred Scripture, it hath (this being granted)
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              been juſtly rejected of all men as a meer abſurdity.</s>
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