Wilkins, John, A discovery of a new world : or a discourse tending to prove, that 'tis probable there may be another Habitable World in the Moon ; with a discourse concerning the Probability of a Passage thither; unto which is added, a discourse concerning a New Planet, tending to prove, that 'tis probable our earth is one of the Planets

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[21.] The Firſt Book. That the MOON May be a WORLD. The Firſt Propoſition, by way of Preface.
[22.] Sed vanus ſtolidis hæc omnia finxerit Error.
[23.] Solis lunæq; labores.
[24.] Cum fruſtra reſonant æra auxiliaria Lunæ.
[25.] Una laboranti poterit ſuccerrere Lunæ.
[26.] Gantus & è cælo poſſunt deducere Lunam.
[27.] Cantus & ſi curru lunam deducere tentant, Et facerent, ſi non æra repulſa ſonant.
[28.] PROP. II. That a Plurality of Worlds doth not contradict any Principle of Reaſon or Faith.
[29.] Æſtuas infelix auguſto limite mundi.
[30.] PROP. III. That the Heavens do not conſiſt of any ſuch pure Matter, which can priviledge them from the like Change and Corruption, as theſe Inferiour, Bodies are liable unto.
[31.] Necnon Oceano paſci phæbumque polumq; Gredimus.
[32.] PROP. IV. That the Moon is a Solid, Compacted, Opacous Body.
[33.] PROP. V. That the Moon hath not any Light of her own.
[34.] PROP. VI. That there is a World in the Moon, bath been the direct Opinion of many Ancient, with ſome Modern Mathematicians, and may probably de deduc’d from the Tenents of others.
[35.] PROP. VII. That thoſe Spots and brighter parts, which by our ſight may be diſtinguiſhed in the Moon, do ſhew the difference betwixt the Sea and Land, in that other World.
[36.] PROP. VIII. The Spots repeſent the Sea, and the brighter parts the Land.
[37.] PROP. IX. That there are high Mountains, deep Vallies, and ſpacious Plains in the Body of the Moon.
[38.] PROP. X. That there is an Atmo-ſphæra, or an Orb of groſs, Vaporous Air, immediately encompaſſing the body of the Moon.
[39.] PROP. XI. That as their World is our Moon, ſo our World is their Moon.
[40.] Provehimur portu, terræque urbeſque recedunt.
[41.] PROP. XII.
[42.] PROP. XIII.
[43.] PROP. XIV.
[44.] FINIS.
[45.] A DISCOURSE Concerning a Rem Planet. Tending to prove That ’tis probable our EARTH is one of the PLANETS. The Second Book. By John Wilkins, late L. Biſhop of Cheſter.
[46.] LONDON: Printed by J. D. for John Gellibrand, at the Golden Ball in St. Paul’s Church-Yard. M.DC.LXXXIV.
[47.] To the Reader.
[48.] PROP. I.
[49.] PROP. II.
[50.] PROP. III.
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121109That the Moon may be a World.
1. Conſider its Opacity; if you mark theſe
Sublunary things, you ſhall perceive that a-
mongſt them, thoſe that are moſt perſpicuous
are not ſo well able to reverberate the Sun-
beams, as the thicker Bodies.
The Rays paſs
ſingly through a Diaphanous matter, but in an
Opacous Subſtance they are doubled in their
Return, and multiplyed by Reflection.
Now
if the Moon and the other Planets can ſhine
ſo clearly by beating back the Sun Beams, why
may not the Earth alſo ſhine as well, which
agrees with them in the cauſe of this Bright-
neſs their Opacity?
2. Conſider what a clear Light we may diſ-
cern reflected from the Earth in the midſt of
Summer, and withal conceive how much
greater that muſt be which is under the Line,
where the Rays are more directly and ſtrongly
Reverberated.
3. ’Tis conſiderable that though the Moon
does in the Night time ſeem to be of ſo clear
a Brightneſs, yet when we look upon it in the
Day, it appears like ſome little whitiſh Cloud:
Not but that at both times, ſhe is of an equal
Light in her ſelf.
The Reaſon of this diffe-
rence is, becauſe in the Night we look upon
it through a dark and obſcure medium, there
being no other enlightned Body, whoſe bright-
neſs may abate from this:
whereas in the day
time, the whole Heavens round about it, are
of an equal clearneſs, and ſo make it to appear
with a weaker Light.
Now becauſe we can-
not ſee how the enlightned parts of our Earth
do look in the Night, therefore in comparing
it with the Moon, we muſt not conſider

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