7765That the Moon may be a World.
commonly ſee refuted in the Gommentators on
the Books de Gælo.
the Books de Gælo.
Vitellio and Reinoldus, Affirm the Spots to
11Opt. lib. 9.
comment.
in Pnrb.
pag. 164. be the Thicker parts of the Moon, into which
the Sun cannot Infuſe much Light;
and this 11Opt. lib. 9.
comment.
in Pnrb.
pag. 164. be the Thicker parts of the Moon, into which
the Sun cannot Infuſe much Light;
(ſay they) is the Reaſon why in theSuns Eclip-
ſes, the Spots and Brighter parts, are ſtill in ſome
meaſure Diſtinguiſhed, becauſe the Sun Beams
are not able ſo well to Penetrate through thoſe
Thicker, as they may through the Thinner
parts of that Planet. Of this Opinion alſo was
Gæſar la GaHa, whoſe Words are theſe, The
‘ Moon doth there appear Cleareſt, where ſhe
‘ is Tranſpicious, not only through the Superfi-
22Ex'qua par-
te luna eſt
tranſpicua
non ſolum
ſecundum
ſuperficiem
ſed etiam
ſecundum
ſubſtantiam
eatenus cla-
ra, ex qna
autem parte
opaca eſt
eatenus ob-
ſcura vide-
tur. De Phæ-
nom. eap. II.
Albert.
mag. de
Coævis
Q. 4. Art.
12.
Colleg. Con. ‘ cies, but the Subſtance alſo, and there ſhe
‘ ſeems ſpotted, where her Body is moſt Opa-
cous. The ground of this his Aſſertion, was,
becauſe he thought the Moon did receive and
beſtow her Light by Illumination only, and not
at all by reſlexion; but this, together with the
ſuppoſed Penetration of the Sun-Beams, and
the Perſpicuity of the Moons Body, I have
above Anſwered and Refuted.
The more Common and general Opinion, is,
that the Spots are the Thinner parts of the
Moon, which are leſs able to reflect the Beams
that they receive from the Sun, and this is moſt
agreeable to reaſon; for if the Stars are there-
fore brighteſt, becauſe they are Thicker, and
more Solid than their Orbs, then it will follow,
that thoſe parts of the Moon which have leſs
Light, have alſo leſs Thickneſs. It was the
Providence of Nature (ſay ſome) that ſo con-
trived that Planet to have theſe Spots within
it; for ſince that is neareſt to thoſe lower
that the Spots are the Thinner parts of the
Moon, which are leſs able to reflect the Beams
that they receive from the Sun, and this is moſt
agreeable to reaſon; for if the Stars are there-
fore brighteſt, becauſe they are Thicker, and
more Solid than their Orbs, then it will follow,
that thoſe parts of the Moon which have leſs
Light, have alſo leſs Thickneſs. It was the
Providence of Nature (ſay ſome) that ſo con-
trived that Planet to have theſe Spots within
it; for ſince that is neareſt to thoſe lower